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Method and apparatus for requesting and retrieving information from a source computer using terrestrial and satellite interfaces

  • US 5,995,726 A
  • Filed: 02/24/1997
  • Issued: 11/30/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:

  • a port for connecting said apparatus to the internet via a modem and an internet service provider, wherein said apparatus has an IP address which is associated with connection to the internet via said port;

    a satellite interface for connecting said apparatus to a satellite link, wherein said apparatus has another IP address which is associated with said satellite interface;

    means for generating a request from said 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

    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 a gateway apparatus which is coupled with both the internet and the satellite link, and for transmitting the encapsulating IP packet to the gateway apparatus by way of said port and the internet service provider, wherein the gateway apparatus unencapsulates the IP packet of the request from the encapsulating IP packet and transmits the IP packet of the request to the destination apparatus on the internet which replies to the IP address associated with said satellite interface via the gateway apparatus and the satellite link.

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