Patent ID: 7639646

Claim:
ground station configured for operation in a satellite diversity system including: a plurality of satellites including a first satellite from the plurality of satellites configured to provide a first beam as a primary beam, supporting a first region, and a second beam supporting a third region simultaneously substantially overlapping a second region; a second satellite from the plurality of satellites configured to provide a first beam as a secondary beam supporting the second region, and a second beam supporting a fourth region simultaneously substantially overlapping the first region; the ground station configured to: transmit a forward link traffic signal to the first region via the first satellite during a period of time when a communication path through the first satellite is not degraded; transmit the forward link traffic signal to the first region via the second satellite during the period of time that the communication path through the first satellite is degraded; receive signal metrics relating to the forward link traffic signal from a device and determine based at least in part on the signal metrics whether the communication path through first satellite is degraded; direct the device to vary transmit power to maintain a reverse link signal with at least the first satellite and the second satellite from the plurality of satellites; receive at least a first reverse link signal from the first satellite and a second reverse link signal from the second satellite; and combine the first and second reverse link signals.