Techniques for implementing telephonic, fax, and/or data communications using internet protocols and satellite links
First Claim
1. A communications system for use with a satellite-equipped link to establish one or more Internet Protocol (IP) communication pathways between a first location and a second location;
- the communications system comprising;
(a) a gateway hub, at the first location, coupled to a terrestrial data network and also to a terrestrial telephonic network; and
(b) a mobile auxiliary communications facility at the second location, wherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility includes a utilization mechanism for utilizing the IP communication pathways to implement one or more bi-directional telephonic communication links and one or more bi-directional data links,wherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility further includes a conversion/deconversion mechanism for converting voice, speech, and/or audio signals into a packet format compatible with standard Internet Protocol (IP) data transmissions, and also for deconverting an IP data packet transmission into a voice, speech, and/or audio signal, andwherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility further includes a bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism for allocating the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel on at least one of the one or more IP communication pathwayswherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility is provided in the form of one or more mobile communications shelters,wherein the conversion/deconversion mechanism is implemented by one or more VoIP (Voice to Internet Protocol) Routers, and the bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism is implemented by an aggregation router, such that the aggregation router, coupled to one or more VoIP Routers, allocates the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel,wherein the VoIP router and the aggregation router are distributed amongst a plurality of different physical routers, such that a specified physical router can function as a VoIP router, an aggregation router, or both.
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Abstract
A mobile auxiliary communications facility for use with a satellite-equipped communications link and a gateway hub. The satellite-based communications link is adapted to provide one or more Internet Protocol (IP) communication pathways between a first location and a second location. The gateway hub, situated at the first location, is coupled to a terrestrial data network and also to a terrestrial telephonic network. The mobile auxiliary communications facility of the present invention includes a utilization mechanism for utilizing the IP communication pathways to implement one or more bi-directional telephonic communication links and one or more bi-directional data links between the first location and the second location. The mobile auxiliary communications facility is equipped with a conversion/deconversion mechanism and a bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism. In operation, the mobile auxiliary communications facility is deployed to a second location which represents a site that does not have access to a terrestrial communications network, a site where access to a terrestrial network has been interrupted, and/or a site where a terrestrial network is not functional. The conversion/deconversion mechanism converts voice, speech, and/or audio signals into a packet format compatible with standard Internet Protocol (IP) data transmissions. The bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism allocates the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel. This combination process is performed in accordance with usage, demand, and/or a set of quality of service (QoS) prioritization parameters. The bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism responds to a momentary lack of voice activity by temporarily reducing the number of voice IP packets on the composite IP data channel.
24 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A communications system for use with a satellite-equipped link to establish one or more Internet Protocol (IP) communication pathways between a first location and a second location;
- the communications system comprising;
(a) a gateway hub, at the first location, coupled to a terrestrial data network and also to a terrestrial telephonic network; and (b) a mobile auxiliary communications facility at the second location, wherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility includes a utilization mechanism for utilizing the IP communication pathways to implement one or more bi-directional telephonic communication links and one or more bi-directional data links, wherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility further includes a conversion/deconversion mechanism for converting voice, speech, and/or audio signals into a packet format compatible with standard Internet Protocol (IP) data transmissions, and also for deconverting an IP data packet transmission into a voice, speech, and/or audio signal, and wherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility further includes a bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism for allocating the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel on at least one of the one or more IP communication pathways wherein the mobile auxiliary communications facility is provided in the form of one or more mobile communications shelters, wherein the conversion/deconversion mechanism is implemented by one or more VoIP (Voice to Internet Protocol) Routers, and the bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism is implemented by an aggregation router, such that the aggregation router, coupled to one or more VoIP Routers, allocates the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel, wherein the VoIP router and the aggregation router are distributed amongst a plurality of different physical routers, such that a specified physical router can function as a VoIP router, an aggregation router, or both. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the communications system comprising;
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15. A mobile auxiliary communications facility for use with (i) a satellite-equipped link to establish one or more Internet Protocol (IP) communication pathways between a first location and a second location, and (ii) a gateway hub, at the first location, coupled to a satellite earth station, a terrestrial data network, and a terrestrial telephonic network, the mobile auxiliary communications facility for use at the second location, and comprising:
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a utilization mechanism for utilizing the IP communication pathways to implement one or more bi-directional telephonic communication links and one or more bi-directional data links; and
further comprising;a conversion/deconversion mechanism for converting voice, speech, and/or audio signals into a packet format compatible with standard Internet Protocol (IP) data transmissions, and also for deconverting an IP data packet transmission into a voice, speech, and/or audio signal; a bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism for allocating the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel on at least one of the one or more IP communication pathways; and one or more mobile communications shelters, wherein the conversion/deconversion mechanism is implemented by one or more VoIP (Voice to Internet Protocol) Routers, and the bandwidth allocation, multiplexing and demultiplexing mechanism is implemented by an aggregation router, such that the aggregation router, coupled to one or more VoIP Routers, allocates the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel, wherein the VoIP router and the aggregation router are distributed amongst a plurality of different physical routers, such that a specified physical router can function as a VoIP router, an aggregation router, or both. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for use with (i) a satellite-equipped link to establish one or more Internet Protocol (IP) communication pathways between a first location and a second location, and (ii) a gateway hub, at the first location, coupled to a terrestrial data network and also to a terrestrial telephonic network;
- the method comprising the steps of;
(a) utilizing the IP communication pathways to implement one or more bi-directional telephonic communication links at the second location and converting voice, speech, and/or audio signals into a packet format compatible with standard Internet Protocol (IP) data transmissions; (b) utilizing the IP communication pathways to implement one or more bi-directional data links at the second location; (c) allocating the available bandwidth of the satellite equipped link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite P data channel on at least one of the one or more IP communication pathways; providing an auxiliary communications facility at the second location in the form of one or more mobile communications shelters, wherein the one or more shelters perform steps (a) and (b); wherein step (a) is implemented by one or more VoIP (Voice to Internet Protocol) Routers coupled to an aggregation router, the method further including the step of the aggregation router allocating the available bandwidth of a communications link by combining voice and data packets into a single composite IP data channel; and conveying the composite IP data channel generated by the aggregation router to a first modem wherein the VoIP router and the aggregation router are distributed amongst a plurality of different physical routers, such that a specified physical router can function as a VoIP router, an aggregation router, or both. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
- the method comprising the steps of;
Specification