Patent ID: 6411606
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: H04H,H04J,H04L,H04M,H04N

Abstract:
In an asymmetric communication system including a server, a plurality of clients, a shared first channel for sending packets from the server to the plurality of clients, a plurality of second channels for sending packets from the clients to the server, a method of operating one of the clients, the method comprising the steps of:sending operability indication messages on one of the second channels; receiving a first plurality of packets sent from the server, by receiving the first plurality of packets from the first shared channel at a first speed, each of the first plurality of packets including an internetwork header with an internetwork address associated with the one of the clients; sending a second plurality of packets to the server, by sending the second plurality of packets over the one of the second channels at a speed lower than the first speed, each of the second plurality of packets including another internetwork header with the internetwork address associated with the one of the clients; receiving a second message; and sending operability indication messages on another one of the second channels, the other one of the second channels being determined by the message received in the step of receiving the second message.