Apparatus and method for positioning single-offset zones in a spot beam coverage area to maximize call duration in a satellite-based communications network

An apparatus for increasing call duration time in a satellite-based communications network including a satellite which generates a spot beam to form a spot beam coverage area which enables access terminals therein to communicate with said network, comprising:

• an access terminal density determining apparatus, adapted to identify a location in at least one zone of said spot beam coverage area having a number of access terminals greater than any other location in said zone;
• and
• a burst offset time assigning apparatus which is adapted to assign, based on a propagation delay of a signal propagating from said location to said satellite, a burst offset time in accordance with which burst are received and transmitted by every access terminal in said zone.

A method for increasing call duration time in a satellite-based communications network, comprising the steps of:

• segregating a coverage area of a spot beam generated by a satellite in said network into at least one offset zone based on respective propagation time periods required for signals to travel between said satellite and respective different locations in said coverage area;
• and
• arranging each of said at least one offset zone such that each respective center of each of said at least one offset zone overlaps a respective geographical location in said coverage area, each said respective geographic location having a respective access terminal density greater than any other geographical region within its respective offset zone.

A method for increasing call duration time in a satellite-based communications network including a satellite which generates a spot beam to form a spot beam coverage area which enables access terminals therein to communicate with said network, comprising the steps of:

• identifying a location in at least one zone of said spot beam coverage area having a number of access terminals greater than any other location in said zone;
• and
• assigning a burst offset time in accordance with which burst are received and transmitted by every access terminal in said zone based on a propagation delay of a signal propagating from said location to said satellite.

A computer readable medium of instructions for increasing call duration time in a satellite-based communications network, comprising:

• a first set of instructions, adapted to control said network to segregate a coverage area of a spot beam generated by a satellite in said network into at least one offset zone based on respective propagation time periods required for signals to travel between said satellite and respective different locations in said coverage area;
• and
• a second set of instructions, adapted to control said network to arrange each of said at least one offset zone such that each respective center of each of said at least one offset zone overlaps a respective geographical location in said coverage area, each said respective geographic location having a respective access terminal density greater than any other geographical region within its respective offset zone.

A computer readable medium of instructions for increasing call duration time in a satellite-based communications network including a satellite which generates a spot beam to form a spot beam coverage area which enables access terminals therein to communicate with said network, comprising:

• a first set of instructions, adapted to control said network to identify a location in at least one zone of said spot beam coverage area having a number of access terminals greater than any other location in said zone;
• and
• a second set of instructions, adapted to control said network to assign a burst offset time in accordance with which burst are received and transmitted by every access terminal in said zone based on a propagation delay of a signal propagating from said location to said satellite.