METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASYMMETRIC SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS FOR LOCAL ARE NETWORKS WHEREIN THE SERVER BEING PROGRAMMED TO ROUTE THE DOWNLOADED DATA TO CLIENT COMPUTERS IRRESPECTIVE OF THE CLIENT COMPUTER'S OPERATING SYSTEMS

• US 6,947,974 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• 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): Barot, Bharat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B.
• Application Number:
  US09/815,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/238, 370/404
• 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 communicating between an information provider and at least one client computer on a computer network, the system comprising:

a satellite receiver operating to receive download data from the information provider;

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 information provider; and

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 having satellite receiver interface software installed thereon 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, via the computer network, in order to provide the advantages of satellite communications for high volume download data packets; and

said server computer network being programmed to route the download data to client computers on the computer network irrespective of the client computer'"'"'s operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer of the plurality of client computers; and

wherein said satellite receiver interface software further comprises the steps of;

setting up RAM adapters;

establishing a timestamp for a received packet;

testing whether said received packet is a package delivery or an Internet delivery;

if said received packet is a package delivery, testing to determine if said packet will update a catalog, testing to determine if a site will be updated by said packet;

determining whether an end-of-file has been encountered;

determining if a file within said packet is incomplete; and

if said file is not incomplete marking said file as complete.

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 further comprising a storage medium wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on said storage medium.

5. The communications system as defined in claim 4 wherein said storage medium is included in said server computer.

6. The communications as defined in claim 4 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 at least one of said plurality of client computers.

7. The communications system of claim 6 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

8. The communications system of claim 2 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

9. The communications system of claim 2 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.

10. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein said server computer operates to route the download data to a plurality of local area networks.

11. A server computer for communicating between a global communications network and at least one client computer on a computer network, the server computer comprising:

network hardware for connecting said server computer to the computer network;

communications hardware for enabling electronic communications with a satellite receiver operating to receive download data which is then sent to a client computer by the server computer via a computer network in order to provide the advantages of satellite communications for high volume download data packets;

a processor; and

a computer readable medium containing;

network instructions for communications between said server computer and the computer network;

satellite receiver interface software instructions for communications between said server computer and the satellite receiver;

router instructions, said router instructions operating to receive download data from the global communications network and operating to route the download data to at least one client computer on the computer network irrespective of the client computer'"'"'s operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer of the plurality of client computers, and wherein said routing instructions further comprise;

setting up RAM adapters;

establishing a timestamp for a received packet;

testing whether said received packet is a package delivery or an Internet delivery;

if said received packet is a package delivery, testing to determine if said packet will update a catalog, testing to determine if a site will be updated by said packet;

determining whether an end-of-file has been encountered;

determining if a file within said packet is incomplete; and

if said file is not incomplete marking said file as complete; and

wherein said network instructions, said satellite instructions and said router instructions are executable by said processor.

12. The server computer as defined in claim 11 wherein said computer network is a local area network.

13. The server computer as defined in claim 11 wherein said computer network is a wide area network.

14. The server as defined in claim 12 further comprising a storage medium wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on the storage medium.

15. The server computer as defined in claim 14 wherein said storage medium is included in said server computer.

16. The server computer as defined in claim 14 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 at least one client computer.

17. The server computer as defined in claim 16 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

18. The server computer as defined in claim 12 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

19. The server computer as define din claim 12 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.

20. The server computer as defined in claim 12 wherein said server computer operates to route the download data to a plurality of local area networks.

21. A method for providing access to a global communications network for at least one client computer on a computer network, which comprises:

receiving download data from a satellite receiver in electronic communication with a server computer, said server computer having satellite receiver interface software installed thereon and said satellite receiver operating to receive download data; and

routing said received download data to at least one client computer via the computer network, in order to provide the advantages of satellite communications for high volume download data packets, irrespective of the client computer'"'"'s operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer of the plurality of client computers, wherein said routing further comprises;

setting up RAM adapters;

establishing a timestamp for a received packet;

testing whether said received packet is a package delivery or an Internet delivery;

if said received packet is a package delivery, testing to determine if said packet will update a catalog, testing to determine if a site will be updated by said packet;

determining whether an end-of-file has been encountered;

determining if a file within said packet is incomplete; and

if said file is not incomplete marking said file as complete.

22. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein said computer network is a local area network.

23. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein said computer network is a wide area network.

24. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein the server computer further comprises a storage medium and wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on said storage medium.

25. The method as defined in claim 24 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 at least one client computer.

26. The method as defined in claim 25 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

27. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

28. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.

29. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein said server computer operates to route the download data to a plurality of computer networks.

30. A computer readable medium containing instructions for providing access to a global communications network for at least one client computer on a computer network, wherein the instructions comprise executable instructions for implementing a method comprising:

receiving download data from a satellite receiver in electronic communication with a server computer, said server computer having satellite receiver interface software installed thereon, and said satellite receiver operating to receive download data; and

routing said received download data to at least one client computer via the computer network, in order to provide the advantages of satellite communications for high volume download data packets, irrespective of the client computer'"'"'s operating system such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer, wherein said routing further comprises;

setting up RAM adapters;

establishing a timestamp for a received packet;

testing whether said received packet is a package delivery or an Internet delivery;

if said received packet is a package delivery, testing to determine if said packet will update a catalog, testing to determine if a site will be updated by said packet;

determining whether an end-of-file has been encountered;

determining if a file within said packet is incomplete; and

if said file is not incomplete marking said file as complete.

31. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 30 wherein said computer network is a local area network.

32. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 30 wherein said computer network is a wide area network.

33. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 30 wherein the server computer further comprises a storage medium and wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on said storage medium.

34. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 33 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 at least one client computer.

35. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 34 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

36. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 30 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

37. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 31 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.

38. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 30 wherein said server computer operates to route the download data to a plurality of computer networks.

39. A method for providing access to a global communications network for a client computer, which comprises:

receiving download data from a satellite receiver in electronic communication with a server computer, said server computer having satellite receiver interface software installed thereon; and

routing the download data from said satellite receiver to a client computer on a network, in order to provide the advantages of satellite communications for high volume download data packets, irrespective of the client computer'"'"'s operating system such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer, wherein said routing further comprises;

setting up RAM adapters;

establishing a timestamp for a received packet;

testing whether said received packet is a package delivery or an Internet delivery;

if said received packet is a package delivery, testing to determine If said packet will update a catalog, testing to determine if a site will be updated by said packet;

determining whether an end-of-file file has been encountered;

determining if a file within said packet is incomplete; and

if said file is not incomplete marking said file as complete.

40. The method as defined in claim 39 wherein the server computer further comprises a storage medium and wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on said storage medium.

41. The method as defined in claim 40 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 client computer.

42. The method as defined in claim 41 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

43. The method as defined in claim 39 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

44. The method as defined in claim 39 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.