Patents by Inventor Mark D. Dankberg
Mark D. Dankberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10594624Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using opportunistically delayed delivery of content to address sub-optimal bandwidth resource usage in network infrastructures that allow subscribers to share forward link resources. According to some embodiments, content is identified as delayable and assigned to a delaycast queue and/or service flow. For example, a server system of a satellite communications system identifies content that can be delayed to exploit future excess link capacity through multicasting and to exploit subscriber-side storage resources. Some implementations attempt to exploit any excess link resources at any time, while others exploit unused bandwidth only during certain times or when a certain threshold of resources is available. Various embodiments also provide content scoring and/or other prioritization techniques for optimizing exploitation of the delaycast queue.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Mark D Dankberg, Daniel M Newman
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Publication number: 20200028796Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using opportunistically delayed delivery of content to address sub-optimal bandwidth resource usage in network infrastructures that allow subscribers to share forward link resources. According to some embodiments, content is identified as delayable and assigned to a delaycast queue and/or service flow. For example, a server system of a satellite communications system identifies content that can be delayed to exploit future excess link capacity through multicasting and to exploit subscriber-side storage resources. Some implementations attempt to exploit any excess link resources at any time, while others exploit unused bandwidth only during certain times or when a certain threshold of resources is available. Various embodiments also provide content scoring and/or other prioritization techniques for optimizing exploitation of the delaycast queue.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2018Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: MARK D DANKBERG, DANIEL M NEWMAN
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Publication number: 20200021357Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 10484080Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Publication number: 20190319696Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2019Publication date: October 17, 2019Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Publication number: 20190297021Abstract: Systems and methods are described for optimizing resource utilization in a communications network while also optimizing subscriber engagement with media content over the communications network. Requested content objects can be identified as delayable objects that can be queued for opportunistically delayed communication to both requesting and non-requesting subscribers. Queued delayed content objects are scored with an eye toward optimizing both subscriber engagement and utilization of opportunistically available communications link resources. For example, a storage manager calculates a likelihood that each subscriber will engage with the content if it is opportunistically delivered, and a scheduler calculates a priority order in which to queue each requested delayable content object.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2019Publication date: September 26, 2019Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman, Steven R. Hart
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Patent number: 10367574Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2018Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 10361964Abstract: Systems and methods are described for optimizing resource utilization in a communications network while also optimizing subscriber engagement with media content over the communications network. Requested content objects can be identified as delayable objects that can be queued for opportunistically delayed communication to both requesting and non-requesting subscribers. Queued delayed content objects are scored with an eye toward optimizing both subscriber engagement and utilization of opportunistically available communications link resources. For example, a storage manager calculates a likelihood that each subscriber will engage with the content if it is opportunistically delivered, and a scheduler calculates a priority order in which to queue each requested delayable content object.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2015Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman, Steven R. Hart
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Publication number: 20190190590Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2018Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 10313000Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2018Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 10211911Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Publication number: 20190052348Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2018Publication date: February 14, 2019Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Publication number: 20180351636Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 10142011Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 10142692Abstract: A method for providing content from a first node to a second node using a satellite communications system includes receiving side information at a gateway in the satellite communications system. The side information may be transmitted from a subscriber terminal to the gateway via a first communication path that includes a satellite link. The method also includes determining at the gateway that the side information is associated with first content available at the first node, and determining at the gateway that second content is available from a source other than the first node. The method also includes generating output content using the second content and the side information. The output content may be substantially the same as the first content. The method also includes providing the output content to the second node via a second communication path that does not include the satellite link.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventor: Mark D. Dankberg
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Patent number: 10090911Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 10079636Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon
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Publication number: 20180227043Abstract: Embodiments provide in-flight configuration of satellite pathways to flexibly service terra-link and cross-link traffic in a constellation of non-processed satellites, for example, to facilitate flexible forward-channel and return-channel capacity in a satellite communications system. For example, each satellite in the constellation can include one or more dynamically configurable pathway, and switching and/or beamforming can be used to configure each pathway to be a forward-channel pathway or a return-channel pathway in each of a number of timeslots according to a pathway configuration schedule. At least some of the pathways can be further selectively configured, in each timeslot, to carry “terra-link” traffic to and/or from terrestrial terminals and “cross-link” traffic to and/or from one or more other satellites of the constellation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2016Publication date: August 9, 2018Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventor: MARK D DANKBERG
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Patent number: 10044637Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using opportunistically delayed delivery of content to address sub-optimal bandwidth resource usage in network infrastructures that allow subscribers to share forward link resources. According to some embodiments, content is identified as delayable and assigned to a delaycast queue and/or service flow. For example, a server system of a satellite communications system identifies content that can be delayed to exploit future excess link capacity through multicasting and to exploit subscriber-side storage resources. Some implementations attempt to exploit any excess link resources at any time, while others exploit unused bandwidth only during certain times or when a certain threshold of resources is available. Various embodiments also provide content scoring and/or other prioritization techniques for optimizing exploitation of the delaycast queue.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman
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Publication number: 20180019800Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2017Publication date: January 18, 2018Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Mark J. Miller, Christopher J. Cronin, Mark D. Dankberg, Donald L. Runyon