Abstract: In a satellite-based messaging system messages are exchanged between a ground station and mobile terminals over a wide geographic area covered by multiple satellite beams. Each beam contains one or more carrier frequencies. A message processing center is configured to provision a frame comprising a plurality of subframes to carry data over a forward link to the mobile terminals; hop between beams in the forward link and assign each subframe within a frame to a specific satellite beam; provision a transport medium in the form of virtual carriers each defined by one or more carrier frequency/beam hop combinations, wherein each virtual carrier is assigned a unique virtual carrier identifier; and notify the mobile terminals of carrier frequency/hop combinations for assigned virtual carrier identifiers.

Abstract: In a satellite-based messaging system messages are exchanged between a ground station and mobile terminals over a wide geographic area covered by multiple satellite beams. Each beam contains one or more carrier frequencies. A message processing center is configured to provision a frame comprising a plurality of subframes to carry data over a forward link to the mobile terminals; hop between beams in the forward link and assign each subframe within a frame to a specific satellite beam; provision a transport medium in the form of virtual carriers each defined by one or more carrier frequency/beam hop combinations, wherein each virtual carrier is assigned a unique virtual carrier identifier; and notify the mobile terminals of carrier frequency/hop combinations for assigned virtual carrier identifiers.

Abstract: A system for disseminating information over a wide area network includes a central caching unit for storing data to be made available over the wide area network. Local access give users access to the wide area network. Distributed caching units associated with the local access nodes for store cacheable material. A satellite communications system establishes satellite communications between the central caching unit and the local caching units for the transfer of cacheable material from the central caching unit to the local units. A router at the local access nodes routes packets from users to a destination address. The router includes local routing tables containing the addresses of material cached at the associated local node and responds to routing requests for locally cached material by directing the requests to the local cache.

Abstract: A packet data communication system includes a control station and a plurality of mobile terminals that communicate on demand with the control station over a wireless link. The control station has a data port for receiving data packtets destined for the terminals, an arrangement for generating a plurality of data channels for carrying the data packets, and an arrangement for assigning the data packets destined for a particular terminal to one or more of the data channels. A control channel carries control information pertaining to the data channels. The channels are trasmitted to the mobile terminals as an r.f. signal. The terminals have a receiver for receiving the r.f. signal, an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the received signal, and a buffer for storing the digitized received signal. The terminals continually monitor the control channel to extract control information.

Abstract: A packet data communication system includes a control station and a plurality of mobile terminals that communicate on demand with the control station over a wireless link. The control station has a data port for receiving data packets destined for the terminals, an arrangement for generating a plurality of data channels for carrying the data packets, and an arrangement for assigning the data packets destined for a particular terminal to one or more of the data channels. A control channel carries control information pertaining to the data channels. The channels are transmitted to the mobile terminals as an r.f. signal. The terminals have a receiver for receiving the r.f. signal, an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the received signal, and a buffer for storing the digitized received signal. The terminals continually monitor the control channel to extract control information.

Abstract: A system for disseminating information over a wide area network includes a central caching unit for storing data to be made available over the wide area network. Local access give users access to the wide area network. Distributed caching units associated with the local access nodes for store cacheable material. A satellite communications system establishes satellite communications between the central caching unit and the local caching units for the transfer of cacheable material from the central caching unit to the local units. A router at the local access nodes routes packets from users to a destination address. The router includes local routing tables containing the addresses of material cached at the associated local node and responds to routing requests for locally cached material by directing the requests to the local cache.