Broadcasting satellite communication system with improved answer signal transmission

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to reduce the cost of a satellite communication system employing an ARQ system.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part of the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combination particularly pointed out in the claims.
To achieve the foregoing objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a satellite communication system for broadcasting an information signal from a transmitting station to a plurality of receiving stations via a communication satellite, comprises: (1) an answer signal station for transmitting an answer signal to the transmitting station via the communication satellite; and (2) a ground data link for connecting the answer station and a plurality of receiving stations located in a predetermined geographical area, the answer station including means for collecting, from each of the receiving stations in the predetermined area via the ground data link, status data on the received signals and means for generating an answer signal indicating whether or not a receiving station has received the information signal in relationship to the status data.