Patent ID: 8107368
Filing Date: 2012-01-31
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for scheduling upstream information arriving through a user terminal to a gateway in a satellite communication link, the method comprising: concatenating data packets arriving at a first queue at the user terminal to form a concatenated frame larger than a conventional frame for transmission; logging the number of data packets dumped from the first queue to the second queue in a virtual queue; issuing from the user terminal a piggyback request replacing a conventional DAMA contention request, to request bandwidth allocation for use by the concatenated frame during a subsequent communication cycle via the satellite link; thereafter dumping data packets from the first queue to a second queue wherein the second queue distinguishes between concatenated frames and unconcatenated frames; and thereafter clearing entries in the virtual queue as transmissions of concatenated frames and of unconcatenated frames are completed in order to free queue space in the first queue.