Methods and systems are provided for increasing bandwidth efficiency in satellite communications. In some embodiments, a satellite communications method is provided that comprises receiving, at a gateway ground station and as part of a downlink transmission from a satellite, a combined source signal comprising a plurality of source signals with an overlapping bandwidth, and extracting, from the downlink transmission, information specifying at least one predetermined modulation method. The method also includes generating, based on the at least one predetermined modulation method and from the combined source signal, a plurality of estimated waveforms corresponding to the plurality of source signals, separating, by signal cancellation and using the plurality of estimated waveforms, the plurality of source signals from the combined source signal, and routing, with a terrestrial network, the plurality of source signals to one or more user ground terminals.

Methods and systems are provided for increasing bandwidth efficiency in satellite communications. In some embodiments, a satellite communications method is provided that comprises receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of source signals, wherein each of the source signals are modulated according to at least one source modulation method, and further receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of information signals corresponding to the plurality of source signals. The method further includes combining, at the satellite, the plurality of source signals into a combined source signal with an overlapping bandwidth, wherein each of the source signals are further modulated according to at least one predetermined modulation method before they are combined, and transmitting, by a downlink transmission from the satellite to a gateway ground station, the combined source signal.

A system and method provide an enhanced listening experience for a user of a radio receiver or other device that receives broadcast or streamed content having a plurality of program channels. The method and system buffer designated channels at the receiver and, when switching among channels, play back the buffered designated channels during reception from a selected point therein depending on the channel or other criteria. When switching to a different channel during reception, a user is able to hear content in a buffered program channel with music from the start of a song, for example, whereas content in a channel with news, talk radio, or live sports is played back from live reception, even though the content segments are transmitted at different start times relative to their selected times for playback following a channel change. User controls allow navigation among buffered designated channels during reception.

A system and method provide an enhanced listening experience for a user of a radio receiver or other device that receives broadcast or streamed content having a plurality of program channels. The method and system buffer designated channels at the receiver and, when switching among channels, play back the buffered designated channels during reception from a selected point therein depending on the channel or other criteria. When switching to a different channel during reception, a user is able to hear content in a buffered program channel with music from the start of a song, for example, whereas content in a channel with news, talk radio, or live sports is played back from live reception, even though the content segments are transmitted at different start times relative to their selected times for playback following a channel change. User controls allow navigation among buffered designated channels during reception.

A method and a system are provided for use in a satellite communications network in which broadcasting services are provided to a mobile terminal. The method comprises: duplicating bits comprised in communications which the satellite is about to broadcast, thereby forming a first stream of bits and a second stream of bits; conveying the first stream of bits in an encoded form along a satellite channel whereas the second stream of bits is conveyed in an encoded form along a terrestrial channel; and combining bits conveyed along the satellite channel with bits conveyed along the terrestrial channel in order to obtain a combined stream of bits.

A space-based electronic data transfer network system is disclosed. The space-based electronic data transfer network system connects to multiple external sources and transmits information securely within the network, enabling information to be quickly communicated between external satellites and ground stations. The space-based electronic data transfer network system is modularly expandable and additional external satellites and communications frequencies may be incorporated into the network by simply adding one or more additional satellites capable of communicating with the external satellite or communications frequency.

A vehicle messaging method (600) and system (100) can include any number of data sources (101-103), an interface (104) that formats messages and addresses from the data sources, and a corresponding number of messaging servers (111-113) that receive targeted messages intended for a predetermined subset of subscribers associated with a vehicle identification number (VIN). Each messaging server can include a corresponding controller (121-123) programmed to assign (604) targeted messages to a predetermined channel and encode (606) the addresses of the targeted messages to the predetermined subset of subscribers using a VIN or portion thereof. The controller can be further programmed to transfer (608) the targeted messages and addresses to a satellite uplink (107) and satellite (110) via a messaging uplink interface (106) for retransmission and reception by a plurality of selective call receivers 109 addressable individually using a predetermined VIN or portion thereof.

A graphical user-interface for a multi-source media player that optimizes the presentation of content and navigational choices to a user, as well as the user's interactive experience, is described. Methods of enabling users to access, manage and listen to content, whether delivered over an IP, satellite, other communications channel, or some/all of such channels, are presented. The user-interface can include, for example, tile, icon and album art-based user-interface elements. The user-interface elements may be selected via touch screen, voice commands, trackball and remote touch activated panels, as well as haptic devices or rotary controllers, or various multi-modal combinations of inputs and control signals.

A graphical user-interface for a multi-source media player that optimizes the presentation of content and navigational choices to a user, as well as the user's interactive experience, is described. Methods of enabling users to access, manage and listen to content, whether delivered over an IP, satellite, other communications channel, or some/all of such channels, are presented. The user-interface can include, for example, tile, icon and album art-based user-interface elements. The user-interface elements may be selected via touch screen, voice commands, trackball and remote touch activated panels, as well as haptic devices or rotary controllers, or various multi-modal combinations of inputs and control signals.

An apparatus includes a plurality of content sources providing content relevant to an event at a venue, one or more wireless access points positioned at the venue, a plurality of servers distributing the content signals to the wireless access points, and a plurality of wireless communication devices, each using a browser to retrieve the content through one of the wireless access points. A method performed by the apparatus is also provided.