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A satellite direct audio broadcast system includes a plurality of fixed-rate, uniform, frequency division multiple access ("FDMA") uplinks and a time division multiplexed ("TDM") downlink. Source audio channels may be divided among and transmitted through a selectable number of fixed-rate uplinks so

A satellite direct audio broadcast system includes a plurality of fixed-rate, uniform, frequency division multiple access ("FDMA") uplinks and a time division multiplexed ("TDM") downlink. Source audio channels may be divided among and transmitted through a selectable number of fixed-rate uplinks so as to have selectable audio quality at the receiver. Fixed-rate FDMA uplinks include information designating related channels as containing related source information. On-board the satellite baseband processing selects uplink information channels for inclusion into none, one or multiple TDM downlinks. Transmitted audio information may be scrambled, and authorization downloaded to receivers to permit descrambling for paid subscription service.

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[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A receiver for receiving a time domain multiplex downlink signal comprising a plurality of time division multiplex channels, the time division multiplex downlink signal having been generated from selected ones of a plurality of prime rate channels which are combined and m

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A receiver for receiving a time domain multiplex downlink signal comprising a plurality of time division multiplex channels, the time division multiplex downlink signal having been generated from selected ones of a plurality of prime rate channels which are combined and multiplexed by a space segment, the space segment obtaining the prime rate channels from at least one uplink used to transmit information comprising prime rate channels from a number of broadcast stations, the receiver comprising:an antenna for receiving said downlink signal;a demodulator for demodulating said downlink signal to recover a time division multiplex bit stream; anda demultiplexer for demultiplexing said prime rate channels from said time division multiplex bit stream, said prime rate channels each comprising a control word indicating to which of a plurality of broadcast programs each said prime rate channel belongs, and for recombining said prime rate channels corresponding to a selected broadcast program using said control word in each of said prime rate channels corresponding to said broadcast program.