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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Publication number: 20180019804Abstract: 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
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Publication number: 20180019811Abstract: 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
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Publication number: 20170289625Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventor: Mark D. Dankberg
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Publication number: 20170118721Abstract: A system to provide narrowcast communications uses adaptive data rate control to individual subscribers such that the effects of precipitation or other link conditions, which are not common to all subscribers, is mitigated. The invention takes advantage of the fact that the narrowcast data consist of packets which are individually addressed to specific subscribers, or groups of subscribers. The narrowcast data is communicated on a plurality of channels, each of potentially differing data rates. The subscribers are assigned a particular channel, based upon their link quality, to receive packets addressed to them. The lower data rate channel will be less affected by adverse link conditions and are hence assigned to subscribers most likely to incur adverse link conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2016Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Mark J. Miller, Mark D. Dankberg
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Patent number: 9628859Abstract: 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: March 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventor: Mark D. Dankberg
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Patent number: 9614780Abstract: Systems and methods are described for predictive delaycast feedback in relation to content object queuing and offer and request handling via communications systems. When a subscriber of communications and/or media services requests access to a content object, embodiments can determine where the content object can and/or should be placed in a delaycast queue. The queue can include multiple regions associated with different estimated delivery timeframes. The placement determination can involve determining an appropriate queue location for the requested content object (e.g., an appropriate queue region), and determining an associated promise time for the requested object.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: ViaSat Inc.Inventors: Daniel M. Newman, Mark D. Dankberg, James Coggins, Steven R. Hart
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Patent number: 9538249Abstract: Systems and methods are described for subscriber-driven resource shifting in an attempt to maximize delivery of desirable content to subscribers while minimizing the impact of that content delivery to network infrastructure resources. When a media plan subscriber requests access to media content, and the requested object is determined not to be “watch-nowable” (e.g., it would be undesirable to deliver the object in substantially real time to the subscriber given present communications resource availability) embodiments identify a number of content objects that are presently watch-nowable content objects with respect to the requesting subscriber. Of those watch-nowable content objects, various techniques are presented for determining a set of alternate content objects, including those most likely to provide the subscriber with a similar level of engagement.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2013Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: ViaSat Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman
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Publication number: 20160323196Abstract: Systems and methods are described for predictive delaycast feedback in relation to content object queuing and offer and request handling via communications systems. When a subscriber of communications and/or media services requests access to a content object, embodiments can determine where the content object can and/or should be placed in a delaycast queue. The queue can include multiple regions associated with different estimated delivery timeframes. The placement determination can involve determining an appropriate queue location for the requested content object (e.g., an appropriate queue region), and determining an associated promise time for the requested object.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Daniel M. Newman, Mark D. Dankberg, James Coggins, Steven R. Hart
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Patent number: 9462503Abstract: A system to provide narrowcast communications uses adaptive data rate control to individual subscribers such that the effects of precipitation or other link conditions, which are not common to all subscribers, is mitigated. The invention takes advantage of the fact that the narrowcast data consist of packets which are individually addressed to specific subscribers, or groups of subscribers. The narrowcast data is communicated on a plurality of channels, each of potentially differing data rates. The subscribers are assigned a particular channel, based upon their link quality, to receive packets addressed to them. The lower data rate channel will be less affected by adverse link conditions and are hence assigned to subscribers most likely to incur adverse link conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2012Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Mark J. Miller, Mark D. Dankberg
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Patent number: 9407556Abstract: Systems and methods are described for predictive delaycast feedback in relation to content object queuing and offer and request handling via communications systems. When a subscriber of communications and/or media services requests access to a content object, embodiments can determine where the content object can and/or should be placed in a delaycast queue. The queue can include multiple regions associated with different estimated delivery timeframes. The placement determination can involve determining an appropriate queue location for the requested content object (e.g., an appropriate queue region), and determining an associated promise time for the requested object.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2014Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: VIASAT INC.Inventors: Daniel M. Newman, Mark D. Dankberg, James Coggins, Steven R. Hart
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Publication number: 20160191405Abstract: 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: August 26, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman, Steven R. Hart
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Publication number: 20160021021Abstract: 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: May 21, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman
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Patent number: 9172457Abstract: A method is presented for communicating data in multibeam satellite system utilizing frequency re-use. The method comprises establishing uplink service beams and downlink service beams between a satellite and a plurality of subscriber terminals. A plurality of the uplink service beams are transmitted to the satellite by re-using at least one common uplink frequency channel. A plurality of the downlink service beams are transmitted from the satellite by re-using at least one common downlink frequency channel. The method further comprises establishing at least one uplink feeder beam and at least one downlink feeder beam between the satellite and a gateway terminal. The at least one uplink feeder beam is transmitted to the satellite by further re-using the at least one common uplink frequency channel. The at least one downlink feeder beam is transmitted from the satellite by further re-using the at least one common downlink frequency channel.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2013Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Mark J. Miller, Kristi Jaska, Robert Wilson
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Publication number: 20150289018Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2015Publication date: October 8, 2015Inventor: Mark D. Dankberg
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Patent number: 9154436Abstract: 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: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: VIASAT INC.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman, Steven R. Hart
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Publication number: 20150249614Abstract: Systems and methods are described for predictive delaycast feedback in relation to content object queuing and offer and request handling via communications systems. When a subscriber of communications and/or media services requests access to a content object, embodiments can determine where the content object can and/or should be placed in a delaycast queue. The queue can include multiple regions associated with different estimated delivery timeframes. The placement determination can involve determining an appropriate queue location for the requested content object (e.g., an appropriate queue region), and determining an associated promise time for the requested object.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2014Publication date: September 3, 2015Applicant: ViaSat Inc.Inventors: Daniel M. Newman, Mark D. Dankberg, James Coggins, Steven R. Hart
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Patent number: 9065906Abstract: 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: August 27, 2014Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: ViaSat Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, Daniel M. Newman
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Patent number: 9036537Abstract: Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described for the transmission and reception of broadband signals between a gateway and subscriber terminals via satellite. In one set of embodiments, a wireless signal is generated and transmitted including a series of frames including a physical layer header and payload. A sub-channel identifier may be included in the physical layer header to identify the sub-channel for the payload, and allow for various novel filtering techniques at the subscriber terminal. The frames may be generated to be of substantially equal duration. Novel subscriber terminal configurations are described to leverage this formatting.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2012Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Dankberg, William H. Thesling
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Publication number: 20150127715Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing dictionary services that can be decoupled from transmission services. For example, a subscriber can request content via a network of a transmission services provider, which offers dictionary services via a third-party dictionary services provider. In response to receiving the content request from the subscriber, the transmission services provider can issue a dictionary request to the dictionary services provider, which maintains subscriber dictionary models that indicate which data blocks are presently stored in each subscriber's local storage. As data blocks are received from a content source in response to the content request, a dictionary model corresponding to the requesting subscriber can be accessed and used to determine which of the data blocks are presently stored in the subscriber's local storage.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2013Publication date: May 7, 2015Applicant: ViaSat Inc.Inventor: Mark D. Dankberg
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Patent number: 9009338Abstract: 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: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Viasat, Inc.Inventor: Mark D. Dankberg