Satellite-based messaging system transmitting during guard band of satellite-based telephone system and method of operation thereof

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
In a system comprising a plurality of addressable call receivers, a plurality of mobile transceivers, said receivers and mobile transceivers being on or near the surface of the earth, and a plurality of satellite transceivers in orbits about the earth, a method of operating said system comprising the steps of: (a) said mobile transceivers transmitting first voice information to said satellite transceivers during a first recurring time period; (b) said satellite transceivers transmitting second voice information to said mobile transceivers during a second recurring time period; (c) providing a third recurring time period between the end of said second time period and the beginning of said first time period in which said satellite transceivers transmit paging information to said addressable call receivers, the duration of said third time period being sufficient to allow for said paging information transmitted by said satellite transceivers during said third period to propagate past all satellites which are visible to the transmitting satellite transceivers to avoid interference between said paging information transmitted by said satellite transceivers during said third period and the first voice information previously transmitted by said mobile transceivers; and (d) said satellite transceivers transmitting in synchronism with one another their respective paging information to said addressable call receivers during said third time period.
2.
The method recited in claim 1 and further comprising the following step of: said addressable call receivers receiving said respective paging information during said third time period.
3.
The method recited in claim 1, wherein in said system said satellites have limited resources for supplying power to their respective transceivers, and wherein in step d said satellite transceivers transmit said paging information to said addressable call receivers at a significant increase in power relative to that used to transmit said second voice information to said mobile transceivers