METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A TRANSMISSION POWER THRESHOLD OF A SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

A method and apparatus for closed-loop power threshold leveling for a satellite communication system. An aspect of the present invention includes a pluralit y of user earth terminals (UET), a satellite and a network control center (NCC). The N CC polls the UETs to obtain power profile information from the UETs. When polled, the UETs form power profile responses, and send the responses back to the NCC: T he NCC forms a power profile database and statistically analyzes the power profile information to determine an uplink power threshold adjustment. The NCC transmits the uplink power threshold adjustment to the satellite which adjusts an on- board uplink power level threshold in response to the uplink power threshold adjustment. In systems using multiple coding levels, the NCC determines uplink power offset values corresponding to the individual coding levels. The NCC delivers the uplink power offset values to the UETs which update their local power offset values store d in memory.