Scalable communication system, method and apparatus

• US 20050152301A1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VT iDirect Inc. (Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: iDirect, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, Hao, Liu, Chao, Boone, Joseph J., Maiorana, Jason B., Bettinger, David D., Tang, Hai Quang, Braunberg, Gregory Carey, Burdick, Christopher Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18569 Arrangements for system physical machines management, i.e. for construction operations control, administration, maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A communication system, method, computer program product, and apparatus include common equipment shared between multiple independently administered networks. The common equipment is reconfigurable and expandable and provides changed communication capacity and functions when additional elements are added or reconfigured. Configurable features include, for example, communication bandwidth, Quality of Service, and a number of communication satellites included in the communication system. The common equipment includes expandable elements including, for example, a single hub modem chassis that can expand to communicate with more than one communication satellite and a protocol processor that can share a protocol processing task with another protocol processors.

Claims

1. A scalable satellite communication system comprising:

a shared hub modem chassis containing

first line card slots, second line card slots and

first line cards in the first line card slots,

wherein said first line cards are operatively connected by said first line card slots to a first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a first satellite, said first line cards further configured to perform a first satellite communication function,

said second line card slots operatively connected to a second satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a second satellite, said second line card slots further configured to provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and to not provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots, and

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second satellite communication function is to be provided by adding the second line cards.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots when the second satellite communication function is to be provided.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first protocol processor operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis and configured to communicate with a first user across a first user network,

said first protocol processor configured to perform a protocol processing, said first protocol processor being configured to share the protocol processing with a second protocol processor if the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis, and configured to exclusively perform the protocol processing if the second protocol processor is not operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis,

said first protocol processor providing an increased protocol processing capacity for said satellite communication system when the second protocol processor is added.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis when a load on the first protocol processor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a communication capacity of the system is based on a number of operatively connected line cards, and the number of operatively connected second line cards is increased when a load on the communication capacity of the system exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a number of independently administered networks of the system is based on a number of operatively connected line cards, and the number of operatively connected second line cards is increased when an increased number of independently administered networks is to be provided.

7. A scalable satellite communication system comprising:

a shared hub modem chassis containing

first line card slots, second line card slots and

first line cards in the first line card slots,

wherein said first line cards are operatively connected by said first line card slots to a first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a first satellite, said first line cards further configured to perform a first satellite communication function having a first communication capacity,

said second line card slots operatively connected to the first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with the first satellite, said second line card slots further configured to provide the first satellite communication function having a second communication capacity if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and to provide the first satellite communication function having the first communication capacity if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots,

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second communication capacity is to be provided by operatively connecting a number of second line cards.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first communication capacity is based on a number of operatively connected line cards, and the number of operatively connected second line cards is increased when a load on the first communication capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said second line card slots are operatively connected to a second satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a second satellite, said second line card slots further configured to provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and to not provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots, and

said second line card slots are configured to provide an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second satellite communication function is to be provided by adding the second line cards.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots when the second satellite communication function is to be provided.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a first protocol processor operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis and configured to communicate with a first user across a first user network, said first protocol processor configured to perform a protocol processing,

said first protocol processor being configured to share the protocol processing with a second protocol processor if the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis, and configured to exclusively perform the protocol processing if the second protocol processor is not operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis,

said first protocol processor providing an increased protocol processing capacity for said satellite communication system when the second protocol processor is added.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis when a load on the first protocol processor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein a number of independently administered networks of the system is based on a number of operatively connected line cards, and the number of operatively connected second line cards is increased when an increased number of independently administered networks is to be provided.

14. A scalable satellite communication system comprising:

a shared hub modem chassis containing

first line card slots, second line card slots and

first line cards in the first line card slots,

wherein said first line cards are operatively connected by said first line card slots to a first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a first satellite, said first line cards further configured to perform a first independently administered network function,

said second line card slots operatively connected to the first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with the first satellite, said second line card slots further configured to provide a second independently administered network function if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and to not provide a second independently administered network function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots,

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second independently administered network function is to be provided by adding the second line cards.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots when the second independently administered network function is to be provided.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a communication capacity of the system is based on a number of operatively connected line cards, and the number of operatively connected second line cards is increased when a load on the first communication capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said second line card slots are operatively connected to a second satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a second satellite, said second line card slots further configured to provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and to not provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots, and

said second line card slots are configured to provide an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second satellite communication function is to be provided by adding the second line cards.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots when the second satellite communication function is to be provided.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first protocol processor operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis and configured to communicate with a first user across a first user network,

said first protocol processor configured to perform a protocol processing, said first protocol processor being configured to share the protocol processing with a second protocol processor if the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis, and configured to exclusively perform the protocol processing if the second protocol processor is not operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis,

said first protocol processor providing an increased protocol processing capacity for said satellite communication system when the second protocol processor is added.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis when a load on the first protocol processor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

21. A scalable satellite communication system comprising:

a shared hub modem chassis containing

first line card slots, second line card slots and

first line cards in the first line card slots,

wherein said first line cards are operatively connected by said first line card slots to a first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a first satellite, said first line cards further configured to perform a first satellite communication function having a first communication capacity,

a first protocol processor operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis and configured to communicate with a first user across a first user network, said first protocol processor configured to perform a protocol processing,

said first protocol processor being configured to share the protocol processing with a second protocol processor if the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis, and configured to exclusively perform the protocol processing if the second protocol processor is not operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis,

said first protocol processor providing an increased protocol processing capacity for said satellite communication system when the second protocol processor is added.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis when a load on the first protocol processor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said second line card slots are operatively connected to a second satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a second satellite, said second line card slots further configured to provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and to not provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots, and

said second line card slots are configured to provide an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second satellite communication function is to be provided by adding the second line cards.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots when the second satellite communication function is to be provided.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein a communication capacity of the system is based on a number of operatively connected line cards, and the number of operatively connected second line cards is increased when a load on the first communication capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein a number of independently administered networks of the system is based on a number of operatively connected line cards, and the number of operatively connected second line cards is increased when an increased number of independently administered networks is to be provided.

27. A method of scaling a satellite communication system comprising:

performing a first satellite communication function using first line cards, said first line cards having a first communication capacity and are installed in first line card slots in a shared hub modem chassis containing first line card slots and second line card slots,

wherein said first line cards are operatively connected by said first line card slots to a first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a first satellite, and said second line card slots being operatively connected to a second satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a second satellite;

providing a second satellite communication function from the second line card slots if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and not providing a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots,

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second satellite communication function is to be provided by adding the second line cards, and

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when an increased first communication capacity is to be provided by increasing a number of second line cards.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first communication capacity is based on the number of the second line cards, and further comprising:

increasing the number of second line cards when a load on the first communication capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

connecting the second line cards to the second modem group slot when the second satellite communication function is to be provided.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

communicating with a first user across a first user network from a first protocol processor operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis;

sharing the protocol processing between the first protocol processor and a second protocol processor if the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis; and

exclusively performing the protocol processing in the first protocol processor if the second protocol processor is not operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis,

said first protocol processor providing an increased protocol processing capacity for said satellite communication system when the second protocol processor is added.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

connecting the second protocol processor to the shared hub modem chassis when a load on the first protocol processor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

32. A computer program product storing computer program instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the following steps:

performing a first satellite communication function using first line cards, said first line cards having a first communication capacity and are installed in first line card slots in a shared hub modem chassis containing first line card slots and second line card slots,

wherein said first line cards are operatively connected by said first line card slots to a first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a first satellite, and said second line card slots being operatively connected to a second satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a second satellite;

providing a second satellite communication function from the second line card slots if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and not providing a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots,

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second satellite communication function is to be provided by adding the second line cards, and

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when an increased first communication capacity is to be provided by increasing a number of second line cards.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the first communication capacity is based on the number of the second line cards, and further comprising:

increasing the number of second line cards when a load on the first communication capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold.

34. The computer program product of claim 32, further comprising:

connecting the second line cards to the second modem group slot when the second satellite communication function is to be provided.

35. The computer program product of claim 32, further comprising:

communicating with a first user across a first user network from a first protocol processor operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis;

sharing the protocol processing between the first protocol processor and a second protocol processor if the second protocol processor is operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis; and

exclusively performing the protocol processing in the first protocol processor if the second protocol processor is not operatively connected to the shared hub modem chassis,

said first protocol processor providing an increased protocol processing capacity for said satellite communication system when the second protocol processor is added.

36. The computer program product of claim 32, further comprising:

connecting the second protocol processor to the shared hub modem chassis when a load on the first protocol processor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

37. A scalable satellite communication device comprising:

first line card slots;

second line card slots; and

first line cards in the first line card slots,

wherein said first line cards are operatively connected by said first line card slots to a first satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a first satellite, said first line cards further configured to perform a first satellite communication function and to have a first communication capacity,

said second line card slots operatively connected to a second satellite IF/RF converter configured to communicate with a second satellite, said second line card slots further configured to provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are operatively connected to the second line card slots and to not provide a second satellite communication function if the second line cards are not operatively connected to the second line card slots,

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when the second satellite communication function is to be provided by adding the second line cards, and

said second line card slots providing an expansion capability for said satellite communication system when an increased first communication capacity is to be provided by increasing a number of second line cards.

38. A method of sharing a satellite communication system having a common equipment, comprising:

billing a first user for sending a first message using the common equipment over a first satellite link;

billing a second user for sending a second message using the common equipment over a second satellite link, wherein said first satellite link is different than said second satellite link;

billing a first network operator for billing the first user; and

billing a second network operator for billing the second user.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

allocating a first portion of the common equipment to the first network operator; and

allocating a second portion of the common equipment to the second network operator.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

allocating a third portion of the common equipment to the first user; and

allocating a fourth portion of the common equipment to the second user.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the first portion of the common equipment includes a first modem group in a hub modem chassis, and the second portion of the common equipment includes a second modem group in the hub modem chassis.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the third portion of the common equipment includes a first quality of service mechanism, and the fourth portion of the common equipment includes a second quality of service mechanism.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the third portion of the common equipment includes a first communication bandwidth allocation mechanism, and the fourth portion of the common equipment includes a second communication bandwidth allocation mechanism.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the third portion of the common equipment includes a portion of a total bandwidth of the first modem group and the fourth portion of the common equipment includes a portion of a total bandwidth of the second modem group.