摘要 |
A time division multiple access (TDMA) communication system has a plurality of geographically separated stations including a first group of stations, each of which can communicate with any other station in the first group through a first transponder in a predetermined portion of a TDMA frame (intra-group traffic), and a second group of stations, each of which can communicate with any other station in the second group through a second transponder in a predetermined portion of a TDMA frame associated with the second transponder (intra-group traffic). The TDMA frames of the first and second transponders are synchronized and inter-group traffic, i.e., communications between a station in the first group and a station in the second group, takes place in another predetermined portion of each of the frames which is exclusive of the predetermined portion of both frames used for intra-group traffic. Transponder hopping is employed without requiring needless duplication of terminal equipment and, at the same time, assuring non-overlapping transmissions through the same transponder.
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