Full mesh satellite-based multimedia networking system
First Claim
1. A satellite communication system providing full mesh connectivity among a number of earth terminals via a satellite, the earth terminals being connected to user access devices to receive and transmit at least one of voice, video and other data, each of said terminals comprising:
- a processor having a digital memory device and a plurality of ports for connecting to said user access devices, said processor being operable to generate bursts using data received from said user access devices for transmission via the satellite, and to process data received via the satellite and addressed to one of said user access devices for transmission to said user access device;
a modem connected to said processor for modulating said bursts onto radio frequency modulated signals and demodulating downlink carrier signals received from the satellite; and
a radio frequency transceiver connected to said modem for converting said modulated signals to an uplink carrier signal for broadcast to each of said earth terminals via the satellite, and for converting said downlink carrier signals to corresponding modulated signals, respectively;
wherein said processor is programmable to organize said bursts in at least one of a plurality of slots constituting a time division multiple access frame, one of said terminals to which said processor corresponds having access to a selected number of said slots to increase or decrease the rate at which said one of said terminals transmits said bursts via the satellite, said selected number of slots being dynamically variable in accordance with a burst plane stored in said digital memory for assigning said slots in said frame to each of said terminals, said slots being dynamically assignable among said terminals in accordance with said burst plan, said dynamically assignable slots being assigned to respective ones of said terminals based on their respective bandwidth requirements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite communications system is provided for full mesh connectivity between a number of earth terminals via a satellite link. The earth terminals are connected to user access devices to receive and transmit voice, video and data and are operable to generate bursts to transmit user data via a satellite, and to process data received from the satellite and transmit it to the addressed user access devices. The terminals each comprise a programmable computing device which prioritizes data into bursts using a fragmentation protocol. The programmable computing device also organizes bursts in at least one of a plurality of slots constituting a time division multiple access frame in accordance with a burst plan. Each terminal has access to a guaranteed number of the slots. The allocation of the remaining slots among the terminals varies dynamically to increase or decrease the burst transmission rates of the terminals as needed. Dynamic assignment of slots depends on committed information rates, the lengths of data queues in the terminals and the type of data to be transmitted. Terminals need not be assigned consecutive ones of the dynamically assignable slots.
211 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A satellite communication system providing full mesh connectivity among a number of earth terminals via a satellite, the earth terminals being connected to user access devices to receive and transmit at least one of voice, video and other data, each of said terminals comprising:
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a processor having a digital memory device and a plurality of ports for connecting to said user access devices, said processor being operable to generate bursts using data received from said user access devices for transmission via the satellite, and to process data received via the satellite and addressed to one of said user access devices for transmission to said user access device; a modem connected to said processor for modulating said bursts onto radio frequency modulated signals and demodulating downlink carrier signals received from the satellite; and a radio frequency transceiver connected to said modem for converting said modulated signals to an uplink carrier signal for broadcast to each of said earth terminals via the satellite, and for converting said downlink carrier signals to corresponding modulated signals, respectively; wherein said processor is programmable to organize said bursts in at least one of a plurality of slots constituting a time division multiple access frame, one of said terminals to which said processor corresponds having access to a selected number of said slots to increase or decrease the rate at which said one of said terminals transmits said bursts via the satellite, said selected number of slots being dynamically variable in accordance with a burst plane stored in said digital memory for assigning said slots in said frame to each of said terminals, said slots being dynamically assignable among said terminals in accordance with said burst plan, said dynamically assignable slots being assigned to respective ones of said terminals based on their respective bandwidth requirements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A satellite communication system providing full mesh connectivity among a number of earth terminals via a satellite, the earth terminals being connected to user access devices to receive and transmit at least one of voice, video and other data, each of said terminals comprising:
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a processor having a digital memory device and a plurality of ports for connecting to said user access devices, said processor being operable to generate bursts using data received from said user access devices for transmission via the satellite, and to process data received via the satellite and addressed to one of said user access devices for transmission to said user access device; a modem connected to said processor for modulating said bursts onto radio frequency modulated signals and demodulating downlink carrier signals received from the satellite; and a radio frequency transceiver connected to said modem for converting said modulated signals to an uplink carrier signal for broadcast to each of said earth terminals via the satellite, and for converting said downlink carrier signals to corresponding modulated signals, respectively; wherein said processor is programmable to organize said bursts in at least one of a plurality of slots constituting a time division multiple access frame, one of said terminals to which said processor corresponds having access to a selected number of said slots to increase or decrease the rate at which said one of said terminals transmits said bursts via the satellite, said selected number of slots being dynamically variable in accordance with a burst plan stored in said digital memory for assigning said slots in said frame to each of said terminals, said slots being dynamically assignable among said terminals in accordance with said burst plan, said dynamically assignable slots being assigned to respective ones of said terminals based on their respective bandwidth requirements, said burst plan being generated and transmitted to said terminals with the occurrence of each said frame. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A satellite communication system providing full mesh connectivity among a number of earth terminals via a satellite, the earth terminals being connected to user access devices to receive and transmit at least one of voice, video and other data, each of said terminals comprising:
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a processor having a digital memory device and a plurality of ports for connecting to said user access devices, said processor being operable to generate bursts using data received from said user access devices for transmission via the satellite, and to process data received via the satellite and addressed to one of said user access devices for transmission to said user access device; a modem connected to said processor for modulating said bursts onto radio frequency modulated signals and demodulating downlink carrier signals received from the satellite; a radio frequency transceiver connected to said modem for converting said modulated signals to an uplink carrier signal for broadcast to each of said earth terminals via the satellite, and for converting said downlink carrier signals to corresponding modulated signals, respectively; wherein said processor is programmable to organize said bursts in at least one of a plurality of slots constituting a time division multiple access frame, one of said terminals to which said processor corresponds having access to a selected number of said slots to increase or decrease the rate at which said one of said terminals transmits said bursts via the satellite, said selected number of slots being dynamically variable in accordance with a burst plan stored in said digital memory for assigning said slots in said frame to each of said terminals, said slots being dynamically assignable among said terminals in accordance with said burst plan, said dynamically assignable slots being assigned to respective ones of said terminals based on their respective bandwidth requirements; and a manager terminal programmable to receive bandwidth messages generated and transmitted by said terminals, and to generate said burst plan to determine which of said slots in said frame are assigned to each of said terminals using said bandwidth messages, said manager terminal being programmable to dynamically classify each slot as one of first and second slot classes, said first and second slot classes allowing for at least first and second levels, respectively, of prioritization for assigning said slots to said terminals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. For use in a satellite communications system for providing full mesh connectivity among a number of earth terminals via a satellite link, the earth terminals being connected to user access devices to receive and transmit at least one of voice, video and other data, a method of dynamically assigning bandwidth on the satellite link to a terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
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dividing slots which constitute a time division multiple access frame into a first group of slots and a second group of slots; assigning each of said terminals a predetermined number of said slots in said first group of slots to provide a predetermined minimum bandwidth, and reserving a predetermined number of said slots in said second group of slots for dynamic allocation among said terminals in accordance with a burst plan, each of said terminals being operable to generate and transmit bursts in said slots assigned thereto from said slot first group of slots and allocated thereto from said second group of slots such that said slots need not be consecutive within said frame; assigning each of said terminals a variable number of slots from said second group of slots in said time division multiple access frame in accordance with said burst plan wherein said assigned slots assigned to respective said terminals from said first group of slots and said second group of slots need not be consecutive within said frame, each of said terminals being operable to generate and transmit bursts during said assigned slots; storing said burst plan in a digital memory device in each of said terminals; monitoring data received from said user input devices connected to said terminals to determine when more bandwidth is needed at each of said terminals, each of said terminals being operable to generate bursts to transmit said data via the satellite using said assigned slots; requesting additional ones of said second group of slots reserved for dynamic allocation for at least one terminal to increase the burst transmission rate thereof when more bandwidth is needed; modifying said burst plan to reassign selected ones of said second group of slots reserved for dynamic allocation to said terminal; and storing said modified burst plan in said digital memory device in each of said terminals. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification