Abstract: A communication system (10) is disclosed which provides two-way communications access to a wide area network (WAN)(11) for a very large number of subscribers (17). It offers an inexpensive “last-mile” hookup from a subscriber terminal (15) to a communications hub (12). The hub (12) is connected to a WAN (11) such as the Internet. The system comprises service areas (14), 0.7 to 1.5 km radius (18), wherein the hub (12) and subscribers (17) are located. Subscribers (17) are connected to a subscriber terminal (15), directly or through a local area network (LAN)(39). Each terminal (15) communicates with the hub by a SHF radio link (13). Distributed routing of signals provides subscribers (17) with no-waiting, transmission of information at speeds about ten Mbps. Availability of a communication path approximates a fiber optic cable. The LAN (39) may be a local public switched telephone network. Each service area (14) is divided into one to forty sectors (16).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus which route, control and manage traffic throughout a Satellite Communication System operating in low Earth orbit are disclosed. Voice, video and data traffic from terrestrial gateways (G) and from portable (P), mobile (M) or fixed (F) terminals are directed up through the constellation of satellites (S) and back down to destinations on Earth. The satellites provide continuous worldwide communication services while insuring uniform end-to-end transmission delays. The satellite network is highly adaptive to the constantly changing network topology, and will offer a synchronous circuit switched communication service that provides sequential delivery of user data, regardless of the type of the data transmitted. The network employs datagram switching, as opposed to conventional virtual circuit switching techniques.

Abstract: The present invention overcomes the limitations encountered by conventional packet switching using virtual circuits. The present invention utilizes a "datagram" approach that routes every packet (22) conveyed by the system independently at every node in the network. The packets (22) are directed along an optimized pathway through the network by a fast packet switch (38) that directs traffic based on instructions from an adaptive routing processor (12A) that continuously runs an adaptive routing software (12B). This adaptive routing processor (14) supplies an output (12C) to a routing cache memory (20) which stores fast packet switch routing port output tags (30). An input packet processor (28) extracts a supercell address from the header (24) of each packet (22) and uses the supercell address (21A) as an index to retrieve a fast packet switch output port tag (30) stored in the routing cache memory (20).

Abstract: The present invention overcomes the limitations encountered by conventional packet switching using virtual circuits. The present invention utilizes a "datagram" approach that routes every packet (22) conveyed by the system independently at every node in the network. The packets (22) are directed along an optimized pathway through the network by a fast packet switch (38) that directs traffic based on instructions from an adaptive routing processor (12A) that continuously runs an adaptive routing software (12B). This adaptive routing processor (14) supplies an output (12C) to a routing cache memory (20) which stores fast packet switch routing port output tags (30). An input packet processor (28) extracts a supercell address from the header (24) of each packet (22) and uses the supercell address (21A) as an index to retrieve a fast packet switch output port tag (30) stored in the routing cache memory (20).