Abstract: A method of transmitting information arranged in packets from one location to a second location via a wireless/satellite network, comprising: (a) examining each packet to determine whether its size is equal to a minimum (STEP 11A1) and (STEP 11A2); (b) if a minimum size, generating a first SAR header (STEP 11A4) and applying the header to packet to form a SAR segment (STEP 11A7); (c) if greater than a minimum size, dividing the packet into uniform sized segments (STEP 11A5), generating a second SAR header unique for each segment (STEP 11A6) and applying the header to respective segment to form SAR segments (STEP 11A7); (d) forwarding the SAR segments to modems for transmission to terminals at the second location (STEP 11A7).

Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment an architecture for a new integrated TDMA system capable of carrying circuit data (e.g., voice, vides, ISDN), packet data (e.g., X.25, Frame Relay, Internet, LAN), and ATM cells is disclosed. The architecture may be used for satellite and wireless TDMA networks, for example. For this transmission formats for bursts (101), channels (130, 140), TDMA frames (10) are defined and an adaptation layer for the three traffic types is described. In addition, the network has to carry its own management traffic and provide timing and control information to all terminals. For this the invention defines special bursts and along with their associated properties and formats. Each burst contains a data section which is divided into a number of channels.

Abstract: A method of transmitting information arranged in packets from one location to a second location via a wireless/satellite network, comprising: (a) examining each packet to determine whether its size is equal to a minimum (STEP 11A1) and (STEP 11A2); (b) if a minimum size, generating a first SAR header (STEP 11A4) and applying the header to packet to form a SAR segment (STEP 11A7); (c) if greater than a minimum size, dividing the packet into uniform sized segments (STEP 11A5), generating a second SAR header unique for each segment (STEP 11A6) and applying the header to respective segment to form SAR segments (STEP 11A7); (d) forwarding the SAR segments to modems for transmission to terminals at the second location (STEP 11A7).

Abstract: A Terrestrial Satellite Interworking Unit (TSIU) is provided for achieving seamless integration of a terrestrial ATM network with a satellite ATM network. In particular, the TSIU in incorporated within a gateway for interconnecting a COTS ATM switch communicably linked to the terrestrial ATM network and a satellite modem communicably linked to the satellite ATM network. The TSIU provides traffic and resource management functions (such as DAMA, congestion control, and jitter removal), signaling interworking functions, and satellite domain-specific functions (such as data encryption/decryption, control channel ciphering, and gateway authentication).