Claims
- 1. A method of establishing a multicast connection with a plurality of receiving stations, said method comprising:
receiving a unicast connection from a sending station; mapping said unicast connection to a multicast connection on a multicast group IP address; and initiating said multicast connection to a plurality of receiving stations.
- 2. The method as in claim 1 wherein said sending station comprises a computer.
- 3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising establishing a plurality of second unicast connections with a plurality of end stations.
- 4. The method as in claim 3 wherein said unicast connection comprises a first protocol, said multicast connection comprises a second protocol, and said second unicast connection comprises said first protocol.
- 5. The method as in claim 1 wherein said unicast connection comprises a first protocol and said multicast connection comprises a second protocol.
- 6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising establishing a plurality of second unicast connections, each of said second unicast connections between a different one of said plurality of receiving stations and one of a plurality of end stations.
- 7. The method as in claim 1 wherein said multicast connection comprises a connection via a satellite link.
- 8. The method as in claim 1 wherein said multicast connection comprises a unidirectional data transfer.
- 9. The method as in claim 1 wherein said unicast connection comprises a TCP connection.
- 10. The method as in claim 1 wherein said multicast connection comprises a modified XTP connection.
- 11. A method of establishing a multicast FTP connection, said method comprising:
receiving a unicast TCP connection from a sender application with a gateway hub; forming a multicast connection from said gateway hub to a plurality of remote gateways; receiving a list of receivers from said remote gateways; forming a data connection with said sender application; and sending a data package received from said data connection to said plurality of remote gateways via said multicast connection.
- 12. The method as in claim 11 further comprising forming a control connection between said plurality of remote gateways and a plurality of end stations, and transmitting said data package from said plurality of remote gateways to said plurality of end stations.
- 13. The method as in claim 11 further comprising receiving a plurality of status reports from said remote gateways and transmitting said status reports to said sender application.
- 14. The method as in claim 13 wherein said status reports identify one or more end stations that received said data package.
- 15. The method as in claim 11 wherein said data package comprises a file.
- 16. A communication apparatus comprising:
a TCP interface; a remote gateway interface; a system memory; and a bus interconnecting said TCP interface, said remote gateway interface and said system memory with a processor, said processor operatively disposed to:
receive a unicast connection from a sending station; map said unicast connection to a multicast connection on a multicast group IP address; and initiate said multicast connection to a plurality of receiving stations.
- 17. An apparatus for establishing a communication between a sending station and a plurality of receiving stations, said apparatus comprising:
a network interface for receiving a unicast communication from said sending station; a processor for mapping said unicast connection to a multicast connection; and a satellite gateway interface for initiating said multicast connection to a plurality of receiving stations.
- 18. A method of establishing a multicast connection with a plurality of end stations, said method comprising:
listening for a multicast connection request; accepting said multicast connection request with a remote gateway; sending a unicast connection request to one of said plurality of end stations; reading from said multicast connection and writing to said unicast connection if said one of said plurality of end stations accepts said unicast connection request; ending said unicast connection; and writing a status report to said multicast connection.
- 19. The method as in claim 18 wherein said status report comprises an end station identification.
- 20. The method as in claim 18 wherein said accepting comprises accepting said multicast connection request with a plurality of remote gateways.
- 21. The method as in claim 20 wherein said sending comprises each of said plurality of remote gateways sending said unicast connection request to a different end station of said plurality of end stations.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The subject application is related to International Application Serial Number PCT/US00/02891, filed Feb. 2, 2000, in the name of Jerome D. Toporek et al., titled, “Internet Over Satellite,” (Attorney Docket Number 16625-001110PC) the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The above noted and incorporated International Application claims priority from the following six commonly-owned co-pending applications, which also are incorporated herein by reference:
[0003] 1. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/118,227, filed Feb. 2, 1999 in the name of Jerome D. Toporek et al., titled, “Internet Over Satellite Apparatus,” (Attorney Docket Number 16625-001100);
[0004] 2. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/243,185, filed Feb. 2, 1999, in the name of Jerome D. Toporek et al., titled, “Internet Over Satellite System,” (Attorney Docket Number 16625-001200);
[0005] 3. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/243,554, filed Feb. 2, 1999, in the name of Jerome D. Toporek et al., titled, “Internet Over Satellite Method,” (Attorney Docket Number 16625-001300);
[0006] 4. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/306,678, filed May 6, 1999, in the name of Jerome D. Toporek et al., titled, “Method and System for Managing Memory in an Internet Over Satellite Connection,” (Attorney Docket Number 16625-001210);
[0007] 5. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/306,236, filed May 6, 1999, in the name of Jerome D. Toporek et al., titled, “Method and System for Controlling Data Flow in an Internet Over Satellite Connection,” (Attorney Docket Number 16625-001220); and
[0008] 6. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/493,338, filed Jan. 28, 2000, in the name of Jerome D. Toporek et al., titled, “Internet Over Satellite Apparatus,” (Attorney Docket Number 16625-001110), and which also claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/118,227.