Self-contained portable broadband communication system

• US 7,535,861 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Star Communications, Inc. (Curtiss-Wright Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pacific Star Communications, Inc. (Curtiss-Wright Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Kevin, Barber, Jim, Hoffmann, Christopher J., Frisbee, Robert, Kawasaki, Charlie, Buchholz, Ampy, Forman, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/544,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/227, 370/328, 370/338, 370/466, 370/352, 370/311, 370/318, 370400-401, 455418-420, 455/403, 455/428, 455424-425, 455/550.1, 455/552.2, 4554261-4262, 4555541-5561, 455/560, 4555751-5758, 361/690, 361/676, 361/678, 361/679, 361/687, 361694-695, 725 62- 63
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for establishing IT services in edge environments are described. The system comprises a transportable housing capable of being carried by personnel, a plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components contained in the housing and coupled together and configured to provide the broadband communications network, a software management system operatively coupled to the plurality of components, a network connection subsystem defined by at least a first portion of the plurality of components and configured to establish access to the broadband communications network, and a connection subsystem defined by at least a second portion of the plurality of components and that provides a user with a connection to the broadband communications network via the network connection subsystem.

Claims

1. A mobile, integrated communications system for establishing a self-supported broadband communications network, the system comprising:

a housing capable of being carried by personnel;

a plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components contained in the housing and coupled together and configured to provide the broadband communications network;

a plurality of support members disposed in the housing and configured to support the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components and to move between a stowed position and a pulled-out position;

a software management system in the housing and operatively coupled to the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components;

a network connection subsystem defined by at least a first portion of the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components and the software management system and configured to establish access to the broadband communications network; and

a connection subsystem defined by at least a second portion of the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components and that provides a user with a connection to the broadband communications network via the network connection subsystem;

wherein the network connection subsystem is configured to establish access to a second network, and the connection subsystem is configured to allow the user to access the second network via the network connection subsystem; and

wherein the housing includes one or more rugged cases coupleable together, each of the cases containing portions of the commercial off-the-shelf components.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the system includes a cooling system coupled to the housing and configured direct airflow directly through at least a portion of the commercial off-the-shelf components.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a telephone communication subsystems defined by at least a third portion of the commercial off-the-shelf components and configured to establish access to a remote telephone system.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a configuration backup system coupled to the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components and the software management system, the configuration backup system being configured to determine, store and download a configuration data file of the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components.

5. A mobile, integrated communications appliance for establishing a self-supported broadband communications network in an environment, the appliance comprising:

a transportable appliance housing configured to be carried and deployed by personnel;

a plurality of commercial off-the-shelf communication components contained in the appliance housing and operatively coupled together;

a plurality of support members disposed in the housing and configured to support the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf communication components and to move between a stowed position and a pulled-out position;

a management subsystem in the housing and configured to monitor and manage operation of the commercial off-the-shelf communication components;

a network subsystem defined by at least a second portion of the commercial off-the-shelf communication component, the network subsystem is operatively coupled to the management subsystem and configured to establish a local area network generally proximate to the device;

a communication subsystem in the housing and configured to allow a user to access the local area network via a wired or wireless connection;

an interconnection subsystem in the housing that connects the each of the commercial off-the-shelf network components to the management subsystem; and

wherein the housing includes one or more transportable cases coupleable together to interconnect the commercial off-the-shelf communication components in each of the cases.

6. The appliance of claim 5, further comprising a cooling system connected to the housing and configured direct airflow directly through at least a portion of the commercial off-the-shelf communications components.

7. The appliance of claim 5 wherein the plurality of support members are removably disposed in the housing and configured to support the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf communication components thereon within the housing.

8. The appliance of claim 7 wherein the support members are trays slideably disposed within the housing.

9. The appliance of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of support members has a connector operatively coupled to the commercial off-the-shelf communication component on the support member, and further comprising a connection assembly operatively coupled to the management subsystem and positioned to engage the connectors of the support members when the members are disposed in the housing to connect the commercial off-the-shelf communication components to the management subsystem.

10. The appliance of claim 5 wherein the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf communication components comprise a power supply, a network switch, a server, and a firewall.

11. The appliance of claim 5 wherein the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf communication components include at least one of a telephone hub, an encryption gateway, and a wireless gateway.

12. The appliance of claim 5, further comprising a power subsystem that provides power to the commercial off-the-shelf communication components and the network subsystem, the communication subsystem, and the management subsystem.

13. The appliance of claim 5, further comprising a power subsystem coupled to the commercial off-the-shelf communication components, the power subsystem being configured to provide power to and activate the commercial off-the-shelf communication components upon activation of a single switch by a user.

14. The appliance of claim 5, further comprising a cooling subsystem that regulates the operating temperature of the commercial off-the-shelf communication components with high-velocity airflow.

15. The appliance of claim 5, further comprising a security subsystem that provides security for the commercial off-the-shelf communication components and the management subsystem.

16. The appliance of claim 5, further comprising a wired connection subsystem that provides communications between devices wired to the management subsystem and the network.

17. The appliance of claim 16 wherein the wired connection subsystem comprises an analog phone hub.

18. The appliance of claim 5 wherein the network subsystem is configured to establish access to a second network, and the communication subsystem is configured to allow the user to access the second network via the network subsystem.

19. The appliance of claim 18 wherein the second network is the Internet.

20. The device of claim 5, further comprising a remote subsystem located outside the housing and configured to extend the range of the established local area network.

21. The device of claim 5, further comprising a configuration backup system coupled to the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components and the software management system, the configuration backup system being configured to determine, store and download a configuration data file of the plurality of commercial off-the-shelf components.

22. A mobile, integrated communications system for establishing a self-supported broadband communications network, the system comprising:

a transportable appliance housing configured to be carried and deployed by personnel;

a commercial off-the-shelf server contained in the housing;

a component management system contained in the housing and coupled to the server;

a commercial off-the-shelf network switch assembly contained in the housing and coupled to the server and to the software management system;

a commercial off-the-shelf telephone system contained in the housing and having a telephone hub and telephone software coupled to the network switch and the software management software;

a commercial off-the-shelf power source in the housing and coupled to the network switch, the server, and the telephone system;

a commercial off-the-shelf firewall contained in the housing and coupled to the network switch;

a commercial off-the-shelf wireless gateway coupled to the component management system;

an encryption gateway coupled to the network switch;

wherein the appliance housing comprises a plurality of support members disposed in the appliance housing and configured to support thereon at least one of the server, the component management system, the network switch assembly, the telephone system, the power source, the firewall, the wireless gateway, and the encryption gateway, the support members being configured to move between a stowed position and a pulled-out position; and

wherein the component management system being configured to monitor and manage operation of the to the network switch, the server, and the telephone system to establish a local area network generally proximate to the appliance.