Mobile satellite communication system

Abstract

A satellite communication system includes a plurality of mobile stations which are situated on the earth and a communication satellite which is communicable with the mobile stations by radio signals over a plurality of spot beams. The satellite applies single sideband amplitude modulation (SSB-AM) to analog signals which are sent from the mobile stations, applies digital modulation to coded voice and data, and separates signals in the form of frequency-division-multiplexed (FDM) signals on a channel basis by a transmultiplexer method which is implemented by demultiplexers of a transponder. Baseband matrix means is provided for connecting an output of any of the demultiplexers to one of the spot beams to be transmitted. Further, transmitting means is provided for time-division-multiplexing outputs of the baseband matrix means to form a transmit frame and transmitting it in the form of a TDM signal. On the other hand, each mobile station includes a receiver for selecting a channel signal to be received out of the TDM signal which is sent from the transmitting means of the onboard transponder, and demodulates it to regenerate a signal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.