The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 2004
Filed:
May. 02, 2001
David S. Parkman, Mercer Island, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A communications system and method for transmitting data to a mobile platform is provided. The communications system comprises a forward link assignment manager in communication with a route server and a router, wherein the router selects from paths of forward link equipment chains to transmit data to the mobile platform. Generally, the forward link assignment manager assigns a cost to the path of each chain such that the more available the chain, the lower its cost, and the router always selects the lowest cost path. If a chain of forward link equipment fails, the forward link assignment manager increases its cost above that of a spare chain, which results in the router selecting the spare chain. Further systems are provided that inform the forward link assignment manager of a failed chain of forward link equipment, in addition to systems that remove a failed chain from the network topology.