Method for accounting for user terminal connection to a satellite communications system
First Claim
1. A method for operating a satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal from a gateway that is coupled to the user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link;
during the connection, determining and storing system usage data in the gateway expressive at least of a type of connection made by the user terminal, an indication of an amount of power expended by the at least one satellite to maintain the wireless connection, and a duration of the connection; and
after a termination of the wireless connection, accumulating system usage data and outputting the system usage data from the gateway to a system resource allocation and billing center for use in billing a service provider associated with the gateway.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for accurately accounting for an amount of satellite communications system resources that are allotted to and utilized by a user terminal on a per call or connection basis. The method accumulates data at periodic intervals during a connection, the data indicating what portion of the overall system resources are utilized on both a forward link (gateway to satellite(s) to user terminal) and on a reverse link (user terminal to satellite(s) to gateway). The usage data can include power levels, data rates, user terminal location, and user terminal type. A Gateway (18) that is assigned to handling the call for the user terminal (13) accumulates the data and subsequently transfers the data over a terrestrial data network (39) to a Ground Operations Control Center (38). The center uses the data to determine an amount to be billed to a service provider associated with a service area that includes the gateway. The center may also uses this data to derive statistical information describing the communications traffic handled by the gateway, and to derive predicted resource allocation and resource scheduling information for the gateway.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for operating a satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal from a gateway that is coupled to the user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; during the connection, determining and storing system usage data in the gateway expressive at least of a type of connection made by the user terminal, an indication of an amount of power expended by the at least one satellite to maintain the wireless connection, and a duration of the connection; and after a termination of the wireless connection, accumulating system usage data and outputting the system usage data from the gateway to a system resource allocation and billing center for use in billing a service provider associated with the gateway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A satellite communications system having at least one user terminal adapted for bidirectional wireless communication with a gateway through at least one satellite, comprising:
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an RF system in said gateway for establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; a data processor system in said gateway for determining and storing system usage data expressive at least of a type of connection made by the user terminal, an indication of an amount of power expended by the at least one satellite to maintain the wireless connection, and a duration of the connection; and an interface in said gateway for outputting the stored system usage data to a system resource allocation and billing center for use in billing a service provider associated with the gateway. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A satellite communication system, comprising:
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a constellation of earth orbiting satellites; at least one terrestrially located user terminal; at least one terrestrially located gateway, said gateway comprising a RF transceiver system for establishing a bidirectional spread spectrum, power controlled wireless communication connection between a terrestrial communications system and said at least one user terminal through at least one of said satellites; at least one terrestrially located control center; and a terrestrially located data network coupling said at least one gateway to said at least one control center; wherein, said at least one gateway comprises a data processor system for periodically recording system usage data during a wireless bidirectional communication connection with a user terminal, said system usage data being expressive at least of a type of connection made by the user terminal, an indication of an amount of power expended by said satellite constellation to maintain the wireless connection, and a duration of the connection, and wherein said gateway further comprises an interface for outputting said recorded system usage data to said data network for reception by said control center for use in billing a service provider associated with the gateway. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A satellite communication system, comprising:
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a constellation of earth orbiting satellites; a plurality of terrestrially located user terminals; a plurality of terrestrially located gateways including transceivers for establishing a bidirectional wireless digital communication connection between a terrestrial communications system and at least one of said user terminals through at least one of said satellites; at least one terrestrially located control center; and a terrestrially located data network coupling said plurality of gateways to said at least one control center; wherein, said gateways include a data processor system and memory for storing data during a wireless bidirectional digital communication connection with said user terminals, said stored data being expressive at least of an identity of the user terminals, types of user terminals, types of connections made by the user terminals, an indication of an amount of power expended by said satellite constellation to maintain each wireless connection, and a duration of each connection, and wherein said gateways each include data transmission circuitry for outputting said stored data to said data network for reception by said control center; and wherein, said control center processes the system usage data received from said plurality of gateways to predictively allocate satellite system resources amongst said plurality of gateways and to derive billing information from the system usage data for use in billing a service provider associated with the gateway.
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32. A method for operating a satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal from a gateway that is coupled to the user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; during the connection, repetitively determining at the gateway an amount of satellite system resources that are being used to maintain the wireless connection with the user terminal; and after a termination of the wireless connection, outputting the system usage data from the gateway, the system usage data indicating at least an amount of satellite system resources that were required to provide the wireless connection with the user terminal, the system usage data comprising an indication of an amount of power expended by said at least one satellite to maintain the wireless connection, and being used at least in part for billing a service provider associated with the gateway.
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33. A satellite communications system having at least one user terminal adapted for bidirectional wireless communication with a gateway through at least one satellite, comprising:
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means in said gateway for establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; means in said gateway for determining, during the wireless connection, an amount of satellite system resources that are in use for maintaining the wireless connection with the user terminal; and means in said gateway, responsive to a termination of the wireless connection, for outputting the system usage data that indicates an amount of satellite system resources that were required to provide the wireless connection with the user terminal, the system usage data comprising an indication of an amount of power expended by said at least one satellite to maintain the wireless connection, and being used at least in part for billing a service provider associated with the gateway.
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34. A satellite communication system, comprising:
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a constellation of earth orbiting satellites; at least one terrestrially located user terminal; at least one terrestrially located gateway, said gateway including means for establishing a bidirectional spread spectrum, power controlled wireless communication connection between a terrestrial communications system and said at least one user terminal through at least one of said satellites; at least one terrestrially located control center; and a terrestrially located data network coupling said at least one gateway to said at least one control center; wherein, said at least one gateway includes means for periodically recording data during a wireless bidirectional communication connection with a user terminal, said data being expressive at least of an identity of the user terminal and an amount of satellite communication system resources that are consumed in order to provide the wireless bidirectional communication connection, and wherein said gateway includes means for outputting said recorded system usage data to said data network for reception by said control center, said recorded system usage data comprising an indication of an amount of power expended by said satellite constellation to maintain the wireless connection, and being used at least in part for billing a service provider associated with the gateway.
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35. A method for operating a satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal from a gateway that is coupled to the user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; during the connection, determining and storing system usage data in the gateway expressive at least of an identity of the user terminal, the type of user terminal, an indication of an amount of power expended by the at least one satellite to maintain the wireless connection through the forward link and the reverse link, and a duration of the connection; and after a termination of the wireless connection, outputting the system usage data from the gateway to a system resource allocation and billing center, the system usage data being used at least in part for billing a service provider associated with the gateway.
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36. A method for operating a satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal from a gateway that is coupled to the user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; during the connection, determining and storing system usage data in the gateway expressive at least of an identity of the user terminal, the type of connection made by the user terminal, an indication of an amount of power expended by the at least one satellite to maintain the wireless connection through the forward link and the reverse link, and a duration of the connection; and after a termination of the wireless connection, outputting the system usage data from the gateway to a system resource allocation and billing center, the system usage data being used at least in part for billing a service provider associated with the gateway.
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37. A method for operating a satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal from a gateway that is coupled to the user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; during the connection, determining and storing data in the gateway that is expressive at least in part of an amount of satellite communication system resources that are used in maintaining the connection; and after a termination of the wireless connection, outputting the system usage data from the gateway to a system resource allocation and billing center, wherein the system usage data is employed at least in part to modify a predetermined connection rate.
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38. A method for operating a satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with a user terminal from a gateway that is coupled to the user terminal through at least one satellite via a forward link and a return link; during the connection, determining and storing system usage data in the gateway expressive at least of an identity of the user terminal, the type of connection made by the user terminal, and a duration of the connection; and after a termination of the wireless connection, outputting the system usage data from the gateway to a system resource allocation and billing center.
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Specification