Micronode in a satellite based content delivery system

• US 7,237,017 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelsat Corporation (Reorganized ISA SA)
• Original Assignee: PanAmSat Corporation (Reorganized ISA SA)
• Inventors: Lausier, Philip C., Bullock, David Lynn, Kalmbach, Mark Russell, Benden, Christopher, Pecus, Vivian
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chankong; Dohm
• Application Number:
  US09/960,649
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709217-219, 709/227, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00

Abstract

A small edge node in an internet broadcasting system that receives satellite delivered content, redelivers the content to a last mile internet service provider, and performs other edge node functions from a single computer. The edge node handles multiple content formats, such as live and non-live, simultaneously and is particularly useful for serving 500 or fewer users.

Claims

1. An edge node that receives content from a Network Operations Center (NOC) via a satellite broadcast content distribution network and distributes it to a last mile service provider, the edge node comprising:

one media server capable of serving both live and non-live content;

a receiving router to receive content from the NOC over the satellite broadcast content distribution network and distribute the received content to the media server;

a controller, connected with the receiving router to form a private Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), to process incoming data packages and execute commands from the NOC;

a load balancer;

an outbound router, connected with the load balancer to form a public VLAN to transmits the received content from the media server to a last mile service provider and having a terrestrial communication link to the NOC; and

a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connecting the public VLAN to the private VLAN;

where the media server is connected to both the public and private VLANs; and

where the media server, private VLAN, and public VLAN exist in a single computer.

2. The edge node of claim 1, where said VPN allows access to the private VLAN from a remote location.