Internet communication system and method with asymmetric terrestrial and satellite links

• US 6,038,594 A
• Filed: 02/02/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orion Network Systems, Inc. (Apple Inc.), Telesat Network Services, Inc. (MHR Holdings LLC (New York))
• Original Assignee: Loral Cyberstar, Inc. (MHR Holdings LLC (New York))
• Inventors: Puente, David S., Liebowitz, Burt H., Jacobson, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/017,142
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/220, 709/221, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W

Abstract

Low-cost, high performance access is provided to a group of Internet service providers (ISPs) not convenient to a high volume Internet exchange point through a flexible hybrid terrestrial-satellite Internet communication system. Asymmetric hybrid circuits, that combine satellite and terrestrial backbone technologies, are used to handle asymmetry resulting from low volume requests and high volume responses. A user request is coupled via routers and servers to a point of presence (POP) on a group ISP backbone network. The ISP'"'"'s backbone couples ISP'"'"'s POPs to a terrestrial gateway location, which is coupled to a high volume ISP peered with other high volume ISPs. Requests are directed to the high volume ISP through a POP on the backbone of the high volume ISP. Responses from the high volume ISP are routed to a hybrid network provider. Responses packets are translated into permanent virtual circuits (PVC) by a router. The high volume ISP is instructed to advertise response packets with high priority and reference toward the satellite uplink. Response packets are transferred to the group ISP or ISPs based on the type of transmitted information. In the hybrid network provider POP, switch devices impose a committed information rate on each PVC, which has a guaranteed minimum bandwidth for its associated PVC. The hybrid network provider POP delivers the PVCs to the satellite link, which transmits signals incorporating all the transmitted PVCs via satellite and satellite downlink to each group ISP. Routers coupled to each POP of each such ISP, filter the received PVCs so that responses are delivered to the closed POP to the location of a corresponding request.

Claims

1. A hybrid satellite-terrestrial Internet communications system for high volume access for a group of Internet service providers (ISPs) desiring access to convenient high volume Internet exchange points, each group ISP having an Internet exchange point on its backbone, each ISP having a network including a point of presence (POP) for coupling to communications links to their users and connections to the Internet access points to other ISPs, each ISP having individual users producing requests and receiving replies through servers and routers, the group ISP POP being connected to a gateway to a terrestrial link, the terrestrial link having an opposite end for coupling to convenient high volume Internet exchange points, and said high volume ISP POP receiving requests and providing responses, and further comprising:

coupling means in a group ISP POP for providing request packets to the high volume ISP using a terrestrial link;

coupling means by which responses to requests are delivered to a hybrid network provided POP;

a hybrid network provider POP for connection to an Internet exchange point for translating response packets to PVCs, said hybrid network provider POP comprising a router and switch means producing PVCs with imposed committed information rates, each committed information rate comprising a guaranteed minimum bandwidth for a given PVC and means for managing bandwidth imposed on a selected PVC, said router comprising and utilizing routing tables advertising with high priority and preference toward a satellite uplink, said hybrid network provider POP further comprising means providing said PVCs to a satellite uplink, the satellite uplink directing signals including the PVCs to a satellite;

downlink means coupling the signals from the satellite to the group ISP POPs and to routers for directing responses to corresponding requesters.

2. A system according to claim 1 further comprising routers coupled to each group ISP POP, said routers filtering the received PVCs in a manner such that responses are delivered to a location of the corresponding request.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the routers comprise means for delivering responses to the closest POP to the location of a corresponding request.

4. A method for practice hybrid satellite-terrestrial Internet communications system for high volume access for a group Internet service providers (ISPs) desiring access to convenient high volume Internet exchange points, each group ISP having an Internet exchange point on its backbone, each ISP having a network including a point of presence (POP) for coupling to communications links to their users and connections to the Internet access points to other ISPs, each ISP having individual users producing requests and receiving replies through servers and routers, the group ISP POP being connected to a gateway to a terrestrial link, the terrestrial link having an opposite end for coupling to convenient high volume Internet exchange points, and said high volume ISP POP receiving requests and providing responses formed by routers into highly statistically multiplexed permanent virtual circuits (PVCs), comprising the steps of:

receiving the PVCs at each group ISP POP;

utilizing switching means to impose a committed information rate on each PVC;

managing bandwidth imposed by said switching means on selected PVCs, and providing said PVCs to satellite uplink means and to a satellite;

managing the exchange of data between the Internet and the hybrid satellite terrestrial network using router means; and

directing responses downlinked, from the satellite to routers for distribution to corresponding requesters.