Valuation of and marketplace for inter-network links between a high-altitude network and terrestrial network
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- establishing, by a first client device, an inter-network link between an aerial telecommunications network and a terrestrial data network via the first client device, wherein the aerial telecommunications network comprises a plurality of aerial vehicles configured to operate as nodes of the aerial network, wherein the aerial telecommunications network is a separate network from the terrestrial data network, and wherein the inter-network link comprises both a wireless link between the first client device and the aerial telecommunications network and a second link between the first client device and the terrestrial data network;
while the first client device is operating as the inter-network link;
receiving, by the first client device, first data via the wireless link between the aerial telecommunications network and the first client device, wherein a user-account is associated with the first client device, and wherein an intended recipient of the first data is a second client device that is different from the first client device; and
determining that the first data was sent to the first client device in its role as the inter-network link and responsively relaying, by the first client device, the received first data to a node of the terrestrial data network via the second link.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments relate to a marketplace for inter-network links between a high-altitude network and a terrestrial data network. An example method may involve a computer-based purchasing agent: (i) determining a demand for inter-network bandwidth between a high-altitude network and a terrestrial data network, (ii) determining one or more offers to provide an inter-network link, wherein the inter-network link provides inter-network bandwidth between the high-altitude network and the terrestrial data network, and wherein each offer is associated with a corresponding client device, (iii) based at least in part on a comparison of: (a) the demand for inter-network bandwidth and (b) the one or more offers to provide an inter-network link, selecting one or more of the offers to provide an inter-network link, and (iv) initiating a process to establish an inter-network link at each client device that corresponds to one of the one or more selected offers.
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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establishing, by a first client device, an inter-network link between an aerial telecommunications network and a terrestrial data network via the first client device, wherein the aerial telecommunications network comprises a plurality of aerial vehicles configured to operate as nodes of the aerial network, wherein the aerial telecommunications network is a separate network from the terrestrial data network, and wherein the inter-network link comprises both a wireless link between the first client device and the aerial telecommunications network and a second link between the first client device and the terrestrial data network; while the first client device is operating as the inter-network link; receiving, by the first client device, first data via the wireless link between the aerial telecommunications network and the first client device, wherein a user-account is associated with the first client device, and wherein an intended recipient of the first data is a second client device that is different from the first client device; and determining that the first data was sent to the first client device in its role as the inter-network link and responsively relaying, by the first client device, the received first data to a node of the terrestrial data network via the second link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A client device comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable medium; and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by at least one processor to cause the client device to; operate as an inter-network link between an aerial telecommunications network and a terrestrial data network, wherein the aerial telecommunications network comprises a plurality of aerial vehicles configured to operate as nodes of the aerial network, wherein the aerial telecommunications network is a separate network from the terrestrial data network, and wherein the inter-network link comprises both a wireless link between the client device and the aerial telecommunications network and a second link between the client device and the terrestrial data network; and while operating as the an inter-network link; receive first data via the wireless link between the aerial telecommunications network and the client device, wherein a user-account is associated with the client device, and wherein an intended recipient of the first data is a second client device that is different from the first client device; and determine that the first data was sent to the client device in its role as the inter-network link and responsively relay the first data to a node of a terrestrial data network via the second link. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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receiving, by a computing device, a credit-request message that indicates operation of a first client device as an inter-network link between an aerial telecommunications network and a terrestrial data network, wherein the aerial telecommunications network comprises a plurality of aerial vehicles configured to operate as nodes of the aerial network, wherein the first client device is associated with a user-account, wherein the aerial telecommunications network is a separate network from the terrestrial data network, and wherein the inter-network link comprises both a wireless link between the client device and the aerial telecommunications network and a second link between the client device and the terrestrial data network; in response to the credit-request message, determining, by the computing device, a credit based on the operation of the first client device as an inter-network link between the aerial telecommunications network and the terrestrial data network; and updating, by the computing device, the user-account based on the determined credit; wherein the operation of the first client device as an inter-network link comprises at least;
(a) receipt of first data, by the first client device, via the wireless link between the aerial telecommunications network and the first client device, wherein an intended recipient of the first data is a second client device that is different from the first client device, and (b) a determination that the first data was sent to the first client device in its role as the inter-network link and a responsive transmission of the first data, by the first client device, to a node of a terrestrial data network. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification