System and method for providing a two-way satellite system

• US 20010043575A1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,164,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/321
• 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

Abstract

A two-way satellite communication system is disclosed. A transceiver transmit signals over a return channel to a satellite and receives signals over a downlink channel from the satellite A hub communicates with the transceiver over the return channel, wherein the hub provides connectivity between the transceiver and a packet switched network.

Claims

1. A two-way satellite communication system, comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit signals over a return channel to a satellite and to receive signals over a downlink channel from the satellite; and

a hub configured to communicate with the transceiver over the return channel, wherein the hub provides connectivity between the transceiver and a packet switched network

2. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the transceiver transmits the signals over the return channel using a plurality of carriers, each of the carriers being a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) stream.

3. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the packet switched network is the Internet.

4. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the packet switched network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

5. The system according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a user terminal coupled to the transceiver and configured to generate data for transmission over the packet switched network; and

an antenna coupled to the transceiver.

6. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the user terminal is configured to perform auto-commissioning via a temporary channel to the satellite.

7. The system according to

claim 6

, wherein the user terminal couples to the transceiver through a Universal Serial Bus (USB).

8. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the transceiver supports IP multicasting.

9. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the hub comprises:

a network control cluster (NCC) configured to manage bandwidth associated with the return channel; and

a burst channel demodulator (BCD) coupled to the NCC and configured to demodulate the signals that are received from the return channel.

10. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the transceiver supports IP multicasting.

11. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the signals represent packets that includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) address that is based upon traffic type.

12. A method for exchanging frames over a two-way satellite communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting the frames over a return channel to a satellite; and

establishing connectivity to a packet switched network.

13. The method according to

claim 12

, wherein the transmitting step is performed by a transceiver.

14. The method according to

claim 13

, further comprising:

generating signals associated with the frames using a plurality of carriers, each of the carriers being a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) stream.

15. The method according to

claim 12

, wherein the packet switched network in the establishing step is the Internet.

16. The method according to

claim 12

, wherein the packet switched network in the establishing step is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

17. The method according to

claim 12

, further comprising:

generating data for transmission over the packet switched network via the return channel.

18. The method according to

claim 17

, further comprising:

performing auto-commissioning over a temporary channel to the satellite

19. The method according to

claim 17

, wherein the step of generating data is performed by a user terminal, the user terminal coupling to a transceiver through a Universal Serial Bus (USB).

20. The method according to

claim 13

, wherein the transceiver supports IP multicasting.

21. The method according to

claim 12

, further comprising:

managing bandwidth associated with the return channel; and

demodulating signals corresponding to the frames that are received from the return channel.

22. The method according to

claim 12

, wherein the frames in the transmitting step includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) address that is based upon traffic type

23. A two-way satellite communication system for exchanging frames, the system comprising:

means for transmitting the frames over a return channel to a satellite, and

means for establishing connectivity to a packet switched network.

24. The system according to

claim 23

, wherein the transmitting means is a transceiver.

25. The system according to

claim 24

, further comprising:

means for generating signals associated with the frames using a plurality of carriers, each of the carriers being a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) stream.

26. The system according to

claim 23

, wherein the packet switched network is the Internet.

27. The system according to

claim 23

, wherein the packet switched network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

28. The system according to

claim 24

, further comprising:

means for generating data for transmission over the packet switched network via the return channel.

29. The system according to

claim 28

, further comprising:

means for performing auto-commissioning over a temporary channel to the satellite.

30. The system according to

claim 28

, wherein the generating means is a user terminal, the user terminal coupling to a transceiver through a Universal Serial Bus (USB).

31. The system according to

claim 24

, wherein the transceiver supports IP multicasting.

32. The system according to

claim 23

, further comprising:

means for managing bandwidth associated with the return channel; and

means for demodulating signals corresponding to the frames that are received from the return channel.

33. The system according to

claim 23

, wherein the frames includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) address that is based upon traffic type.

34. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for exchanging frames over a two-way satellite communication system, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of transmitting the frames over a return channel to a satellite, and establishing connectivity to a packet switched network.

35. The computer-readable medium according to

claim 34

, further comprising generating signals associated with the frames using a plurality of carriers, each of the carriers being a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) stream.

36. The computer-readable medium according to

claim 34

, wherein the packet switched network in the establishing step is the Internet.

37. The computer-readable medium according to

claim 34

, wherein the packet switched network in the establishing step is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

38. The computer-readable medium according to

claim 34

, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

generating data for transmission over the packet switched network via the return channel

39. The computer-readable medium according to

claim 34

, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

performing auto-commissioning over a temporary channel to the satellite.

40. The computer-readable medium according to

claim 34

, wherein the one or more processors further perform the steps of:

managing bandwidth associated with the return channel; and

demodulating signals corresponding to the frames that are received from the return channel.

41. The computer-readable medium according to

claim 34

, wherein the frames in the transmitting step includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) address that is based upon traffic type.