Abstract: A method and system is presented for the bi-directional transfer of data packets over a TCP communications system that can comprise both terrestrial and satellite links, using an enhanced flight protocol that, transparently to the end users, replaces the TCP over the congested satellite link portion of the system that accelerates the data delivery between end users and improves reliability of the data packet transmission. The invention eliminates the conventional TCP 3-way handshake and other associated time-delay procedures and replaces them with an improved use of performance enhancing proxies at either end of the satellite link that use a unique acknowledgement methods, data buffer storage and packet header field arrangement among the design features of a flight protocol method and system that accelerates data packet transfer with more efficient link capacity use and greater data throughput.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that may be used in the context of a Performance Enhancing Proxy architecture for Internet traffic. A method of accelerated connection opening with error handling is disclosed. Also, a method of handling the Path MTU Discovery mechanism in the context of a distributed connection splitting PEP is described. A novel packet format for a proprietary inter-PEP protocol is described which allows for low packet header overhead. A new acknowledgement scheme that adapts to packet loss conditions to minimize bandwidth consumption by selecting an acknowledgement type from several possibilities is also detailed. A method whereby potentially spurious retransmissions are minimized by timing every transmission and retransmission is also described.

Abstract: A method and system is presented for the bi-directional transfer of data packets over a TCP communications system that can comprise both terrestrial and satellite links, using an enhanced flight protocol that, transparently to the end users, replaces the TCP over the congested satellite link portion of the system that accelerates the data delivery between end users and improves reliability of the data packet transmission. The invention eliminates the conventional TCP 3-way handshake and other associated time-delay procedures and replaces them with an improved use of performance enhancing proxies at either end of the satellite link that use a unique acknowledgement methods, data buffer storage and packet header field arrangement among the design features of a flight protocol method and system that accelerates data packet transfer with more efficient link capacity use and greater data throughput.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for dealing with the flow of data between one Performance Enhancement Proxy and another in the context of split links for TCP over satellite performance improvement. The environment according to the invention may include one or more intermediate nodes experiencing variable latency and bandwidth allocations. The method and system manage the data flow to ensure bandwidth fairness between competing TCP/IP connections, prevention of PEP receiver buffer overflow and near 100% usage of the available satellite bandwidth without the need for conventional TCP/IP ACK driven probing algorithms. The near 100% usage of capacity being achieved, in part, through PEP to intermediate node message exchange.

Abstract: The method is for correcting and decoding a sequence of branches representing encoded data bits into estimated information bits. The encoded data bits were previously encoded in a convolutional manner with v encoded symbols forming a branch where v is a predetermined value.