Apparatus and method for using multiple spreading codes for data transmission in a satellite communication system

In a communication system comprising a plurality of origination nodes and a plurality of destination nodes, a method for operating a terrestrial station which has been adapted to determine routing codes for routing message information between said plurality of origination nodes and said plurality of destination nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request to establish a spread spectrum communication link between an origination node and a destination node;
• identifying said destination node with a first destination code, said first destination code spreading said message information in an origination node and despreading said message information in said destination node;
• establishing a first route from said origination node to said destination node, wherein said first route comprises a first plurality of intermediary nodes;
• determining a first set of routing codes for said first route, wherein an intermediary node is identified by a routing code and said first set of routing codes comprises a first plurality of said routing codes, said routing code spreading said message information in said origination node and despreading said message information in one of said first plurality of intermediary nodes;
• and
• sending said first destination code and said first set of routing codes to said origination node, said origination node generating spread spectrum signals using said first destination code and said first set of routing codes.

A method for operating a communication device as an intermediary node which has been adapted to use routing codes to despread and route signals in a spread spectrum communication system, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at said communication device at least one spread spectrum signal that has been spread using a set of routing codes and at least one destination code, wherein said communication device comprises at least one first-level decoder;
• despreading said at least one spread spectrum signal, using said at least one first-level decoder, into at least one first-level decoded signal, said at least one first-level decoder using a first-level routing code;
• providing said at least one first-level decoded signal to a plurality of second-level decoder, wherein said communication device comprises said plurality of second-level decoders;
• and
• despreading said at least one first-level decoded signal into a plurality of second-level decoded signals using said plurality of second-level decoders, said plurality of second-level decoders using a plurality of second-level routing codes.

A method for operating a communication device which has been adapted to use routing codes to spread signals in a spread spectrum communication system, said method comprising the steps of:

• determining a destination code for a destination node;
• determining a route from an origination node to said destination node;
• receiving by said origination node at least one message signal, said at least one message signal for transmission to said destination node;
• spreading said at least one message signal using a first-level encoder into at least one first-level encoded signal, said first-level encoder using said destination code as a spreading code;
• determining a first-level path code from said origination node to said destination node, said first-level path code being a first part of said route;
• and
• spreading said at least one first-level encoded signal into at least one second-level encoded signal using a second-level encoder, said second-level encoder using said first-level path code.

A spread spectrum satellite communication system comprising:

• a plurality of communication satellites which have been adapted to use destination codes and routing codes to spread and despread signals in said spread spectrum satellite communication system, said routing codes establishing a plurality of signal paths within said plurality of communication satellites;
• at least one terrestrial station which has been adapted to use said destination codes and said routing codes to spread and despread signals in said spread spectrum satellite communication system, said routing codes establishing a plurality of signal paths within said at least one terrestrial station;
• a plurality of communication units which have been adapted to use said destination codes and said routing codes to spread and despread signals in said spread spectrum satellite communication system, said routing codes establishing a plurality of signal paths within said plurality of communication units;
• and
• at least one control center for controlling said spread spectrum satellite communication system, said at least one control center providing said destination codes and said routing codes.

A communication device for use in a spread spectrum satellite communication system, wherein said communication device comprises:

• at least one antenna subsystem for receiving at least one spread spectrum signal that has been spread using a set of routing codes and at least one destination code;
• a plurality of transceivers coupled to said at least one antenna subsystem, said plurality of transceivers for processing said at least one spread spectrum signal;
• a plurality of decoders coupled to said plurality of transceivers for decoding said at least one spread spectrum signal using said set of routing codes;
• at least one processor coupled to said plurality of transceivers and to said plurality of decoders, said at least one processor for controlling said plurality of transceivers and said plurality of decoders;
• and
• at least one memory coupled to said at least one processor, said at least one memory for storing data, wherein said data comprises instructions.