Satellite distributed high speed internet access
First Claim
1. A method for establishing and operating an Internet Hotspot comprising the steps of:
- providing a satellite dish communicating with the Internet via data link with a satellite;
providing at least one router operatively coupled to the satellite dish;
providing a subscriber access unit operatively coupled between the satellite dish and the router;
installing the satellite dish, router and subscriber access unit in a rural location, the rural location experiencing a relatively high volume of transient traffic;
connecting a web-ready device to the router;
creating by a user a subscription account, the subscription account being created on a remote server and enabling the user to access the Internet;
navigating a browser operating on the web-ready device to a subscriber access website, the subscriber access website being capable of verifying that the subscription account is valid;
verifying that the subscription account is valid via the subscriber access website to allow access to the Internet; and
allowing a user to access the Internet at the rural location.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite distributed high-speed Internet “Hotspot” enables wireless and hardwired, satellite distributed Internet access for anyone with a PC or other web-ready device (wireless ready or cabled) and a valid credit card or prepaid coupon. The Hotspots can be located anywhere there is 120 volt electricity available or access to the sun for a solar panel and enough space to house the transceiver and mount a satellite dish. Upon connecting to the Hotspot, the user is directed to a remote server for log-on and validation of the user'"'"'s account. During validation, the remote server verifies that prepaid access time remains in the user'"'"'s account. Upon validation, the user may browse the web until the prepaid access time runs out. Alternatively, an account may be set up on a “continue until canceled” basis, wherein the user'"'"'s credit card will be charged for the amount of time used during each session.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for establishing and operating an Internet Hotspot comprising the steps of:
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providing a satellite dish communicating with the Internet via data link with a satellite; providing at least one router operatively coupled to the satellite dish; providing a subscriber access unit operatively coupled between the satellite dish and the router; installing the satellite dish, router and subscriber access unit in a rural location, the rural location experiencing a relatively high volume of transient traffic; connecting a web-ready device to the router; creating by a user a subscription account, the subscription account being created on a remote server and enabling the user to access the Internet; navigating a browser operating on the web-ready device to a subscriber access website, the subscriber access website being capable of verifying that the subscription account is valid; verifying that the subscription account is valid via the subscriber access website to allow access to the Internet; and allowing a user to access the Internet at the rural location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for providing satellite-distributed high-speed Internet access, comprising the steps of:
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providing a router to which a web-ready device may be connected via at least one of a cable or a wireless data link; assigning a dynamic IP address to the web-ready device that has been connected to the router; forwarding by the router of the user'"'"'s connection to a subscriber access unit; retrieving from memory by the subscriber access unit of the static IP address of a remote server; forwarding the user'"'"'s connection to a satellite dish; establishing communication by the satellite dish with a satellite, which is enabled to send and receive data over the Internet; establishing a connection over the Internet with the remote server, whose interface is viewed by the user as a webpage on the web-ready device; prompting by the remote server of the user for a username and password; accessing a database by the remote server to verify the username and password; prompting the user to create a new account, if the username and password are invalid or the user'"'"'s account has zero time remaining; allowing the user to access other websites, until the user'"'"'s account has zero time remaining or the user logs off the network; and updating the user'"'"'s account in the database by the remote server to subtract the amount of time used during the just-completed session, when the user logs off the network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An Internet Hotspot comprising:
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a satellite dish communicating with the Internet via one or more data links with a satellite; at least one router operatively coupled to the satellite dish; a subscriber access unit operatively coupled between the satellite dish and the at least one router, the subscriber access unit being capable of authenticating a subscription account associated with a user prior to allowing the user access to the Internet; and a web-ready device operatively coupled to the at least one router, the web-read device having a browser application operating thereon for accessing the Internet; wherein the satellite dish, at least one router and the subscriber access unit are located in a remote location a experiencing a relatively high volume of transient traffic; wherein the user may authenticate the subscription account and access the Internet at the remote location by establishing a data connection between the web-ready device and the router. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification