Batch round robin polling method for return link communications between a mobile platform and a base station
First Claim
1. A method for establishing a radio frequency (RF) communications link between an RF ground-based transceiver and a mobile platform carrying an RF transceiver, via a satellite-based transponder, wherein said mobile platform is traveling within a predetermined coverage region, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) using a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms, wherein said registered mobile platforms are preauthorized to make use of said satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from said ground-based transceiver; and
b) using said control center to cause said ground-based transceiver to transmit a plurality of polling messages substantially simultaneously, said polling messages radiating across said coverage region, and wherein each said polling message carries information addressed to a specific one of said registered mobile platforms and includes a preliminary, dedicated return channel which its intended said mobile platform is to use for communicating with said ground based transceiver.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A polling system and method for establishing forward and return communication links with a plurality of mobile platforms operating within a given coverage region, and further which provides preliminary return channel assignments with each polling message. Each polling message further has an associated ID code designating a particular mobile platform which is registered with a network operations center (NOC) of the system. If the mobile platform does not respond on its designated preliminary return channel within a given time period (e.g., 5 seconds) than the preliminary return channel is returned to a database of available return channels. Polling is carried out more expeditiously because groups of mobile platforms are polled simultaneously and provided with preliminary return channels which accompany the polling messages, and which direct each mobile platform to a designated return channel to use in establishing a return communications link. Polling groups are further sized according to available communication resources.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for establishing a radio frequency (RF) communications link between an RF ground-based transceiver and a mobile platform carrying an RF transceiver, via a satellite-based transponder, wherein said mobile platform is traveling within a predetermined coverage region, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) using a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms, wherein said registered mobile platforms are preauthorized to make use of said satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from said ground-based transceiver; and
b) using said control center to cause said ground-based transceiver to transmit a plurality of polling messages substantially simultaneously, said polling messages radiating across said coverage region, and wherein each said polling message carries information addressed to a specific one of said registered mobile platforms and includes a preliminary, dedicated return channel which its intended said mobile platform is to use for communicating with said ground based transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for establishing radio frequency (RF) communications links between at least one RF base station transceiver and a plurality of mobile platforms carrying RF transceivers, via at least one satellite-based transponder, wherein said mobile platforms are traveling within a predetermined coverage region, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) using an operations center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms, wherein said registered mobile platforms are preauthorized to make use of said satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from said RF base station transceiver; and
b) using said operations center to cause said RF base station transceiver to transmit a plurality of polling messages simultaneously to all of said registered mobile platforms which are not then communicating with said base station, each said polling message being addressed to a specific one of said mobile platforms and designating a dedicated return channel for its associated mobile platform to respond on;
c) waiting a predetermined period of time for a response from each of said registered mobile platforms not then communicating with said RF base station; and
d) causing those said polling messages for which a response is not received on their designated return channels within said predetermined period of time to timeout substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18)
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14. A method for establishing a plurality of radio frequency (RF) communications links between an RF base station transceiver and a plurality of mobile platforms each carrying an RF transceiver, via satellite-based transponder, wherein said mobile platforms are all traveling within a predetermined coverage region, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) causing each said mobile platform to tune an RF transceiver thereof to a known, predetermined frequency at which polling messages are being transmitted by said satellite-based transponder;
b) using an operations center to maintain a list of mobile platforms authorized to communicate with said base station;
c) using said operations center to cause said RF base station transceiver to transmit a plurality of polling messages simultaneously to all of said authorized mobile platforms which are not then communicating with said base station, each said polling message being addressed to a specific one of said mobile platforms and designating a dedicated return channel for its associated mobile platform to respond on;
d) waiting a predetermined period of time for a response from each of said authorized mobile platforms not then communicating with said RF base station transceiver; and
e) causing at least one of said mobile platforms to generate a response on its associated dedicated return channel to establish a communications link with said RF base station transceiver.
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17. A system for establishing a plurality of radio frequency (RF) communications links between an RF base station transceiver and a plurality of mobile platforms each carrying an RF transceiver, wherein said mobile platforms are all traveling within a predetermined coverage region, the system comprising:
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an RF base station transceiver disposed within said coverage region;
a network operations center (NOC) for maintaining a database of available return communication channels and a database of mobile platforms authorized to establish communication links with said RF base station transceiver;
a satellite-based transponder disposed in orbit over said predetermined coverage region;
said NOC operating to cause said RF base station transceiver to transmit a plurality of multicast polling messages, via said satellite-based transponder, each addressed to a specific one of said mobile platforms, each said polling message designating a dedicated return channel on which its associated said mobile platform is to communicate with said RF base station transceiver; and
wherein said polling messages that are not responded to by their associated said mobile platforms timeout within a given time period after being transmitted from said RF base station transceiver.
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Specification