Importance

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Abstract

A system and method for controlling the transmission power of a user terminal in a satellite communications system of a type that includes a ground segment, comprised of at least one user terminal and at least one terrestrial gateway, and a space segment, comprised of a plurality of satellites in a non-geosynchronous earth orbit. The method includes the steps of (a) transmitting an uplink signal from the user terminal simultaneously to at least two satellites of the space segment and (b) receiving the uplink signal with each of the at least two satellites. The method further includes the steps of (c) determining, in the space segment, a difference value representing a difference between a received signal strength indication and a desired received signal strength indication for each of the at least two satellites; (d) in response to the difference value, generating in the space segment at least one power control command for use by the user terminal; (e) transmitting the at least one generated power control command from the space segment to the user terminal; and (f) adjusting a transmitted power of the uplink signal in accordance with the at least one power control command.

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First Claim