Transmission and reception of TCP/IP data over a wireless communication channel

• US 6,665,292 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1999
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachyon, Inc. (Tachyon Networks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tachyon, Inc. (Tachyon Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moerder, Karl E., Carneal, Bruce L., Bradshaw, Steven H., Theiss-Aird, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juntima, Nittaya
• Application Number:
  US09/421,966
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 370/270, 370/277-278, 370/310, 370/312, 370/352, 370/389, 370/392, 370/466, 370/474, 725/32, 725/63, 725/67, 725/68, 725/70
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/065 the counter or frequency divider being used in a phase locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/22 Demodulator circuits; Receiver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/166 IP fragmentation; TCP segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0029 interpolation of received data signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/04 Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals H04L7/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 : Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 : involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 : using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 : Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

Transmission of TCP/IP data over a satellite link from a hub station to a plurality of remote units. The data, transmitted over the satellite link, uses the digital video broadcast (DVB) protocol. A field in the DVB header is used to indicate the location of the start of a new TCP/IP data packet within the DVB data. Use of a field in the DVB header to indicate the location of the start of a new TCP/IP data packet supports variable location of TCP/IP data within a DVB frame, and therefore more efficient use of the DVB bandwidth.

Claims

1. A hub station in a communication system comprising:

a MAC to DVB converter having an input port configured to be coupled to an internet interface and an output port configured to produce a standard DVB data frame by accepting a MAC data frame received from the input port and packetizing data within the MAC data frame into at least one DVB data frame, wherein the MAC data is packetized within DVB frames such that fragment headers occur at variable locations within the DVB frames, and wherein a value is stored within the DVB frame which indicates location of the fragment header within the DVB frame; and

a DVB transmitter having an input port coupled to the output port of the MAC to DVB converter and configured to accept the at least one standard DVB data frame and having an output port configured to transmit the DVB data frames over a wireless communication link.

2. The hub station of claim 1 wherein the MAC data frame is an Ethernet frame.

3. The hub station of claim 1 wherein the DVB transmitter conforms to industry DVB standards.

4. The hub station of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications link is a satellite link.

5. The hub station of claim 1 wherein the value is contained in the PID field of the DVB frame.

6. In a hub station of a communication system which transmits data to a plurality of remote units, a method of transmitting data comprising:

receiving a block of Internet data from a network;

converting the Internet data into a standard DVB data format, wherein the Internet data is formatted within DVB frames such that fragment headers occur at variable locations within the DVB frames, and wherein a value indicating location of the fragment header is stored within the DVB frame; and

transmitting the DVB data over a wireless communication channel.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the Internet data is formatted as an Ethernet frame.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the wireless communication channel is a satellite link.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the value is contained in the PID field of the DVB frame.

10. A hub station in a communication system which transmits data to a plurality of remote units, comprising:

means for receiving a block of Internet data from a network;

means for converting the Internet data into a standard DVB data format, wherein the Internet data is formatted within DVB frames such that fragment headers occur at variable locations within the DVB frames, and wherein a value indicating location of the fragment header is stored within the DVB frame; and

means for transmitting the DVB data over a wireless communication channel.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the Internet data is formatted as an Ethernet frame.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless communication channel is a satellite link.

13. The hub station of claim 10 wherein the value is contained in the PID field of the DVB frame.