Mobile base station for disseminating information

• US 20010018341A1
• Filed: 05/03/2001
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yongguang, Vellaikal, Asha, Dao, Son K., Shek, Eddie C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/92 for local area

Abstract

A device for implementing a multimedia communication dissemination system is disclosed herein. The communication system integrates heterogeneous satellite transmission systems, local area computer networks, and the public telephone system to implement a flexible, high-speed communication system. The preferred communication dissemination system includes a broadcast server for broadcasting an information signal, a mobile base station for receiving the information signal broadcast from the broadcast server, and a local area network for distributing information received by the mobile base station. The preferred mobile base station includes a receiver for receiving information signals transmitted from a broadcast server, a network interface for distributing processed information signals, and a software proxy process for processing information signals. A software proxy process controls the dissemination of information through the network. The software proxy process provides filter and protocol functions to facilitate interconnection between heterogenous communication systems.

Claims

1. For use with a broadcast server with an associated database storing data, a mobile base station for disseminating information comprising:

a receiver structured to receive information signals transmitted by the broadcast server;

a memory for storing a copy of at least some of the data stored in the database and for storing a predefined rule identifying a subset of the data in the copy;

a network interface for transmitting data to at least one mobile user; and

a software proxy programmed such that, when at least some of the data in the copy stored in the memory is changed by an information signal received from the broadcast server, and when the changed data comprises at least part of the subset, the change is transmitted by the network interface to the at least one mobile user.

2. The mobile base station of

claim 1

wherein the receiver comprises a satellite receiver.

3. The mobile base station of

claim 1

wherein the network interface comprises a wireless network interface.

4. The mobile base station of

claim 1

further comprising a modem to communicate with the broadcast server.

5. The mobile base station of

claim 1

wherein the information signals received from the broadcast server have a bandwidth, and the software proxy provides a data filter that reduces the bandwidth of the information signals received from the broadcast server.

6. The mobile base station of

claim 1

wherein said software proxy distributes information through said network interface from said memory.

7. The mobile base station of

claim 1

wherein the predefined rule is defined by a mobile user.

8. The mobile base station of

claim 1

wherein the predefined rule is defined by a service provider.