Modular digital data communication cyberstation and cyberserver

• US 6,377,981 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1997
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cyberstar, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: CyberStar LP
• Inventors: Kero, Terrence E. F., Ollikainen, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Hieu C.
• Application Number:
  US08/975,749
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/226, 709/223, 709/217, 709/239, 709/233, 455/428, 455/408, 455/5.1, 455/466, 455/557, 455/3.2, 455/12.1, 455/6.1, 710/127, 375/222
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access

Abstract

A broadcast and interactive data distribution system that distributes broadcast and interactive data transmitted by way of a geostationary satellite, and optionally by way of a cable system, to personal computers. The system comprises a modular digital data communication cyberstation that is a modular computer and server that is external to the personal computers to which data is to be distributed. The cyberstation receives, optionally stores, and distributes the broadcast and interactive data to the personal computers. The cyberstation has wireless and optional wired interfaces for communicating with the personal computers. An optional cable modem may be used to directly communicate with the cable system. A satellite receiver is employed to communicate with the geostationary satellite, and a low-earth-orbit satellite transceiver is employed to communicate with low-earth-orbit satellites used to support information requests, data billing and status/diagnostic reporting to a service provider. An optional cable modem may be used to receive data by way of the cable system. An optional pass-through television interface may be used to display the broadcast data on a television receiver. The data distribution system and cyberstation thus provide for high-speed Internet access and web content and large file download delivery to personal computers of consumers and businesses by way of satellite and other systems.

Claims

1. A data distribution system for distributing broadcast and interactive data to a personal computer, said system comprising:

a geostationary earth orbiting satellite for transmitting broadcast and interactive data derived from an Internet service provider;

wireless communication means for transmitting information requests to the Internet service provider;

a modular digital data communication cyberstation that is external to the personal computer to which data is to be distributed and that provides an interface between the satellite and the personal computer for receiving broadcast and interactive data transmitted by way of the satellite, comprising;

operating system and webserver software for configuring and operating the cyberstation and providing communication services to interface the cyberstation to the Internet service provider;

satellite Internet proxy software for interfacing to the operating system and webserver software and for controlling transmission of commands and reception of broadcast and interactive data;

routing software for routing incoming broadcast and interactive data to the personal computer;

a satellite receiver coupled to a first antenna and for receiving broadcast and interactive data by way of the geostationary earth orbiting satellite;

a transceiver coupled to a second antenna for communicating by way of the wireless communication means with the Internet service provider;

a local area network interface; and

a storage device for storing incoming broadcast and interactive data when the personal computer to which the data is to be transmitted is not turned on;

and wherein the personal computer comprises a local area network interface for communicating with the local area network interface of the cyberstation;

and wherein the cyberstation distributes broadcast and interactive data received from the geostationary earth orbiting satellite to the personal computer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication means comprises one or more low earth orbit satellites.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication means comprises a terrestrial transceiver for communicating with the service provider.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the local area network interfaces of the cyberstation and the personal computer comprise wireless local area network interface and antenna.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the local area network interfaces of the cyberstation and the personal computer comprise a wired local area network interface interconnected by way of a local area network.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the local area network comprises an Ethernet network.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the local area network interfaces of the cyberstation and the personal computer comprise:

a wireless local area network interface and antenna; and

a wired local area network interface interconnected by way of a local area network.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a cable system having an antenna for receiving broadcast and interactive data from the geostationary earth orbiting satellite, and having cabling that interconnects the cable system to the cyberstation; and

a cable modem disposed in the cyberstation that is interconnected to the cabling of the cable system to provide a link between the personal computers and the cable system.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the cyberstation further comprises a pass-through television interface for distributing television signals to a television receiver for display.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the cyberstation further comprises a smart card for billing a customer for services.

11. A data distribution system for distributing broadcast and interactive data to a personal computer, said system comprising:

a geostationary earth orbiting satellite for transmitting broadcast and interactive data derived from an Internet service provider;

a low earth orbit satellite for transmitting information requests to the Internet service provider;

a modular digital data communication cyberstation that is external to the personal computer to which data is to be distributed and that provides an interface between the satellite and the personal computer for receiving broadcast and interactive data transmitted by way of the satellite, comprising;

operating system and webserver software for configuring and operating the cyberstation and providing communication services to interface the cyberstation to the Internet service provider;

satellite Internet proxy software for interfacing to the operating system and webserver software and for controlling transmission of commands and reception of broadcast and interactive data;

routing software for routing incoming broadcast and interactive data to the personal computer;

a satellite receiver coupled to a first antenna and for receiving broadcast and interactive data by way of the geostationary earth orbiting satellite;

a low earth orbit transceiver coupled to a second antenna for communicating by way of the low earth orbit satellite with the Internet service provider;

a wireless local area network interface; and

a storage device for storing incoming broadcast and interactive data when the personal computer to which the data is to be transmitted is not turned on;

and wherein the personal computer comprises a wireless local area network interface for communicating with the local area network interface of the cyberstation;

and wherein the cyberstation distributes broadcast and interactive data received from the geostationary earth orbiting satellite to the personal computer.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the cyberstation and the personal computer each further comprise a wired local area network interface interconnected by way of a local area network.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the local area network comprises an Ethernet network.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a cable system having an antenna for receiving broadcast and interactive data from the geostationary earth orbiting satellite, and having cabling that interconnects the cable system to the cyberstation; and

a cable modem disposed in the cyberstation that is interconnected to the cabling of the cable system to provide a link between the personal computers and the cable system.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the cyberstation further comprises a pass-through television interface for distributing television signals to a television receiver for display.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the cyberstation further comprises a smart card for billing a customer for services.