Method and apparatus for requesting and retrieving information from a source computer using terrestrial and satellite interfaces
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- a first apparatus coupled to the internet and to a satellite link, said first apparatus comprising (a) unencapsulating means for receiving from the internet a first IP packet having a second IP packet encapsulated therein and for forwarding the second IP packet to its destination IP address on the internet and (b) means for receiving a reply from the apparatus associated with the destination IP address and for forwarding the reply to the source IP address of the second IP packet via the satellite link; and
a second apparatus including (a) a port for connecting said second apparatus to the internet via a modem and an internet service provider, wherein said second apparatus has an IP address which is associated with connection to the internet via said port, (b) a satellite interface for coupling said second apparatus to the satellite link, wherein said second apparatus has another IP address, which is associated with said satellite interface, (c) means for generating a request from said second apparatus to a destination apparatus on the internet, the request comprising an IP packet wherein the source IP address is the IP address associated with said satellite interface and the destination IP address is the IP address of the destination apparatus on the internet, and (d) a driver for encapsulating the IP packet of the request in an encapsulating IP packet wherein the source IP address is the IP address associated with connection to the internet via said port and the destination address is the IP address of said first apparatus and for transmitting the encapsulating IP packet to said first apparatus by way of said port and said internet service provider,whereby the request from said second apparatus to the destination apparatus on the internet is transmitted to the destination apparatus via said first apparatus and is replied to from the destination apparatus to said second apparatus via said first apparatus and said satellite interface.
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Abstract
A system in which a personal computer sends messages into a network such as a TCP/IP network using a conventional dial-up link and downloads data from the TCI/IP network using a high-speed one-way satellite link. A preferred embodiment uses a conventional SLIP provider to connect to the TCP/IP network and uses a commercial software TCP/IP package that has a standard driver interface. A spoofing protocol compensates for the long propagation delays inherent to satellite communication.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a first apparatus coupled to the internet and to a satellite link, said first apparatus comprising (a) unencapsulating means for receiving from the internet a first IP packet having a second IP packet encapsulated therein and for forwarding the second IP packet to its destination IP address on the internet and (b) means for receiving a reply from the apparatus associated with the destination IP address and for forwarding the reply to the source IP address of the second IP packet via the satellite link; and a second apparatus including (a) a port for connecting said second apparatus to the internet via a modem and an internet service provider, wherein said second apparatus has an IP address which is associated with connection to the internet via said port, (b) a satellite interface for coupling said second apparatus to the satellite link, wherein said second apparatus has another IP address, which is associated with said satellite interface, (c) means for generating a request from said second apparatus to a destination apparatus on the internet, the request comprising an IP packet wherein the source IP address is the IP address associated with said satellite interface and the destination IP address is the IP address of the destination apparatus on the internet, and (d) a driver for encapsulating the IP packet of the request in an encapsulating IP packet wherein the source IP address is the IP address associated with connection to the internet via said port and the destination address is the IP address of said first apparatus and for transmitting the encapsulating IP packet to said first apparatus by way of said port and said internet service provider, whereby the request from said second apparatus to the destination apparatus on the internet is transmitted to the destination apparatus via said first apparatus and is replied to from the destination apparatus to said second apparatus via said first apparatus and said satellite interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for use with a system comprising (1) a first apparatus coupled to the internet and to a satellite link, the first apparatus comprising (a) unencapsulating means for receiving from the internet a first IP packet having a second IP packet encapsulated therein and for forwarding the second IP packet to its destination IP address on the internet and (b) means for receiving a reply from the apparatus associated with the destination IP address and for forwarding the reply to the source IP address of the second IP packet via the satellite link, and (2) a second apparatus including (a) a port for connecting the second apparatus to the internet via a modem and an internet service provider, wherein the second apparatus has an IP address which is associated with connection to the internet via the port and (b) a satellite interface for coupling the second apparatus to the satellite link, wherein the second apparatus has another IP address, which is associated with the satellite interface, said method comprising:
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generating a request from the second apparatus to be transmitted to a destination apparatus on the internet, the request comprising an IP packet wherein the source IP address is the IP address associated with the satellite interface and the destination IP address is the IP address of the destination apparatus on the internet; encapsulating the IP packet of the request in an encapsulating IP packet wherein the source IP address is the IP address associated with connection to the internet via the port and the destination address is the IP address of the first apparatus; transmitting the encapsulating IP packet from the second apparatus to the first apparatus by way of the port and the internet service provider; unencapsulating the encapsulating IP packet at the first apparatus and forwarding the IP packet of the request to the IP address of the destination apparatus on the internet; and receiving, at the first apparatus, a reply from the destination apparatus on the internet, and forwarding the reply to the second apparatus via the satellite link, whereby the request from the second apparatus to the destination apparatus on the internet is transmitted to the destination apparatus via the first apparatus and is replied to from the destination apparatus to the second apparatus via the first apparatus and the satellite interface. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification