Patent ID: 7852855

Claim:
A method for controlling multi-user TCP/IP access comprising the steps of: receiving at least one request from at least one requestor for TCP/IP data transmission over a satellite communication channel, the requestor having a predetermined priority, wherein the satellite communication channel uses a TDMA controller and is a half-duplex, low-bandwidth, ultra-high frequency communication channel having a bandwidth ranging from about 9600 baud to about 38 kbps and a latency ranging from about 150 ms to about 180 ms; determining that the request for TCP/IP data transmission has not collided with a separate request for TCP/IP data transmission and accepting the request for TCP/IP data transmission; determining a number of users on the satellite communication channel; granting the requestor access to the satellite communication channel based on the requestor's predetermined priority and the number of users on the satellite communication channel; and assigning a data slot to the requestor, the data slot having a data slot size based upon the requestor's predetermined priority, the number of users on the satellite communication channel, and a bandwidth requirement of data to be transmitted.