Method and system for asymmetric satellite communications for local area networks
First Claim
1. A communications system for communicating between an information provider and a user, comprising:
- (A) a client computer system, wherein said client computer system is a digital computer;
(B) a local area network connected to said client computer system;
(C) a server computer connected to said local area network to provide a means of communicating between said local area network and one or more external communication channels;
(D) a satellite communication channel connected to said server computer by a radio frequency link; and
(E) an information provider connected to one or more external communication channels for the purpose of providing information to one or more said client computer systems.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for providing high-speed, satellite-based information delivery is described. Improved communication channel efficiency is accomplished by employing an asymmetric data flow. The high bandwidth channel capacity of digital satellite systems is used for the download of large volumes of data. While relatively low speed communication channels are used for upstream data requests. The use of separate channels for upstream data and downloaded data provides an increased efficiency of use for typical internet and other electronic information service subscribers. A typical user in such systems generally makes relatively short information requests. These requests are then followed by large amounts of information being transferred to the user'"'"'s computer in response to the request. The volume of data being downloaded often causes a capacity overload of typically used land lines. This invention solves this problem, without becoming prohibitively expensive, by employing digital satellite dish receivers to receive the high volume of downloaded data and using the relatively low speed communication channels low volume upstream requests. Moreover, this invention is designed to interface with all common communication devices as well as being designed to operate on and with all common computing platforms.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A communications system for communicating between an information provider and a user, comprising:
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(A) a client computer system, wherein said client computer system is a digital computer;
(B) a local area network connected to said client computer system;
(C) a server computer connected to said local area network to provide a means of communicating between said local area network and one or more external communication channels;
(D) a satellite communication channel connected to said server computer by a radio frequency link; and
(E) an information provider connected to one or more external communication channels for the purpose of providing information to one or more said client computer systems. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for asymmetrically communicating between an information service provider and a user, comprising:
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(A) receiving data from said information service provider by a satellite communications channel; and
(B) conveying said received data across a local area network to one or more digital computer systems. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for controlling the transfer of information between an information service provider and a user, comprising:
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(A) receiving data from said information service, wherein said received data has a protocol identifier;
(B) determining the protocol of said received data; and
(C) delivering said data according to said protocol of said received data to a client computer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A computer program to manage communications between an information service provider and a user, comprising:
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(A) a routine for receiving information from said information service;
(B) a routine for testing said received information to determine the source of said information;
(C) a routine for delivering said received information to a digital computer system. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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36. A system for managing the communications between an information service provider and a user, comprising:
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(A) a digital computer system connected to a local area network;
(B) a first interface device for communicating between said local area network and a satellite communication channel;
(C) a first connection between said satellite communication channel and a source of information;
(D) a second connection between said land line communication channel and a source of information; and
(E) a means for controlling the flow of information between said digital computer system and said source of information.
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Specification