Emergency satellite network
First Claim
1. A satellite communication network, comprising:
- a satellite;
a network management system operative in controlling and managing a plurality of first terminals and a plurality of second terminals;
a first earth station providing a first communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the first earth station and the plurality of first terminals assigned to the first earth station by said network management system; and
a second earth station geographically diverse from said first earth, the second earth station providing a second communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the second earth station and the plurality of second terminals assigned to the second earth station by said network management system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An emergency satellite communications system that provides remote sites with assured access. The network is provisioned, configured, and managed such that the remote units are always online, but not used to an extent that would prevent remote units from communicating via the network upon demand. The network may include geographic hub diversity to protect against hub failure. Proactive monitoring of the components comprising the network is used to mitigate or prevent network congestion, such as by load balancing. An overflow link may be provided, allowing for remote sites to be assigned from a first link to the overflow link to mitigate or prevent congestion on the first link, and/or allow for additional bandwidth to be allocated to one or more remote sites that remain on the first link. A satellite communication network may comprise a satellite and a network management system operative in controlling and managing a plurality of first and second terminals. A first earth station may be communicatively coupled to one or more terrestrial communications networks, where the first earth station provides a first communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the first earth station and the plurality of first terminals assigned to the first earth station by the network management system. A second earth station may be geographically diverse from the first earth station and is communicatively coupled to at least one terrestrial communications network. The second earth station may provide a second communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the second earth station and the plurality of second terminals assigned to the second earth station by the network management system.
68 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A satellite communication network, comprising:
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a satellite;
a network management system operative in controlling and managing a plurality of first terminals and a plurality of second terminals;
a first earth station providing a first communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the first earth station and the plurality of first terminals assigned to the first earth station by said network management system; and
a second earth station geographically diverse from said first earth, the second earth station providing a second communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the second earth station and the plurality of second terminals assigned to the second earth station by said network management system. - 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)
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24. A portable terminal device, comprising:
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a transceiver providing for duplex communication with a satellite communication network that provides a broadband outbound channel to the portable terminal device;
a computer operative in presenting a user interface allowing for a user at the terminal device to communicate via the satellite communication network;
local storage;
at least one VoIP port to provide VoIP communication via the satellite communication network;
a local broadband wireless network access port that provides for authorized devices within range of the wireless network access port to communicate via the satellite communication network and with each other;
a security module operative in authenticating devices for communication via the wireless network access port; and
a locally stored configuration profile remotely accessible and reconfigurable by a network controller associated with the satellite communication network. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A satellite communication network, comprising:
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a satellite;
a network management system operative in controlling and managing a plurality of terminals;
an earth station providing a first communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the earth station and the plurality of terminals assigned to the first earth station by said network management system; and
a second communication link under control of said network management system, wherein one or more of the terminals are capable of being reassigned to said second communication link by the network management system. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method for providing a satellite communications network, the method comprising:
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providing dedicated bandwidth on one or more satellites for the satellite communications network;
providing a subscriber to said satellite communications network with access to the network such that the subscriber has a disincentive for using the satellite communications network. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for providing a satellite communications network, the method comprising:
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providing dedicated bandwidth on one or more satellites for the satellite communications network;
providing a subscriber to said satellite communications network with access to burstable bandwidth; and
charging the subscriber according to a usage based fee structure for burstable bandwidth.
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43. A method for providing a satellite communications network, the method comprising:
providing dedicated bandwidth on one or more satellites for the satellite communications network;
providing a subscriber to said satellite communications network with access to burstable bandwidth, wherein the subscriber is initially provisioned with a limited bandwidth relative to other communications networks over which the subscriber may communicate, and wherein the subscriber is eligible to receive additional bandwidth.- View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A method for providing a satellite communications service, the method comprising:
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providing dedicated bandwidth on one or more satellites for the satellite communications network;
allocating bandwidth to each of a plurality of subscribers up to a maximum total bandwidth less than the dedicated bandwidth; and
pricing usage of bandwidth by the subscribers as a disincentive for usage of the satellite communications service. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. In a satellite communication network comprising first and second communication links, each providing for bidirectional communication with a remote terminal via a modem in the remote terminal, a method for moving the remote terminals from the first communication link to the second communication link, the method comprising:
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storing information in the remote terminal providing for the remote terminal to communicate via the second link; and
loading the information into the modem of the remote terminal in the event that the remote terminal loses communication via the first link.
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50. In a satellite communication network comprising at least one communication links, each communication link providing for bidirectional communication with at least one corresponding remote terminal, a method for assigning a given remote terminal to said at least one communication link, the method comprising:
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determining the geographic location of said given remote terminal; and
selectively assigning the remote terminal to a given one of said at least one communication links based at least in part on geographic dependent information for the geographic location.
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51. A satellite communication network, comprising:
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a satellite;
a first earth station having a first network management system and providing a first communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the first earth station and a plurality of first terminals under management by said first network management system;
a second earth station having a second network management system and providing a second communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the second earth station and a plurality of second terminals under management by said second network management system, said second earth station also providing a third communication link via the satellite for bidirectional communication between the second earth station and remote sites assigned to the third communication link; and
wherein at least one of the first terminals is capable of being reassigned to any one of said second communication link and said third communication link. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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Specification