Abstract: An external first communication device is operated to transmit data to a second communication device over multiple communication links, each of the communication links associated with a respective communication medium by: receiving an input data stream from an existing network headend for transmission to the second communication device, the input data stream including packets; determining, at the first communication device, a throughput and latency of each of the communication links; based on the determined throughput and latency of each of the communication links: dividing the packets into multiple sets, each of the sets configured to be transmitted by the first communication device over a respective one of the communication links; formatting each of the sets of packets for a corresponding respective one of the communication links; and transmitting, from the first communication device to the second communication device, each of the sets of packets over the set's respective communication link.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure are directed to network layer channel bonding. In one implementation, a method comprises: operating a first communication device to transmit data to a second communication device over multiple communication links, each of the communication links associated with a respective communication medium; receiving, at the first communication device, an input data stream for transmission to the second communication device, the input data stream comprising packets; determining, at the first communication device, a throughput and latency of each of the communication links; based on the determined throughput and latency of each of the communication links: dividing the packets into multiple sets, each of the sets configured to be transmitted by the first communication device over a respective one of the communication links; and transmitting, from the first communication device to the second communication device, each of the sets of packets over the set's respective communication link.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure are directed to network layer channel bonding. In one implementation, a method comprises: operating a first communication device to transmit data to a second communication device over multiple communication links, each of the communication links associated with a respective communication medium; receiving, at the first communication device, an input data stream for transmission to the second communication device, the input data stream comprising packets; determining, at the first communication device, a throughput and latency of each of the communication links; based on the determined throughput and latency of each of the communication links: dividing the packets into multiple sets, each of the sets configured to be transmitted by the first communication device over a respective one of the communication links; and transmitting, from the first communication device to the second communication device, each of the sets of packets over the set's respective communication link.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently and opportunistically delivering DNS reference information to a plurality of DNS proxies. A DNS proxy receives first DNS reference information associated with at least a first target hostname, wherein the first DNS reference information is based, at least in part, on a first DNS query of a further DNS proxy, other than the one DNS proxy. Further, the DNS proxy stores the first DNS reference information at a respective storage device.

Abstract: An approach for providing flow control in a radio communication system is disclosed. A request from a non-satellite system specific side of a transport interface is made to a system specific side of the transport interface for a flow control allocation that specifies an amount of data to be stored in a queue of the system specific side of the transport interface. The system specific side supports a signaling function that is based on a transmission characteristic of the radio communication system. The flow control allocation is generated based upon availability of the queue, wherein the destination address is a link layer address of the satellite communication system. This arrangement has particular applicability to a satellite network (e.g., Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network) that provides data communication services.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for enhancing the performance of a network. The performance enhancing functions described are applicable to a wide variety of communication links, including both slow and fast links, high latency links, and links with low and high error rates. The performance enhancing functions, which may be implemented either singly or in combination, include selective spoofing which allows flexible configuration of which connections should be spoofed, spoofing of the conventional TCP three-way handshake, local data acknowledgement, which allows data windows to increase at local speeds, multiplexing multiple connections across a single connection, data compression/encryption, prioritization, and path selection. The performance enhancing features described are particularly useful for links with high latency and/or high bit error rates.

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 approach for routing over a radio network is provided. A terminal receives a packet over the radio network, which supports meshed connectivity, wherein the packet is destined for a destination host. The terminal determines whether the destination host is reachable by a communication interface based upon a route table, and selectively redirects the packet over the radio network according to the route table. A route server is provided to collect routes from the terminal as well as other terminals within the radio network. The route server then disseminates the collect routes to the terminals for updating of their respective route tables. The present invention has particular applicability to a fully meshed satellite network.

Abstract: An approach for providing flow control in a radio communication system is disclosed. A request from a non-satellite system specific side of a transport interface is made to a system specific side of the transport interface for a flow control allocation that specifies an amount of data to be stored in a queue of the system specific side of the transport interface. The system specific side supports a signaling function that is based on a transmission characteristic of the radio communication system. The flow control allocation is generated based upon availability of the queue, wherein the destination address is a link layer address of the satellite communication system. This arrangement has particular applicability to a satellite network (e.g., Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network) that provides data communication services.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing the performance of a network by performing selective spoofing, i.e., determining whether or not to spoof a connection. Selective spoofing provides the ability to discriminate among different connections, only allocating TCP spoofing resources to those where spoofing will improve performance and assigning spoofing parameters based on the specific applications using the connections. The selective spoofing is applicable to a wide variety of communication links, including both slow and fast links, high latency links, and links with low and high error rates. The selective spoofing functions are used either alone or together with other performance enhancing features. Those features include spoofing the conventional TCP three-way handshake, local data acknowledgement, multiplexing multiple connections across a single connection, data compression/encryption, prioritization, and path selection.

Abstract: A communication system having a proxy architecture is disclosed. The system includes a platform that provides performance enhancing functions. The platform includes a path selection/activation apparatus that routes information within a communication system. The path selection/activation apparatus receives path selection and path activation parameters from the platform and maintains the current parameters in one or more path selection/activation profiles. The path selection/activation apparatus routes packets of information throughout the communication system based on the path selection and/or path activation profile. The above arrangement has particular applicability to a bandwidth constrained communication system, such as a satellite network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing the performance of a network by performing selective spoofing. Selective spoofing provides the ability to discriminate among different connections and only allocate spoofing resources to those connections for which spoofing will actually improve performance. The selective spoofing functions described are applicable to a wide variety of communication links, including both slow and fast links, high latency links, and links with low and high error rates. The selective spoofing functions may be implemented either alone or in combination with other performance enhancing features, such as, spoofing the conventional TCP three-way handshake, local data acknowledgement, multiplexing multiple connections across a single connection, data compression/encryption, prioritization, and path selection. The selective spoofing features described are particularly useful for links with high latency and/or high bit error rates.

Abstract: An approach for supporting inter-domain routing of a packet is provided. A communication system includes a plurality of terminals having full meshed connectivity, in which each of the terminals is configured to route the packet to one of a plurality of address domains (i.e., terminal is multi-homed) and to notify a source terminal originating the packet of a correct one of the terminals. An address server assigns a network address corresponding to the one address domain based on a destination address associated with the packet, wherein the source terminal routes the packet according to the assigned network address. The present invention has particular applicability to a fully meshed satellite network.

Abstract: An approach for routing over a radio network is provided. A terminal receives a packet over the radio network, which supports meshed connectivity, wherein the packet is destined for a destination host. The terminal determines whether the destination host is reachable by a communication interface based upon a route table, and selectively redirects the packet over the radio network according to the route table. A route server is provided to collect routes from the terminal as well as other terminals within the radio network. The route server then disseminates the collect routes to the terminals for updating of their respective route tables. The present invention has particular applicability to a fully meshed satellite network.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for encoding data transmitted over a communications channel, including pre-loading an encoder dictionary with a set of character strings expected to appear in input data to be encoded; and encoding the input data with the set of expected character strings pre-loaded in the encoder dictionary. In another aspect, there is provided a method, apparatus and computer program product for decoding encoded data received over a communications channel, including pre-loading a decoder dictionary with a set of character strings expected to appear in the encoded data; and decoding the encoded data with the set of expected character strings pre-loaded in the decoder dictionary.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for encoding data transmitted over a communications channel, including pre-loading an encoder dictionary with a set of character strings expected to appear in input data to be encoded; and encoding the input data with the set of expected character strings pre-loaded in the encoder dictionary. In another aspect, there is provided a method, apparatus and computer program product for decoding encoded data received over a communications channel, including pre-loading a decoder dictionary with a set of character strings expected to appear in the encoded data; and decoding the encoded data with the set of expected character strings pre-loaded in the decoder dictionary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing the performance of a network by performing selective spoofing. Selective spoofing provides the ability to discriminate among different connections, only allocating TCP spoofing resources to those connections for which spoofing will actually improve performance and assigning spoofing parameters based on the specific applications using the connections. The selective spoofing functions described are applicable to a wide variety of communication links, including both slow and fast links, high latency links, and links with low and high error rates. The selective spoofing functions may be implemented either alone or in combination with other performance enhancing features, such as, spoofing the conventional TCP three-way handshake, local data acknowledgement, multiplexing multiple connections across a single connection, data compression/encryption, prioritization, and path selection.

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: A communication gateway for providing redundant communication in a communication system having a remote platform is disclosed. The gateway includes a communication interface that receives a message from a host over a connection according to a prescribed protocol. Additionally, the gateway includes a processor that is coupled to the communication interface and is configured to identify the message received as an unspoofed message, and configured to terminate, during a predetermined period, the connection based upon the identified message. The processor is configured to restart a spoofed connection with another host. The above arrangement has particular applicability to a bandwidth constrained communication system, such as 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 path selection/activation apparatus that routes information within a communication system. The path selection/activation apparatus receives path selection and path activation parameters from the platform and maintains the current parameters in one or more path selection/activation profiles. The path selection/activation apparatus routes packets of information throughout the communication system based on the path selection and/or path activation profile. The above arrangement has particular applicability to a bandwidth constrained communication system, such as a satellite network.