Patent · US Expired

Communication method and apparatus utilizing protocol options

US6058115A · kind A · utility

158Cited by
6References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 4, 1997
Grant dateMay 2, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 4, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L69/24
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Originating and terminating units (32, 36) communicate through a network (22) containing satellites (46, 50, 52) and gateways (44, 48). The network (22) receives user-prioritized lists (62) of protocols from the respective units (32, 36). The network (22) compares the lists (62) to determine the highest-priority common protocol. If a common protocol exists, the network (22) establishes a link between the units (32, 36) utilizing the common protocol and excluding the gateways (44, 48). If a common protocol does not exist, the network (22) selects as originating and terminating protocols the highest-priority protocols in the respective lists (62). If the originating protocol consumes a greater number of resources, the network (22) establishes the link, translating between protocols in an originating gateway (44) and excluding a terminating gateway (48). Otherwise, the network (22) establishes the link, translating in the terminating gateway (48) and excluding the originating gateway (44).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.