Dynamically reconfiguring satellite pools of bandwidth based on real-time and predetermined factors

摘要

A process for managing satellite bandwidth available to a moving vessel includes configuring a satellite to associate the vessel with a group of multiple vessels; configuring the satellite to guarantee a committed information rate (CIR) bandwidth to the vessel and to associate a maximum information rate (MIR) with the vessel, and to combine the CIR of the vessel into a CIR bandwidth pool for the group of vessels, and to combine the MIR of the vessel into a MIR bandwidth pool for the group of vessels, and to provide the vessel with a priority burst rate up to the combined CIR bandwidth of the group of vessels, and to provide the vessel with a burst rate up to the combined MIR bandwidth of the group of vessels, conditional on availability of bandwidth beyond the combined CIR bandwidth of the group of vessels; and re-configuring the satellite to release the guarantee of CIR bandwidth for the vessel upon the vessel gaining access to a terrestrial network connection of higher speed than the satellite connection.