A system for providing mobile interactive satellite services includes a satellite operable to communicate with mobile units, a terrestrial base transceiver station operable to communicate with mobile units, and a ground station in communication with the satellite and the terrestrial base transceiver station to provide mobile interactive satellite services. The mobile interactive satellite services include a multicast component and an interactive component such that the ground station provides both the multicast component and the interactive component using the satellite, with the terrestrial base transceiver station used to provide an ancillary terrestrial component. A device for communicating with a mobile interactive satellite service system includes an antenna, a transceiver coupled to the antenna and operable to communicate with a mobile interactive satellite service system, a user input device, an output device, a processor unit, and a network interface. The processor unit is coupled to the user input device, the output device, and the transceiver such that the processor is operable to output received information from the transceiver using the output device, to receive interactive information from the user input device, and to transmit data based on the received interactive information using the transceiver. The network interface is coupled to the processor such that the processor is operable to side load information.

A system comprises a computer including a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to change a satellite antenna direction from a first sky segment to a second sky segment, to change the satellite antenna direction to return to the first sky segment upon updating segment blockage status data including a location and a score of the second sky segment, and to change the satellite antenna direction to a third sky segment based at least in part on the segment blockage status data.

A system comprises a computer including a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to change a satellite antenna direction from a first sky segment to a second sky segment, to change the satellite antenna direction to return to the first sky segment upon updating segment blockage status data including a location and a score of the second sky segment, and to change the satellite antenna direction to a third sky segment based at least in part on the segment blockage status data.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a satellite communication system includes a satellite constellation including a plurality of satellites in non-geosynchronous orbit (non-GEO), wherein at least some of the plurality of satellites travel in a first orbital path at a first inclination, and an end point terminal having an earth-based geographic location, the end point terminal having an antenna system defining a field of regard for communicating with the satellite constellation, wherein the field of regard is a limited field of regard, wherein the field of regard is tilted from a non-tilted position to a tilted position, and wherein the tilt angle of the tilted position is a function of the latitude of the geographic location.

A system includes a terminal. The terminal includes a terrestrial communication interface, a satellite communication interface and a computer. The terrestrial and satellite communication interfaces are configured to communicate traffic data. The computer is communicatively linked to the terrestrial and satellite communication interfaces. The computer executes instructions comprising, to determine that the traffic data, communicated via the terrestrial communication interface, exceeds a threshold, and based on the determination, to route at least a portion of traffic data via the satellite communication interface in accordance with a predetermined traffic data load-balancing scheme.

A system for providing mobile interactive satellite services includes a satellite operable to communicate with mobile units, a terrestrial base transceiver station operable to communicate with mobile units, and a ground station in communication with the satellite and the terrestrial base transceiver station to provide mobile interactive satellite services. The mobile interactive satellite services include a multicast component and an interactive component such that the ground station provides both the multicast component and the interactive component using the satellite, with the terrestrial base transceiver station used to provide an ancillary terrestrial component. A device for communicating with a mobile interactive satellite service system includes an antenna, a transceiver coupled to the antenna and operable to communicate with a mobile interactive satellite service system, a user input device, an output device, a processor unit, and a network interface. The processor unit is coupled to the user input device, the output device, and the transceiver such that the processor is operable to output received information from the transceiver using the output device, to receive interactive information from the user input device, and to transmit data based on the received interactive information using the transceiver. The network interface is coupled to the processor such that the processor is operable to side load information.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a satellite communication system includes a satellite constellation including a plurality of satellites in non-geosynchronous orbit (non-GEO), wherein at least some of the plurality of satellites travel in a first orbital path at a first inclination, and an end point terminal having an earth-based geographic location, the end point terminal having an antenna system defining a field of regard for communicating with the satellite constellation, wherein the field of regard is a limited field of regard, wherein the field of regard is tilted from a non-tilted position to a tilted position, and wherein the tilt angle of the tilted position is a function of the latitude of the geographic location.

A system includes a terminal. The terminal includes a terrestrial communication interface, a satellite communication interface and a computer. The terrestrial and satellite communication interfaces are configured to communicate traffic data. The computer is communicatively linked to the terrestrial and satellite communication interfaces. The computer executes instructions comprising, to determine that the traffic data, communicated via the terrestrial communication interface, exceeds a threshold, and based on the determination, to route at least a portion of traffic data via the satellite communication interface in accordance with a predetermined traffic data load-balancing scheme.

There is provided a method of operating a communications device to transmit or to receive via a non-terrestrial network, NTN, infrastructure equipment. The method comprises detecting, by transceiver circuitry of the communications device, signals from the non-terrestrial infrastructure equipment during one of a plurality of in-coverage periods during which the communications device is in a coverage area of the NTN infrastructure equipment because the communications device can receive signals from the NTN infrastructure equipment carried by an aerial vehicle or relayed from the aerial vehicle as the aerial vehicle passes over the communications device.

A mobile interactive satellite service includes a first satellite, a base station, and a ground station configured to provide respective and distinct first and second multicast content components to the first satellite and the base station. The first satellite communicates the first multicast content component in a first signal to a mobile device. The base station communicates the second multicast content component in a second signal to the mobile device, which can combine the received signals. For another embodiment, a mobile interactive service includes a mobile device, a first base station, a second base station, and a ground station configured to provide a first multicast content component to the first base station and a second multicast content component to the second base station. The first and second multicast content components are distinct, transmitted in respective first and second multicast signals and are combined by the mobile device.