Abstract: An approach for providing secure communication services is disclosed. A secure (e.g., a Virtual Private Network (VPN)) tunnel from a source node over an access network, such as a satellite network, to a destination node, wherein the nodes are external to the network. A connection that supports a mechanism for enhancing performance of the network is established for a portion of the secure tunnel that traverses the network.

Abstract: A communications system includes a plurality of communications channels for transporting packets. The system also includes a gateway that is coupled to the communications channels. The gateway is configured to buffer a packet that is received over one of the communications channel from a first host in a queue and to determine a window value for maximizing transmission rate based upon occupancy of the queue. The gateway is configured to a second host according to a prescribed protocol to force use of the determined window value in the second host over another one of the communications channels. The present invention has particular applicability to an asymmetric bandwidth network, such as a two-way satellite system.

Abstract: An approach for providing signal measurements over a radio network is disclosed. A signal measurement means analyzes a signal that has a predetermined waveform from a terminal within the radio network and to output a measurement value. A server, which is coupled to the signal measurement means, is configured to prepare a message containing the measurement value for transmission to the terminal. The measurement value is used to selectively adjust antenna position of the terminal. The present invention has particular applicability to performing signal testing (e.g., cross-polarization testing) in a two-satellite system to achieve accurate antenna pointing, as well as efficient validation of correct installation and revalidation of previously installed antennas.

Abstract: An approach for performing an address look-up in a relatively high latency network is disclosed. A terminal receives a query from a local host requesting address information. The terminal includes a memory that stores the address information, and a processor that is coupled to the memory and is configured to determine whether the address information associated with the query is stored in the memory. The processor selectively transmits the address information to the local host in response to the determination. The system also includes a server that communicates with the terminal over the network. The server receives the query from the terminal and transmit the address information corresponding to the query to the terminal. The present invention has particular applicability to a communications system that employs a satellite network.

Abstract: An approach for providing stateless compression is disclosed. A message (such as an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) GET request message or a Domain Name Service (DNS) message) is received from a host. A stateful compressor is initialized with a prescribed sequence to yield a primed state. The message is input into a stateful compressor, which outputs a compressed message based upon the primed state. The stateless compression scheme has particular applicability to networks with high latency—e.g., a satellite network.

Abstract: An approach for providing a proxy service is disclosed. A message from an application that supports browsing is received. The message is identified as invoking the proxy service. The message is selectively forwarded to a proxy agent (e.g., a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) proxy or a Domain Name Service (DNS) proxy) that is configured to provide the proxy service. The forwarding of the message is transparent to the application. The present invention has particular applicability to a satellite network.

Abstract: A communication system having a proxy architecture is disclosed. The system includes a platform that provides performance enhancing functions. The platform includes a spoofing apparatus that routes the information within the communication system. The spoofing apparatus receives spoofing selection and spoofing parameters from the platform and maintains the current parameters in one or more spoofing profiles. The spoofing apparatus routes packets of information throughout the communication system based on the spoofing selection and/or spoofing profile. The spoofing apparatus may also compensate for maximum segment size mismatches during the routing of information. This compensation may include dynamically resizing data segments or disabling three-way handshake spoofing. The above arrangement has particular applicability to a bandwidth constrained communication system, such as a satellite network.

Abstract: A personalized video-on-demand system and method utilizes an array of hard disk drives or other storage media to create a video server farm having the enormous capacity necessary for a video content library. A content feed supplies video content to the inventive device via a variety of communication media. Utilizing the device, the content stream may be directly viewed, decoded/decrypted or recorded in the video server farm. A multiple receiver/tuner can receive multiple content streams and the system may simultaneously record a plurality of programs on a storage device. With a multiple display unit such as a picture-in-picture television, the consumer can view desired programs in the normal manner while the device aggregates a video library in the background. An electronic program guide aids in the content selection and recording. Scheduling conflicts are resolved by simultaneous, multiple recording methods.

Abstract: A communication system for retrieving content stored in a content server (e.g., web server) is disclosed. The system includes a client that is configured to transmit a message requesting content specifying an object from a content server. The system also includes a plurality of proxy servers that include a downstream proxy server and an upstream proxy server. The downstream proxy server is configured to communicate with the client. The upstream proxy server is configured to retrieve the content from the content server and to forward information associated with the object over a data network to the downstream proxy server prior to the client transmitting another message requesting the object. The above arrangement has particular application to a wide area network, such as a satellite network.

Abstract: An electronic mail alert system includes an e-mail server for administering an e-mail account of an e-mail service subscriber and an e-mail alert front-end. The e-mail server includes a subscriber account memory for storing an indication that e-mail has been received by the e-mail server for an e-mail alert service subscriber as well as a communication port for allowing the e-mail alert service subscriber to retrieve e-mail from the e-mail server via a subscriber terminal remote from the e-mail server. The e-mail alert front-end is coupled to the e-mail server and polls the e-mail server periodically to determine whether e-mail for the e-mail alert service subscriber has been received by the e-mail server.

Abstract: A system for controlling forward error correction of a VSAT earth station is disclosed. A hub earth station communicating with the VSAT earth station transmits digital data representing a propagation condition measured at the hub earth station. The VSAT earth station computes an estimated inroute fade from the transmitted information, as well as from the VSAT demodulator's estimate of propagation condition. When the total inroute fade is below a selected margin, a higher FEC encoding rate is selected for the VSAT transmitter in which to transmit its data packets to the hub earth station. As the estimated inroute fade exceeds a high FEC rain margin, a lower rate of FEC encoding is employed at the VSAT earth station. By permitting a higher FEC encoding rate, digital throughput is increased between the VSAT earth station and the hub station.