Abstract: A satellite based telecommunications system having a multiple registration location register which enables a terminal to register with more than one earth station simultaneously, without any particular one of the earth stations knowing that the terminal is registered elsewhere. The multiple registration location register receives the registration information from each of the earth stations and records the information. This information is used by the multiple registration location register to re-route calls to an earth station that is providing coverage for the terminal. The multiple registration location register may consider many system factors, including satellite to earth station connectivity and satellite to terminal connectivity, in determining to which earth station it should route calls.

Abstract: A satellite based telecommunications system having a multiple registration location register which enables a terminal to register with more than one earth station simultaneously, without any particular one of the earth stations knowing that the terminal is registered elsewhere. The multiple registration location register receives the registration information from each of the earth stations and records the information. This information is used by the multiple registration location register to re-route calls to an earth station that is providing coverage for the terminal. The multiple registration location register may consider many system factors, including satellite to earth station connectivity and satellite to terminal connectivity, in determining to which earth station it should route calls.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the geolocation of a mobile terminal within a telecommunications satellite system. The system supports first and second forward communications links from first and second earth stations through first and second satellites to a common mobile terminal. The method includes receiving, at the mobile terminal, first and second forward link communications signals from the first and second earth stations and, based thereon, obtaining synchronization differential data. The synchronization differential data may include timing and frequency synchronization data necessary to maintain synchronization between the first and second communications at the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal transmits the synchronization differential data to the first earth station over the return link. The first earth station receives communications signals from the mobile terminal and based thereon calculates return link synchronization data.

Abstract: An inter-node communications link failure recovery system for ATM nodes in which connections are quickly switched from a faulty link to one or more existing links. Within a node, alternate connection routes are predetermined for every connection originating at or terminating to a circuit connected to a link of interest (i.e., a link where recovery from a link fault is desired). The routing information for alternate connections is stored in the ATM node CPU memory. In response to an alarm indicating a break or other failure of link, the Network Management System sends a command to the node to establish hardware "loopback" path in the node interface circuit connected to the faulty link. The ATM node 10 then down-loads the alternate routing information for the failed link to the node routing tables used to route a cell onto a link in accordance with the cell header data. This causes all cells originally set up for transmission over the faulty link to be re-routed to a predetermined alternate link.