Rural broadband hybrid satellite/terrestrial solution
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hybrid satellite-terrestrial unit for providing broadband services to a plurality of end-user systems, comprising:
- a multiplexer for combining data received from said end-user systems into an upstream traffic flow; and
a specialized forwarding unit comprising;
a link monitor that measures current performance data for the upstream traffic flow,a traffic splitting unit that controls separation of said upstream traffic flow received from said multiplexer into a terrestrial traffic flow and a satellite traffic flow based upon traffic recognition rules, priority levels of the traffic recognition rules, and the measured current performance data, andmeans for routing said terrestrial traffic flow along a terrestrial route and said satellite traffic flow along a satellite route,wherein said terrestrial route connects said specialized forwarding unit to a terrestrial network and said satellite route connects said specialized forwarding unit to a satellite network.
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Abstract
At a remote site, a satellite route is installed to augment the capacity of a terrestrial route. A specialized forwarding unit is introduced at both ends of these parallel satellite and terrestrial routes. The forwarding unit identifies what type of traffic needs a higher performance forward, and forwards the traffic accordingly. For example, latency-sensitive traffic can be forwarded over the terrestrial route and the latency insensitive traffic can be forwarded over the satellite route.
156 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A hybrid satellite-terrestrial unit for providing broadband services to a plurality of end-user systems, comprising:
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a multiplexer for combining data received from said end-user systems into an upstream traffic flow; and a specialized forwarding unit comprising; a link monitor that measures current performance data for the upstream traffic flow, a traffic splitting unit that controls separation of said upstream traffic flow received from said multiplexer into a terrestrial traffic flow and a satellite traffic flow based upon traffic recognition rules, priority levels of the traffic recognition rules, and the measured current performance data, and means for routing said terrestrial traffic flow along a terrestrial route and said satellite traffic flow along a satellite route, wherein said terrestrial route connects said specialized forwarding unit to a terrestrial network and said satellite route connects said specialized forwarding unit to a satellite network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A specialized forwarding unit for routing a traffic flow over one of a satellite route and a terrestrial route, comprising:
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a link monitor for measuring current performance data of the traffic flow; a traffic splitting unit that controls separation of said traffic flow into a terrestrial traffic flow and a satellite traffic flow based upon traffic recognition rules, priority levels of the traffic recognition rules, and measured current performance data; a terrestrial route interface for converting a format of said terrestrial traffic flow from a routing unit protocol to a terrestrial protocol used for communication along said terrestrial route; and a satellite route interface for converting a format of said satellite traffic flow from said routing unit protocol to a satellite protocol used for communication along said satellite route. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method for providing broadband services to a plurality of end-user systems connected to a customer access system, comprising the following steps:
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combining data received from said end-user systems into an upstream traffic flow; monitoring the upstream traffic flow to measure current performance data; and splitting said upstream traffic flow into a terrestrial traffic flow and a satellite traffic flow for routing said terrestrial traffic flow along a terrestrial route, and said satellite traffic flow along a satellite route based upon traffic recognition rules, priority levels of the traffic recognition rules, and the measured current performance data; wherein said terrestrial and said satellite routes connect a specialized forwarding unit to a respective far-end specialized unit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A hybrid satellite-terrestrial network having a core end and an access end that provides broadband services to a plurality of end-user systems, comprising:
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satellite network links, terrestrial network links, an access multiplexer for combining data received from said end-user systems into an upstream traffic flow and distributing downstream data to said end-user systems, a first specialized forwarding unit at the access end of the network for splitting said upstream traffic from said access multiplexer to the core of the network via said satellite network links and said terrestrial network links and merging downstream data from the core of the network to said access multiplexer via said satellite network links and said terrestrial network links, the first specialized forwarding unit comprising; a first link monitor that measures current performance data for the upstream traffic; and a first traffic splitting unit that controls separation of said upstream traffic received from said access multiplexer, into a terrestrial traffic flow and a satellite traffic flow based upon traffic recognition rules, priority levels of the traffic recognition rules, and the measured current performance data, and a second specialized forwarding unit at the core end of the network for splitting said downstream traffic from the core of the network to said access multiplexer via said satellite network links and said terrestrial network links and merging upstream data from said access multiplexer via said satellite network links to said terrestrial network links second specialized forwarding unit comprising; a second link monitor that measures current performance data for the downstream traffic; and a second traffic splitting unit that controls separation of said downstream traffic flow into a terrestrial traffic flow and a satellite traffic flow based upon traffic recognition rules, priority levels of the traffic recognition rules, and the measured current performance data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for providing improving the performance of broadband networks using parallel satellite and terrestrial routes, comprising the following steps:
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monitoring an upstream traffic flow to measure current performance data splitting an inbound traffic flow into an outbound terrestrial traffic flow and an outbound satellite traffic flow based upon traffic recognition rules, priority levels of the traffic recognition rules, and the measured current performance data; forwarding said outbound terrestrial traffic flow along said terrestrial route, and said outbound satellite traffic flow along said satellite route; and merging said inbound terrestrial traffic flow and said inbound satellite traffic flow. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification