Method and system for providing peer-to-peer exchange of terminal information over a meshed network

• US 20030212827A1
• Filed: 05/08/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Torres, Robert, Li, Hongjun, Saha, Abheek, Kamath, Mahesh, Noerpel, Anthony, Verma, Sandeep
• Application Number:
  US10/140,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20030212827A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18586 Arrangements for data transporting, e.g. for an end to end data transport or check
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An approach is provided for supporting data communications over a meshed network. A source terminal generates a message to specify information relating to communications capabilities (i.e., context information) of the source for interoperability with a destination terminal. The message is transmitted over the meshed network and may serve as a request for the context information of the destination terminal. This arrangement has particular applicability to a satellite network (e.g., Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network) that provides data communication services.

Claims

1. A method for supporting data communications over a meshed network, the method comprising:

generating a message to specify information relating to communications capabilities for interoperability with one of a plurality of terminals; and

transmitting the message over the meshed network to the one terminal.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the meshed network is a satellite network.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information relating to communications capabilities of the one terminal; and

storing the information of the one terminal.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

initiating a timer to track age of the stored information of the one terminal; and

deleting the stored information of the one terminal upon expiration of the timer.

5. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

resetting a timer upon performing the receiving step.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a data packet over the meshed network to the terminal utilizing default information that specifies communication capabilities supported by the plurality of terminals.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication capabilities include at least one of an encryption scheme, a compression scheme, a segmentation and reassembly (SAR) scheme, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) parameters.

8. A terminal apparatus for communicating in a meshed network, the apparatus comprising:

memory configured to store context information specifying capabilities of a destination terminal;

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to determine whether the context information of the destination terminal is stored in the memory, wherein the processor selectively generates a message including context information associated with the terminal apparatus if no context information of the destination terminal is stored, the message requesting context information of the destination terminal; and

a communications interface configured to forward the generated message to the destination terminal over the meshed network.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the meshed network is a satellite network.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the context information of the destination terminal specifies different capabilities from the terminal apparatus.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a timer configured to track age of the stored context information, wherein the stored context information is erased from the memory upon expiration of the timer.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a timer configured to track time between receipt of the context information from the destination terminal and new context information from the destination terminal.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the communications interface communicates with the destination terminal via a default context information that specifies communication capabilities supported by the destination terminal.

14. An apparatus to claim 8, wherein the capabilities of the destination terminal include at least one of an encryption scheme, a compression scheme, a segmentation and reassembly (SAR) scheme, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) parameters.

15. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for supporting data communications over a meshed network, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

generating a message to specify information relating to communications capabilities for interoperability with one of a plurality of terminals; and

initiating transmission of the message over the meshed network to the one terminal.

16. A computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the meshed network is a satellite network.

17. A computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

storing context information associated with the terminal.

18. A computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the one or more processors further perform the steps of:

initiating a timer to track age of the stored context information; and

deleting the stored context information upon expiration of the timer.

19. A computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

resetting a timer upon receipt of the context information associated with the terminal.

20. A computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

initiating transmission of a data packet over the meshed network to the terminal utilizing a default context information that specifies communication capabilities supported by the terminal.

21. A computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the communication capabilities include at least one of an encryption scheme, a compression scheme, a segmentation and reassembly (SAR) scheme, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) parameters.

22. A method for supporting data communications over a meshed network, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a source terminal over the meshed network, the message including context information relating to capabilities of the source terminal;

storing the context information of the source terminal; and

transmitting context information associated with a destination terminal to the source terminal over the meshed network.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the meshed network is a satellite network.

24. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

initiating a timer to track age of the stored context information; and

deleting the stored context information upon expiration of the timer.

25. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

resetting a timer upon performing the receiving step.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein the communication capabilities include at least one of an encryption scheme, a compression scheme, a segmentation and reassembly (SAR) scheme, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) parameters.

27. A device for supporting data communications over a meshed network, the device comprising:

means for receiving a message from a source terminal over the meshed network, the message including context information relating to capabilities of the source terminal;

means for storing the context information of the source terminal; and

means for transmitting context information associated with a destination terminal to the source terminal over the meshed network.

28. A device according to claim 27, wherein the meshed network is a satellite network.

29. A device according to claim 27, further comprising:

timing means for tracking age of the stored context information; and

means for deleting the stored context information upon expiration of the timing means.

30. A device according to claim 27, further comprising:

timing means that is reset upon receipt of the message.

31. A device according to claim 27, wherein the communication capabilities include at least one of an encryption scheme, a compression scheme, a segmentation and reassembly (SAR) scheme, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) parameters.

32. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for supporting data communications over a meshed network, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a message from a source terminal over the meshed network, the message including context information relating to capabilities of the source terminal;

storing the context information of the source terminal; and

initiating transmission of context information associated with a destination terminal to the source terminal over the meshed network.

33. A computer-readable medium according to claim 32, wherein the meshed network is a satellite network.

34. A computer-readable medium according to claim 32, wherein the one or more processors further perform the steps of:

initiating a timer to track age of the stored context information; and

deleting the stored context information upon expiration of the timer.

35. A computer-readable medium according to claim 32, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

resetting a timer upon performing the receiving step.

36. A computer-readable medium according to claim 32, wherein the communication capabilities include at least one of an encryption scheme, a compression scheme, a segmentation and reassembly (SAR) scheme, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) parameters.

37. A method for providing communication compatibility among a plurality of terminals having meshed connectivity, the method comprising:

determining whether context information specifying capabilities of one of the plurality of terminals is available;

if the context information of the one terminal is not available, transmitting a message to the one terminal requesting the context information, wherein the one terminal responses with the requested context information; and

transmitting a data packet to the one terminal according to the context information of the one terminal.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the message is transmitted over a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network.

39. A method according to claim 37, further comprising:

storing the context information of the one terminal;

initiating a timer to track age of the stored context information; and

deleting the stored context information upon expiration of the timer.

40. A method according to claim 37, further comprising:

receiving the context information of the one terminal; and

resetting a timer upon performing the receiving step.

41. A method according to claim 37, further comprising:

transmitting the data packet utilizing a default context information that specifies capabilities supported by the plurality of terminals.

42. A method according to claim 37, wherein the capabilities include at least one of an encryption scheme, a compression scheme, a segmentation and reassembly (SAR) scheme, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) parameters.