Apparatus and method for efficient TDMA bandwidth allocation for TCP/IP satellite-based networks
First Claim
1. A control station for two-way satellite communication, comprising:
- an RF section for transmitting a broadcast signal and receiving a return channel from a remoter user; and
a return channel subsystem including a return channel controller to process return channel information and set a user bandwidth in the return channel.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system balances message traffic between return channel groups and within the groups, so that the user does not control the specific transmission frequency used. Uplink frequencies and bandwidths for the return channels are set by the system in a return channel control message in the broadcast signal so as to account for system and return channel group loading, and to account for user message backlogs. An initial transmission from a remote user may be made using an ALOHA-type burst signal that provides a message backlog to the control station, and is made on a frequency determined from a randomly weighted, load-based frequency selection process. The system, and not the individual users determine the frequency and channel allocations. For large backlogs or priority users, periodic bandwidth is provided. A method for balancing loads among and between groups of return channels in the communication system includes requesting return channel bandwidth in an uplink message from a remote user to a control station. The uplink message may include a both a backlog indicator and a bandwidth allocation request provided to a Network Operations Center (NOC) which can be used to set the return channel bandwidth and frequency for the remote uplink. A user message is transmitted on the designated return channel frequency using bandwidth allocated in accordance with the backlog indicator and a bandwidth allocation request so that traffic loads are maintained in balance between established return channel frequency groups, and within each return channel frequency group.
199 Citations
141 Claims
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1. A control station for two-way satellite communication, comprising:
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an RF section for transmitting a broadcast signal and receiving a return channel from a remoter user; and
a return channel subsystem including a return channel controller to process return channel information and set a user bandwidth in the return channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A transceiver for transmitting a frame synchronized message to a control node, comprising:
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a receiver which detects a control node timing message in a received broadcast signal;
a timing recovery section which uses the control node timing message to determine a transmit frame start time;
a message buffer to store an outgoing user message; and
a transmitter adapted to uplink the outgoing user message on a transmit frequency during an assigned period after the transmit frame start time, said transmit frequency being determined by a first inroute group definition packet received in the broadcast signal, wherein said first inroute group definition packet is associated with a first return channel group. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for controlling a return channel from a control station, comprising:
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transmitting a broadcast signal;
receiving a return channel uplink from a remote user; and
setting a return channel bandwidth with a return channel controller which provides a bandwidth allocation message in the broadcast signal. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A method for transmitting a frame synchronized message, comprising:
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receiving a control node timing message in a broadcast signal;
determining a return channel frame start time using the control node timing message;
storing an outgoing user message; and
transmitting the outgoing user message during an assigned period after the return channel frame start time, wherein a transmit frequency is determined by an assignment message received in the broadcast signal. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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103. A communication system for balancing traffic on a plurality of return channels, comprising:
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a control station to transmit a broadcast signal to a remote user, said broadcast signal including a non-real time frame marker, a timing message, and a return channel control message;
a receiver at the remote user to receive the broadcast signal and determine a return channel frame start time using the non-real time frame marker and the timing message; and
a transmitter at the remote user to uplink a user message on one return channel of the plurality of return channels during a predetermined period after the return channel frame start time, wherein an uplink frequency of said one return channel is determined by the return channel control message. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124)
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125. A method for balancing loads among and between groups of return channels in a communication system, comprising:
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requesting return channel bandwidth in an uplink message from a remote user to a control station, said uplink message including a backlog indicator;
allocating at least a return channel bandwidth for the remote user by processing the backlog indicator;
providing a channel allocation message from the control station to the remote user in a broadcast signal, wherein the channel allocation message at least allocates the return channel bandwidth; and
transmitting a user message on a return channel in accordance with the channel allocation message. - View Dependent Claims (126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141)
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Specification