Patent ID: 8433241

Claim:
A communications system comprising: a space-based network (SBN) comprising at least one satellite that generates a plurality of spot beams using a first set of frequencies; and an ancillary terrestrial network (ATN) using a second set of radio frequencies, wherein, in a coverage zone of a given spot beam wherein the SBN and the ATN use at least one frequency from the first and second sets of frequencies in common the SBN uses a narrower bandwidth than the ATN on both forward and return links, the ATN employs frequency spreading on at least its return link communications, the SBN employs spatial beam nulling directed toward at least one ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) of the ATN, the SBN employs forward link margin control, the ATN employs return link power control, the SBN employs return link power control and base stations of the ATN provide isolation in a direction of at least one satellite of the SBN; wherein the forward link margin control employed by the SBN is configured to provide a terminal communicating with the SBN increased link margin to override interference from a proximate ATN base station until the terminal is in a nominal coverage zone of the proximate ATN base station.