Abstract: A method for designing Non-Geosynchronous Orbit (NGSO) satellite constellations and NGSO satellite constellations thereof are presented. An NGSO satellite constellation may be designed to allow an earth station to perform handover between two satellites of the NGSO satellite constellation while the two satellites appear to be at about a same location in the sky relative to the earth station. In such constellation, an earth station may perform such handover between the two satellites in a Make-Before-Break fashion while the earth station may be configured to use a single, slow-tracking antenna, such as a mechanically tracking dish antenna.

Abstract: A method for designing Non-Geosynchronous Orbit (NGSO) satellite constellations and NGSO satellite constellations thereof are presented. An NGSO satellite constellation may be designed to allow an earth station to perform handover between two satellites of the NGSO satellite constellation while the two satellites appear to be at about a same location in the sky relative to the earth station. In such constellation, an earth station may perform such handover between the two satellites in a Make-Before-Break fashion while the earth station may be configured to use a single, slow-tracking antenna, such as a mechanically tracking dish antenna.

Abstract: A communication system comprises one or more transmitters and a receiving station. A transmitter segments a payload to be transmitted into multiple fragments and transmits each fragment of the payload in a different transmission. The receiving station receives the fragments, reassembles the payload from the received fragments and validates the integrity of the payload. Methods are presented for efficiently rebuilding a payload from fragments of the payload and for validating the integrity of the payload.

Abstract: A satellite communication system comprising a hub and plurality of terminals may be divided into multiple segments, wherein each segment may support part of the terminals. A method for decentralized balancing of traffic between the system segments is presented herein. One segment in each coverage beam may be designated as home carrier and include load balancing information. The terminals may be configured to tune on a home carrier, receive the load balancing information and then use it for selecting a least loaded segment on which they may remain operational until reset or powered off. In some embodiments of the invention, said load balancing information may be used for calculating relative probabilities for selecting segments through a weighted random selection algorithm.

Abstract: A communication system comprises one or more transmitters and a receiving station. A transmitter segments a payload to be transmitted into multiple fragments and transmits each fragment of the payload in a different transmission. The receiving station receives the fragments, reassembles the payload from the received fragments and validates the integrity of the payload. Methods are presented for efficiently rebuilding a payload from fragments of the payload and for validating the integrity of the payload.

Abstract: In a satellite communication system, comprising a hub, a satellite and plurality of remote terminals (e.g., VSATs), a method for allocating timeslots over a return channel to VSATs in real time, without a reference to a predefined time-frequency map, for at least the purpose of optimizing return channel utilization. Also presented are a method for dividing a return channel to transmission channels in real time, a method for determining a most suitable timeslot type for a VSAT per allocation period and a tiling algorithm for mapping allocated capacity onto return channel bandwidth.

Abstract: A satellite communication system comprising a hub and plurality of terminals may be divided into multiple segments, wherein each segment may support part of the terminals. A method for decentralized balancing of traffic between the system segments is presented herein. One segment in each coverage beam may be designated as home carrier and include load balancing information. The terminals may be configured to tune on a home carrier, receive the load balancing information and then use it for selecting a least loaded segment on which they may remain operational until reset or powered off. In some embodiments of the invention, said load balancing information may be used for calculating relative probabilities for selecting segments through a weighted random selection algorithm.

Abstract: In a satellite communication system, comprising a hub, a satellite and plurality of remote terminals (e.g., VSATs), a method for allocating timeslots over a return channel to VSATs in real time, without a reference to a predefined time-frequency map, for at least the purpose of optimizing return channel utilization. Also presented are a method for dividing a return channel to transmission channels in real time, a method for determining a most suitable timeslot type for a VSAT per allocation period and a tiling algorithm for mapping allocated capacity onto return channel bandwidth.

Abstract: Efficient utilization of a shared pool of time-frequency slot resources in a return channel among a plurality of remote terminals in a satellite communication system. Within the shared pool of time-frequency slot resources for data, allowing access through circuit-switched TDM allocations, reservation allocations, or random access. Within the shared pool of time-frequency resources for control, allowing duplicate control burst transmissions in random access. Other improvements in the control channel include self-allocation by the remote terminals or hub-allocation to the remote terminals.