Broadband communication system using point and shoot approach

A method of transmitting data in a digital communication system between a transmitting station and a plurality of receivers, said transmitting method comprising:

• transmitting a primary data signal from said transmitting station to a relay station, wherein said primary data signal contains a plurality of primary data packets, each said primary data packet intended for a specific one of said receivers;
• extracting a plurality of index data packets from said primary data signal at said relay station, wherein each said index data packet corresponds to a respective one of said primary data packets and contains address information addressing a specific one of said receivers;
• re-transmitting said primary data signal from said relay station to said plurality of receivers over a broadband channel;
• transmitting an index signal from said relay station to said plurality of receivers over a narrow band channel, wherein said index signal contains said plurality of index data packets extracted from said primary data signal for selecting said primary data packets in said primary data signal;
• receiving and decoding said index signal at said plurality of receivers;
• determining and selecting, at each said receiver, those primary data packets in said primary data signal that are intended for said receiver based on address information in said index data signal;
• extracting and decoding the selected primary data packets in said primary data signal at said plurality of receivers.

A broadband communications system comprising:

• a relay station including:
• receiving means for receiving a broadband primary data signal;
• first transmitting means for transmitting said broadband primary data signal to a plurality of receivers, wherein said broadband signal includes a plurality of data packets each addressed to a selected receiver;
• and
• a second transmitting means for transmitting a narrow band index signal extracted from said primary data signal, said index signal including addressing information for identifying the location of data packets in said broadband signal intended for a selected receiver and the start time of those packet(s);
• and
• the plurality of receivers for receiving said primary data signal and said index signal, each receiver including:
• a first signal processing means for demodulating and decoding said index signal to extract said addressing information;
• a second signal processing means for demodulating and decoding said primary data signal;
• and
• control means for selectively activating said second signal processing means based on addressing information in said index signal.

A receiver for a broadband communication system comprising:

• a continuously operative input stream operative to demodulate and decode a received narrow band index signal;
• a second input stream selectively operative to demodulate and decode portions of a received broadband primary data signal;
• and
• a controller in said first input stream operative to monitor said narrow band index signal and, upon detection of addressing information that matches a predetermined address associated with said receiver, to enable said second input stream to capture and extract data associated with said addressing information from said broadband primary data signal, without tuning said second input stream to a different frequency.

A ground-based receiver for a satellite communication system, comprising:

• a first input stream operative to receive from a satellite, and demodulate and decode, a narrowband index data signal comprising only data packet header information including packet addresses, and to match addresses in said header information with a predetermined address unique to said receiver;
• a second input stream operative to receive from the satellite, and buffer, demodulate and decode selective portions of, a broadband primary data signal comprising complete data packets addressed to a plurality of receivers;
• and
• a controller in said first input stream operative to enable the second input stream to buffer a portion of said broadband primary data signal upon matching said receiver's unique address to a data packet address in said narrowband index signal.

A method of receiving packet data addressed to a particular receiver, comprising:

• receiving and continuously demodulating and decoding in a first receiver path a narrowband index signal comprising only data packet header information including target receiver addresses, and comparing said addresses to a predetermined address unique to said particular receiver;
• intermittently receiving, buffering, demodulating and decoding in a second receiver path portions of a broadband primary data signal comprising complete data packets addressed to a plurality of receivers;
• and
• in response to matching a target receiver address in said narrowband index signal with said predetermined address unique to said particular receiver, enabling said second receiver path to obtain a complete data packet corresponding to the matched target receiver address, without retuning said second receiver path.

A method of receiving data packets addressed to a particular receiver, comprising:

• monitoring a narrowband broadcast signal containing only packet addresses and packet start times;
• detecting a match between a packet address and a unique receiver address;
• and
• after detecting said address match, using an associated start time to transiently receive a portion of a broadband broadcast signal containing complete data packets, for only a duration sufficient to capture the data packet having the matching packet address.