Spacenet, Inc.

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.

Ge Capital Spacenet Services, Inc.

Ronald Loye Kronz

Brian J Glinsman

William A Check

Robert F Fleming, Iii

Joseph A Chisholm

David B Kim

Norman Franklin Krasner

David George Decker

A flexible slotted Aloha communication protocol for a burst-type communication network divides a communication channel into a series of time cycles, with each time cycle further divided into contiguous time slices of identical duration. All data transmissions in the network begin at the start of a time slice and continue for an integer number of time slices, with the identity of the transmitting terminal, the length of the transmission and error correction, being included within the first time slice of each data transmission. Communication terminals in the network transmit reservation requests to a network hub which receives the reservation requests and reserves reserved time slots each having a number of time slices which matches the length of the data transmission to be transmitted in the reserved time slot. The reserved time slot may include time slices in more than one time cycle. The communication protocol dynamically adjusts reservation parameters to match traffic load conditions on the channel and may reassign communication terminals from one channel to another in order to dynamically balance the load on the channels.

Flex slotted Aloha transmission system and method

A method and apparatus for receiving and processing burst-mode code-division multiple access (CDMA) direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) signals is provided. In this apparatus and method, a number of demodulators are provided in a set enumerated order. Each demodulator is either &ldquo;ready,&rdquo; meaning that it is free to process signals, or busy meaning that it is currently processing a signal. The ready demodulators each receive an input IF signal and try to detect a preamble in the IF signal. Once they detect the preamble, each ready demodulator then sends a request signal to an arbitrator. In response to a received request signal, the arbitrator sends a grant signal to the first ready demodulator in the enumerated order. This grant signal passes through each busy demodulator that is higher in the enumerated order than the first ready demodulator. The first ready demodulator then begins processing the signal, and is moved from the set of ready demodulators to the set of busy demodulators. The remaining ready demodulators then continue processing incoming signals. When a busy demodulator completes processing a signal, it is returned to the set of ready demodulators.

Methods and apparatus for burst-mode CDMA DSSS communications receiving systems

A method is shown for providing stable communication between a hub earth-station and a VSAT earth-station by regulating the power of signals transmitted via a satellite. In this method, the hub receives a beacon signal from the satellite and a previous outbound signal. The hub then regulates the power of an outbound signal transmitted by the hub to VSAT via the satellite, based on either the beacon signal or the previous outbound signal. The hub then sends a current outbound signal, including signal data and parameter data to the VSAT via the satellite. The VSAT receives the current outbound signal and determines a number of signal properties pertaining to the current outbound signal. The VSAT then regulates the power of an inbound signal transmitted by the VSAT to the hub via the satellite, based on the signal properties, the parameter data, and a set of reference data.

Methods and apparatus for controlling earth-station transmitted power in a VSAT network

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Fairfax Station, VA, United States of America

Ronald Loye Kronz