Method and system for asymmetric satellite communications for local area networks

• US 6,922,719 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Helius Incorporated (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Mosbarger, Myron, Thomasson, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B.
• Application Number:
  US09/817,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20020035612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709200-201, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols

Abstract

A method and system for providing high-speed, satellite-based information delivery is described. Improved communication channel efficiency is accomplished by employing an asymmetric data flow. The high bandwidth channel capacity of digital satellite systems is used for the download of large volumes of data. While relatively low speed communication channels are used for upstream data requests. The use of separate channels for upstream data and downloaded data provides an increased efficiency of use for typical internet and other electronic information service subscribers. A typical user in such systems generally makes relatively short information requests. These requests are then followed by large amounts of information being transferred to the user'"'"'s computer in response to the request The volume of data being downloaded often causes a capacity overload of typically used land lines. This invention solves this problem, without becoming prohibitively expensive, by employing digital satellite dish receivers to receive the high volume of downloaded data and using the relatively low speed communication channels low volume upstream requests. Moreover, this invention is designed to interface with all common communication devices as well as being designed to operate on and with all common computing platforms.

Claims

1. A communications system for providing bi-directional electronic communications between users at client computers on a computer network and a global communications network, the electronic communications including both the reception and transmission of data, the system comprising:

a satellite receiver operating to receive download data from the global communications network;

a plurality of client computers on a computer network each of said client computers including first network hardware and first network software for communication with the computer network, each of said client computers also including application software for communications with the information provider;

a server computer, including second network hardware and second network software for communications with the computer network, in electronic communication with said satellite receiver and in electronic communication with the computer network, said server computer operating to receive the download data from said satellite receiver and operating to route the download data to said plurality of client computers for use by the application software on each of said client computers, irrespective of said client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers, via the computer network; and

said computer network connected to said plurality of client computers and connected to said server computer whereby said server computer provides routing for the download data to said plurality of client computers; and

a communications device, said communications device being in electronic communications with said server computer, upload data being provided to said communications device via said server computer, and said upload data being sent to the global communications network via said communications device.

2. The communications system as defined in claim 1 wherein said computer network is a local area network.

3. The communications system as defined in claim 1 wherein said computer network is a wide area network.

4. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein said server computer is programmed to route the download data to said plurality of client computers on the local area network irrespective of the client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer of the plurality of client computers.

5. The communications system of claim 2 wherein the upload data is sent at a substantially lower rate than the download data is being received.

6. The communications system of claim 2 wherein the bi-directional electronic communications is asymmetric.

7. The communications system of claim 2 wherein said communications device is capable of receiving additional download data.

8. The communications system of claim 2 wherein the communications device comprises a land-line communications device.

9. The communications system of claim 2 wherein the communications device comprises a wireless communications device.

10. The communications system as defined in claim 2 further comprising a storage medium wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on said storage medium.

11. The communications system as defined in claim 10 wherein said storage medium is an intermediate storage medium and wherein the download data is stored on said intermediate storage medium prior to receipt of the download data by said plurality of client computers.

12. The communications system as defined in claim 11 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

13. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

14. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.