Method and system of asymmetric satellite communications for local area networks

• US 7,117,251 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Helius Incorporated (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomasson, John K. (Jack), Mosbarger, Myron L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PHILIP B
• Application Number:
  US09/746,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/203, 709/201, 709/231, 709/204, 370/352, 370/236, 370/338, 370/343, 370/254, 455/3.02, 455/12.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols

Abstract

A method and system for providing high-speed, satellite-based information delivery is described. Improved communication channel efficiency is accomplished by employing an asymmetric data flow. The high bandwidth channel capacity of digital satellite systems is used for the download of large volumes of data. While relatively low speed communication channels are used for upstream data requests. The use of separate channels for upstream data and downloaded data provides an increased efficiency of use for typical internet and other electronic information service subscribers. A typical user in such systems generally makes relatively short information requests. These requests are then followed by large amounts of information being transferred to the user'"'"'s computer in response to the request. The volume of data being downloaded often causes a capacity overload of typically used land lines. This invention solves this problem, without becoming prohibitively expensive, by employing digital satellite dish receivers to receive the high volume of downloaded data and using the relatively low speed communication channels low volume upstream requests. Moreover, this invention is designed to interface with all common communication devices as well as being designed to operate on and with all common computing platforms.

Claims

1. A communications system for communicating between an information provider and users at client computers on a computer network, the system comprising:

a satellite receiver operating to receive download data from the information provider;

a plurality of client computers on a computer network, each of said client computers including first network hardware and first network software for communication with the computer network, each of said client computers also including application software for communications with the information provider;

a server computer, including second network hardware and second network software for communications with the computer network, in electronic communication with said satellite receiver and in electronic communication with the computer network, said server computer operating to receive the download data from said satellite receiver and operating to route the download data to said plurality of client computers for use by the application software on each of said client computers, irrespective of said client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers, via the computer network;

and said computer network connected to said plurality of client computers and connected to said server computer whereby said server computer provides routing for the download data to said plurality of client computers.

2. The communications system as defined in claim 1 wherein said computer network is a local area network.

3. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein said server computer is programmed to route the download data to said plurality of client computers on the local area network irrespective of the client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer of the plurality of client computers.

4. The communications system as defined in claim 2 further comprising a storage medium wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on said storage medium.

5. The communications system as defined in claim 4 wherein said storage medium is included in said server computer.

6. The communications system as defined in claim 4 wherein said storage medium is an intermediate storage medium and wherein the download data is stored on said intermediate storage medium prior to receipt of the download data by said plurality of client computers.

7. The communications system as defined in claim 6 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

8. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

9. The communications system as defined in claim 8 wherein said server operating system is a Linux-based operating system.

10. The communications system as defined in claim 8 wherein said server operating system is a Unix-based operating system.

11. The communications system as defined in claim 8 wherein said server operating system is a Netware-based operating system.

12. The communications system as defined in claim 8 wherein said server operating system is a Microsoft Windows-based operating system.

13. The communications system as defined in claim 8 wherein said sewer operating system is a Microsoft Windows NT-based operating systenm.

14. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.

15. The communications system as defined in claim 2 wherein the system provides bi-directional electronic communications between said plurality of client computers on the local area network and the information provider, the electronic communications including both the reception of the download data and transmission of upload data, and wherein the system further comprises a communications device in electronic communications with said server computer.

16. The communications system as defined in claim 15 wherein said plurality of client computers send the upload data to the information provider by the upload data being sent to said server computer by said plurality of client computers through the local area network, the upload data being provided to said communications device by said server computer, and the upload data being sent to the information provider via said communications device.

17. The communications system as defined in claim 2 comprising a plurality of local area networks wherein said server computer operates to route the download data to said plurality of local area networks.

18. The communications system as defined in claim 1 wherein said computer network is a wide area network.

19. A server computer for communicating between a global communications network and client computers on a computer network, the server computer comprising:

network hardware for connecting said server computer to the computer network;

communications hardware for enabling electronic communications with a satellite receiver;

a processor; and

a computer readable medium containing;

network instructions for communications between said server computer and the computer network;

satellite instructions for communications between said server computer and the satellite receiver;

router instructions, said router instructions operating to receive download data from the global communications network and operating to route the download data to a plurality of client computers connected to a local area network, irrespective of said client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers; and

wherein said network instructions, said satellite instructions and said router instructions are executable by said processor.

20. The server computer as defined in claim 19 wherein said computer network is a local area network.

21. The server computer as defined in claim 20 wherein said router instructions route the download data to said plurality of client computers on the local area network irrespective of the client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each client computer of the plurality of client computers.

22. The server computer as defined in claim 20 further comprising a storage medium wherein said server computer'"'"'s routing of the download data includes storing the download data on said storage medium.

23. The server computer as defined in claim 22 wherein said storage medium is included in said server computer.

24. The server computer as defined in claim 22 wherein said storage medium is an intermediate storage medium and wherein the download data is stored on said intermediate storage medium prior to receipt of the download data by said plurality of client computers.

25. The server computer as defined in claim 24 wherein said intermediate storage medium includes a cache.

26. The server computer as defined in claim 20 wherein said server computer runs a server operating system.

27. The server computer as defined in claim 26 wherein said server computer routes the download data using a standard local area network protocol.

28. The server computer as defined in claim 20 wherein said server computer operates to route the download data to a plurality of local area networks.

29. The server computer as defined in claim 19 wherein said computer network is a wide area network.

30. A server computer for providing access to a global communications network for a plurality of client computers on a computer network, the server computer comprising:

a network interface;

a satellite receiver interface;

a processor; and

at least one storage device, said storage device containing;

a network driver;

a satellite driver; and

router instructions, said router instructions operating to receive download data from the global communications network through a satellite receiver and through the satellite receiver interface and operating to route the download data to a plurality of client computers connected to a computer network through the network interface, irrespective of said client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers, and wherein said router instructions are executable by said processor.

31. A server computer for providing access to a global communications network for a plurality of client computers on a computer network, the server computer comprising:

a network interface;

a satellite receiver interface;

a processor; and

non-volatile memory, said non-volatile memory containing;

a network driver;

a satellite driver; and

router instructions, said router instructions operating to receive download data from the global communications network through a satellite receiver and through the satellite receiver interface and operating to route the download data to a local area network connected to a plurality of client computers through the network interface, irrespective of said client computers'"'"' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers, and wherein said router instructions are executable by said processor.