Method and apparatus for selectively retrieving information from a source computer using a terrestrial or satellite interface
US5968129A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2212/00
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A requesting terminal includes an interface that allows a user to select whether data downloaded from a network (such as the Internet) is transmitted to the requesting terminal via a high-speed link, such as a satellite link, or a lower speed link, such as a terrestrial link. Preferably, the terrestrial link (which may comprise a conventional dial-up Internet connection) is a two-way link, wherein the requesting terminal transmits data requests to the network via the terrestrial link. The data requests generated by the requesting terminal are modified to designate whether the requested data should be downloaded from the network via the terrestrial link or the satellite link. The terrestrial link may also be automatically selected for certain applications.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.