Abstract: A system and method for supporting Internet Protocol (IP) Multicast in mesh TDMA satellite networks using a centralized route server architecture, which conserves link bandwidth and minimizes delay. Individual satellite terminals perform forwarding of multicast IP traffic to destination terminals based on information provided by the route-server. Multicast routing protocols need to be supported only at the route server, thus minimizing the CPU and memory resources required at the end terminals. Channel capacity for multicast traffic can be statically or dynamically assigned and takes full advantage of the broadcast nature of the medium.

Abstract: A centralized route-server architecture permits Internet Protocol (IP) services to be offered over satellite mesh networks. Individual satellite terminals perform forwarding of IP traffic to destination terminals based on routing information provided by the route-server. External routers connecting to terminals exchange OSPF and BGP routing protocol packets only with the central route-server.

Abstract: A method for compressing a multi-spectral data stream corresponding to an image for a selected one of transmission, as a limited bandwidth transmission using a predetermined band, and data storage includes steps for dividing the image into pixel blocks P in each of N bands, where both P and N are integers greater than one, selecting one of pixel blocks in one of N bands as an anchor band and computing prediction coefficients for relating intensities of each pixel in each P pixel block in the remaining N-1 bands based on the anchor band. A codec apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A video signal processor includes a motion vector estimation system having a first operating mode for performing frame-structure processing and a second operating mode for field-structure processing. The system includes N motion estimator units, each of the units receiving two respective time separated data blocks, wherein N units are operating during the first operating mode, wherein M of the N units are operating during the second operating mode and wherein (N-M) units provide motion estimating processing outside of an area of an image represented by the data blocks. According to one aspect of the present invention, N is an integer greater than 2 while M is an integer less than N.

Abstract: A coding technique for high-definition television signals involves splitting the luminance signal into four sub-bands using a sub-band encoder and separately encoding each sub-band using a simplified vector quantization technique. The characteristics of each respective simplified vector quantization encoder can be matched to the characteristics of the respective sub-bands.