Opportunistic modem

A method for communicating digital user data, the method comprising:

• receiving the digital user data with an input port of a modem;
• configuring the modem to initially establish at least a first carrier at a first carrier frequency and bandwidth of a modem output signal;
• configuring the modem to subsequently establish at least one second carrier at a second carrier frequency and bandwidth of the modem output signal;
• transmitting pilot data over the second carrier for a period of time;
• and
• subsequent to the period of time, dividing the digital user data among the at least first carrier and the second carrier.

A method for communicating digital user data, the method comprising:

• receiving the digital user data with an input port of a modem;
• configuring the modem to establish at least first and second carriers at corresponding first and second carrier frequencies and bandwidths of a modem output signal;
• transmitting the digital user data from the modem with the at least a first and second carrier of the modem output signal;
• subsequently configuring the modem to de-establish the second carrier;
• prior to de-establishing the second carrier, transmitting the digital user data over the at least a first carrier and transmitting pilot data over the second carrier for a period of time;
• and
• subsequent to the period of time, de-establishing the second carrier.

A system for communicating digital user data from a first location to a second location via at least one transponder, the system comprising:

• a first modem associated with the first location configured to receive the digital user data at an input port, the first modem configurable to initially establish at least a first carrier at a first carrier frequency and bandwidth of the at least one transponder and to transmit the digital user data over the at least a first carrier via the at least one transponder;
• and
• a second modem associated with the second location configured to receive the user data via the at least one transponder from the first modem, the second modem configurable to initially receive at least the first carrier at the first carrier frequency and bandwidth,
• wherein the first and second modems are configurable to subsequently establish at least one second carrier at a second carrier frequency and bandwidth of the at least one transponder and to initially transmit pilot data from the first modem to the second modem and then to stop transmitting pilot data and to divide the digital user data among the first carrier and the second carrier.

A method for communicating digital user data from a first location to a second location via at least one transponder, the method comprising:

• receiving the digital user data at the first location with an input port of a first modem;
• configuring the first modem to initially establish at least a first carrier at a first carrier frequency and bandwidth of the at least one transponder;
• transmitting the digital user data with the first modem over the at least a first carrier via the at least one transponder;
• receiving the digital user data with a second modem associated with the second location, the second modem being configured to receive the digital user data via the at least one transponder from the first modem;
• configuring the second modem to initially receive at least the first carrier at the first carrier frequency and bandwidth;
• subsequently configuring the first and second modems to establish at least one second carrier at a second carrier frequency and bandwidth of the at least one transponder;
• transmitting pilot data from the first modem to the second modem over the second carrier for a period of time;
• and
• subsequent to the period of time, dividing the digital user data among the at least first carrier and the second carrier.

A method for communicating digital user data from a first location to a second location via at least one transponder, the method comprising:

• receiving the digital user data at the first location with an input port of a first modem;
• configuring the first modem to establish at least first and second carriers at corresponding first and second carrier frequencies and bandwidths of the at least one transponder;
• transmitting the digital user data from the first modem with the at least a first and second carrier via the at least one transponder;
• receiving the digital user data with a second modem associated with the second location, the second modem being configured to receive the digital user data via the at least one transponder from the first modem;
• configuring the second modem to receive at least the first and second carriers at the corresponding first and second carrier frequencies and bandwidths;
• subsequently configuring the first and second modems to de-establish the second carrier;
• prior to de-establishing the second carrier, transmitting the digital user data over the at least a first carrier via the at least one transponder and transmitting pilot data over the second carrier via the at least one transponder for a period of time;
• and
• subsequent to the period of time, de-establishing the second carrier.

A method for communicating digital user data from a first modem to a second modem via a satellite transponder having a passband, the method comprising:

• establishing a first carrier having a first frequency and bandwidth in a first portion of the transponder passband;
• initially transmitting the digital user data using the first carrier;
• subsequently establishing a second carrier having a second frequency and bandwidth in a second portion of the transponder passband;
• after establishment of the second carrier, initially transmitting pilot data over the second carrier for a period of time;
• and
• after the period of time ceasing the transmission of pilot data and dividing the digital user data among the first carrier and the second carrier for transmission.

A system for communicating digital user data from a first modem to a second modem via a satellite transponder having a passband, the system comprising:

• means associated with the first modem for establishing a first carrier having a first frequency and bandwidth in a first portion of the transponder passband;
• means associated with the first modem for initially transmitting the digital user data using the first carrier;
• means for subsequently establishing a second carrier having a second frequency and bandwidth in a second portion of the transponder passband;
• means operable after establishment of the second carrier for initially transmitting pilot data over the second carrier for a period of time;
• and
• means operable after the period of time for ceasing the transmission of the pilot data and dividing the digital user data among the first carrier and the second carrier for transmission.