U.S. patent application number 16/867636 was filed with the patent office on 2021-07-01 for reconfigurable and prioritizable wireless radio system for providing massive bandwidth to the sky using a limited number of frequencies and limited hardware.
The applicant listed for this patent is Holloway H. Frost. Invention is credited to Holloway H. Frost.
Application Number | 20210203407 16/867636 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005650150 |
Filed Date | 2021-07-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210203407 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Frost; Holloway H. |
July 1, 2021 |
Reconfigurable and Prioritizable Wireless Radio System for
Providing Massive Bandwidth to the Sky Using a Limited Number of
Frequencies and Limited Hardware
Abstract
An air-to-ground communication system including: a plurality of
ground stations, where each ground station includes a plurality of
ground-based directional antennae having a beam width associated
with a particular area of the sky above the ground station and for
each ground-based directional antenna, a least one software defined
radio coupled to the directional antenna to enable the ground-based
directional antenna to transmit radio frequency signals generated
by the software defined radio and to provide to the software
defined radio frequency signals received by the ground-based
directional antenna and a plurality of air stations, each including
a number of air-based directional antennae and an air station
control unit, each air-based directional antenna having a beam
width associated with a particular area of the sky below the air
station; for each air-based directional antenna, a least one
software defined radio coupled to the air-based directional antenna
in such a manner as enable the air-based directional antenna to
transmit radio frequency signals generated by the software defined
radio and to provide to the software defined radio frequency
signals received by the air-based directional antenna; wherein the
control unit of each air station is configured to enable
bi-directional communications between each air-based directional
antenna a ground-based directional antenna, at any given time, the
ground-based directional antennas in communication with the
air-based directional antenna are all from different ground
stations.
Inventors: |
Frost; Holloway H.;
(Houston, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Frost; Holloway H. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005650150 |
Appl. No.: |
16/867636 |
Filed: |
May 6, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
16731780 |
Dec 31, 2019 |
10700768 |
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16867636 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04B 7/18506 20130101;
H04B 7/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04B 7/185 20060101
H04B007/185; H04B 7/04 20060101 H04B007/04 |
Claims
1. An air-to-ground communication system comprising: a plurality of
ground stations, each including a plurality of ground-based
directional antennae, each ground-based directional antenna having
a beam width associated with a particular area of the sky above the
ground station; for each ground-based directional antenna, a least
one software defined radio coupled to the directional antenna in
such a manner as to enable the ground-based directional antenna to
transmit radio frequency signals generated by the software defined
radio and to provide to the software defined radio frequency
signals received by the ground-based directional antenna; a
plurality of air stations, each including a plurality of air-based
directional antennae and an air station control unit, each
air-based directional antenna having a beam width associated with a
particular area below the air station; for each air-based
directional antenna, a least one software defined radio coupled to
the air-based directional antenna in such a manner as to enable the
air-based directional antenna to transmit radio frequency signals
generated by the software defined radio and to provide to the
software defined radio frequency signals received by the air-based
directional antenna; wherein the radio frequency signals are
comprised of types of data, and where the air station control unit
is configured to determine at least one type of data communicated;
wherein the control unit of each air station is configured to
enable bi-directional communications between each air-based
directional antenna and a ground-based directional antenna, at any
given time, the ground-based directional antennas in communication
with the air-based directional antenna are all from different
ground stations; wherein the air station is configured in a first
state to allow signals to be transmitted to a first ground station,
a second ground station, and a third ground station, and receives
signals from the first ground station, the second ground station
and the third ground station; and wherein the air station is
configured in a second state to allow signals to be transmitted to
the first ground station and the second ground station but not the
third ground station, and to receive signals from the first ground
station, the second ground station, and the third ground station;
and wherein the change from the first state to the second state is
determined by the at least one type of data sent and received.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein each air station is located within
an airplane and where each air station further includes a wireless
communication device for establishing a wireless network within at
least the cabin of the airplane permitting devices coupled to the
network to communicate, through the air station, with one or more
ground stations.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication device
is a Wi-Fi router.
4. The system of claim 2 further including a radio frequency
amplifier coupled between each software defined radio and each
directional antenna in the air station, wherein the level of
amplification is controlled by the air station control unit and
wherein the level of amplification is controlled to limit the power
of the signals transmitted by the directional amplifiers in such a
manner that interference with other communicating devices is
limited.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein the software defined radios in
both the ground stations and the air stations are configured to
generate radio frequency signals within the range of 700 MHz. to
2.5 GHz.
6. The system of claim 2 wherein the signals transmitted and
received by the software defined radios in both the ground stations
and the air stations are encrypted and compressed.
7. The system of claim 2 wherein the air station is configured in
such a manner that the power of the signals transmitted by the
directional antenna within the air station are on the order of 1-5
Watts.
8. The system of claim 2 wherein each of the directional antenna
within the air station is configured to preferentially transmit and
receive radio frequency signals in a space defined by a cone having
an approximately 60-degree span.
9. An air-to-ground communication system comprising: a plurality of
ground stations, each including a plurality of ground-based
directional antennae, each ground-based directional antenna having
a beam width associated with a particular area of the sky above the
ground station; for each ground-based directional antenna, a least
one software defined radio coupled to the directional antenna in
such a manner as to enable the ground-based directional antenna to
transmit radio frequency signals generated by the software defined
radio and to provide to the software defined radio frequency
signals received by the ground-based directional antenna; a
plurality of air stations, each including a plurality of air-based
directional antennae and an air station control unit, each
air-based directional antenna having a beam width associated with a
particular area below the air station; for each air-based
directional antenna, a least one software defined radio coupled to
the air-based directional antenna in such a manner as to enable the
air-based directional antenna to transmit radio frequency signals
generated by the software defined radio and to provide to the
software defined radio frequency signals received by the air-based
directional antenna; wherein the control unit of each air station
is configured to enable bi-directional communications between each
air-based directional antenna and a ground-based directional
antenna, at any given time, the ground-based directional antennas
in communication with the air-based directional antenna are all
from different ground stations; wherein the radio frequency signals
are comprised of types of data, and where the air station control
unit is configured to determine at least one type of data
communicated; wherein each air station is located within an
airplane and where each air station further includes a wireless
communication device for establishing a wireless network within at
least the cabin of the airplane permitting devices coupled to the
network to communicate the types of data, through the air station,
with one or more ground stations; wherein the air station is
configured to allow all of the devices coupled to the wireless
network to send more than one type of data through the air station
to a first and a second ground station; and wherein the ground
stations are configured to allow a first portion of the devices
coupled to the wireless network consisting of less than all of the
devices to receive only one type of data from only a third ground
station.
10. The system of claim 9 further including a radio frequency
amplifier coupled between each software defined radio and each
directional antenna in the air station, wherein the level of
amplification is controlled by the air station control unit and
wherein the level of amplification is controlled to limit the power
of the signals transmitted by the directional amplifiers in such a
manner that interference with other communicating devices is
limited.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein the software defined radios in
both the ground stations and the air stations are configured to
generate radio frequency signals within the range of 700 MHz. to
2.5 GHz.
12. The system of claim 9 wherein the signals transmitted and
received by the software defined radios in both the ground stations
and the air stations are encrypted and compressed.
13. The system of claim 9 wherein the air station is configured in
such a manner that the power of the signals transmitted by the
directional antenna within the air station are on the order of 1-5
Watts.
14. The system of claim 9 wherein each of the directional antenna
within the air station is configured to preferentially transmit and
receive radio frequency signals in a space defined by a cone having
an approximately 60-degree span.
15. A method of reconfiguring an air-to-ground communication system
comprising: a plurality of ground stations, each including a
plurality of ground-based directional antennae, each ground-based
directional antenna having a beam width associated with a
particular area of the sky above the ground station; for each
ground-based directional antenna, a least one software defined
radio coupled to the directional antenna in such a manner as to
enable the ground-based directional antenna to transmit radio
frequency signals generated by the software defined radio and to
provide to the software defined radio frequency signals received by
the ground-based directional antenna; a plurality of air stations,
each including a plurality of air-based directional antennae and an
air station control unit, each air-based directional antenna having
a beam width associated with a particular area below the air
station; for each air-based directional antenna, a least one
software defined radio coupled to the air-based directional antenna
in such a manner as to enable the air-based directional antenna to
transmit radio frequency signals generated by the software defined
radio and to provide to the software defined radio frequency
signals received by the air-based directional antenna; wherein the
control unit of each air station is configured to enable
bi-directional communications between each air-based directional
antenna and a ground-based directional antenna, at any given time,
the ground-based directional antennas in communication with the
air-based directional antenna are all from different ground
stations; wherein the radio frequency signals are comprised of
types of data, and where the air station control unit is configured
to determine at least one type of data communicated; wherein the
air station initially allows the transmission of signals to a first
ground station, a second ground station, and a third ground
station, and the reception of signals from the first ground
station, the second ground station and the third ground station;
and wherein the air station determining that a portion of the
signals received from the ground stations consists of one type of
data reconfigures the air-to-ground communication system to allow
the transmission of signals to the first ground station and the
second ground station but not the third ground station, and the
reception of signals from the first ground station, the second
ground station, and the third ground station; and wherein the
portion of signals that consist of one type of data are transmitted
from the third ground station but not from the first or second
ground stations.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the wireless communication
device is a Wi-Fi router.
17. The system of claim 15 further including a radio frequency
amplifier coupled between each software defined radio and each
directional antenna in the air station, wherein the level of
amplification is controlled by the air station control unit and
wherein the level of amplification is controlled to limit the power
of the signals transmitted by the directional amplifiers in such a
manner that interference with other communicating devices is
limited.
18. The system of claim 15 wherein the software defined radios in
both the ground stations and the air stations are configured to
generate radio frequency signals within the range of 700 MHz. to
2.5 GHz.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein the signals transmitted and
received by the software defined radios in both the ground stations
and the air stations are encrypted and compressed.
20. The system of claim 15 wherein the air station is configured in
such a manner that the power of the signals transmitted by the
directional antenna within the air station are on the order of 1-5
Watts.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/731,780 filed on 2019 Dec. 31. The contents
of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO APPENDIX
[0003] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0004] The inventions disclosed and taught herein relate generally
to a reconfigurable system for providing massive bandwidth to
airplanes and other objects traveling through the sky.
Description of the Related Art
[0005] Attempts have been made to provide high bandwidth
communications for the transmission of data and internet signals to
objects traveling through the sky, such as airplanes. To date, such
systems have often required large and costly ground and air systems
and have required the utilization of relatively complicated,
expensive and burdensome systems. Additionally, such systems are
typically unable to meet the bandwidth demands of devices within
airplanes. This may be exacerbated when there are large numbers of
devices on an airplane where each is trying to access the Internet
and some, if not all, are attempting to transfer large amounts of
data over relatively short periods of time. In short, the current
access to the Internet via airplanes over geographic areas, such as
the United States, is quite slow and unsatisfactory to most
users.
[0006] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,553,657, entitled "Multiple
Antenna System and Method for Mobile Platforms" discloses a method
and system to facilitate communication between a constellation of
satellites and a mobile platform-mounted mobile communicator
including the use of a first antenna suited for operation using a
first frequency band in a first geographic region and a second
antenna suited for operation using either the first or a second
frequency band in a second geographic region where a controller
determines which antenna to activate based on one or more of a
geographic indicator or a signal indicator.
[0007] As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,848,605, entitled
"System and Method for Providing In-Flight Broadband Mobile
Communication Services" discloses a ground-based wireless cellular
communication system providing in-flight broadband mobile
communication services that includes at least one ground-based base
station adapted for generating at least one cell defining a solid
angle of space surrounding the base station that includes an
antenna array using two-dimensional-beamforming for generating at
least one beam for serving at least one airplane in the space
covered by the at least one cell using spatial-division multiple
access (SDMA). The referenced patent also discloses airplane
equipment for providing in-flight broadband mobile communication
services including an antenna for exchange of user data with the
ground-based wireless cellular communication system, a transceiver
unit connected to the antenna for handling the air-to-ground and
ground-to-air communication with the ground-based wireless cellular
communication system, and an inside-airplane communication system
for distributing the user data to and from terminals within the
airplane.
[0008] The use of such complicated systems and procedures poses
several challenges.
[0009] The present inventions are directed to providing an enhanced
system for providing high bandwidth communications, such as
Internet communications, that avoids and/or overcomes shortcomings
of the systems and methods discussed in the materials referenced
above (and other existing systems and methods). In one exemplary
embodiment, these problems are solved or mitigated through the use
of multiple high-speed ground stations that can provide high
bandwidth communications to airplanes flying over a geographic
region, such as the United States.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0010] A brief non-limiting summary of one of the many possible
embodiments of the present disclosure is:
[0011] A system for providing high bandwidth communications to an
airplane is provided that comprises a plurality of ground stations
positioned across a geographic region over which high-bandwidth
communications are to be provided, where each ground station
includes: a ground station control unit, the ground station control
unit including at least one communication port coupled to the
Internet; a plurality of ground station radio antenna assemblies,
each ground station radio assembly including: a software defined
radio, the software defined radio including at least a first
communication port enabling communication between the ground
station control unit and the software defined radio; a second
communication port coupled to the Internet; and an output port; a
radio frequency amplifier having a transmit input coupled to
receive the output of the software defined radio and a transmission
output; and a directional antenna coupled to receive the output of
the radio frequency amplifier and transmit the received signal into
a defined space above the ground station, each directional
amplifier further adapted to receive radio frequency signals
received from within the defined space; wherein, the ground station
control unit is adapted to configure each software defined radio
within the ground station control unit to provide radio frequency
signals at a selected frequency and at a selected bandwidth;
wherein each of the software defined radios is configured to
receive signals from the Internet through its Internet connection
and process such signals to generate radio frequency signals
corresponding to the received Internet signals at the selected
frequency and the selected bandwidth; and wherein each of the
software defined radios is configured to further receive antenna
signals from the antenna at the selected frequency and the selected
bandwidth and process such signals to generate communication
signals provided to the Internet; and a plurality of air stations,
each air station comprising: an air station control unit; a
plurality of air station radio antenna assemblies, each air station
radio assembly including: a software defined radio, the software
defined radio including at least a first communication port
enabling communication between the air station control unit and the
software defined radio, an input port and an output port; a
directional antenna coupled to receive the output of the software
defined radio and transmit the received signal into a defined space
below the air station, the directional antenna further being
coupled to the input of the software defined radio to provide
signals received at the antenna to the software defined radio;
wherein, the air station control unit is adapted to configure each
software defined radio within the air station control unit to
provide radio frequency signals at a selected frequency and at a
selected bandwidth, wherein the selected frequency and bandwidth
used by the air station corresponds to the selected frequency and
bandwidth used by at least one ground station; and wherein the
number of ground station radio antenna assemblies within each
ground station is greater than the number of air station radio
antenna assemblies within each air station.
[0012] Additionally, or alternatively the system of the present
disclosure may take the form of an air-to-ground communication
system comprising: a plurality of ground stations, each including a
plurality of ground-based directional antennae, each ground-based
directional antenna having a beam width associated with a
particular area of the sky above the ground station; for each
ground-based directional antenna, a least one software defined
radio coupled to the directional antenna in such a manner as enable
the ground-based directional antenna to transmit radio frequency
signals generated by the software defined radio and to provide to
the software defined radio frequency signals received by the
ground-based directional antenna; a plurality of air stations, each
including a plurality of air-based directional antennae and an air
station control unit, each air-based directional antenna having a
beam width associated with a particular area of the sky below the
air station; for each air-based directional antenna, a least one
software defined radio coupled to the air-based directional antenna
in such a manner as enable the air-based directional antenna to
transmit radio frequency signals generated by the software defined
radio and to provide to the software defined radio frequency
signals received by the air-based directional antenna; wherein the
control unit of each air station is configured to enable
bi-directional communications between each air-based directional
antenna a ground-based directional antenna, at any given time, the
ground-based directional antennas in communication with the
air-based directional antenna are all from different ground
stations.
[0013] Other potential aspects, variants and examples of the
disclosed technology will be apparent from a review of the
disclosure contained herein.
[0014] None of these brief summaries of the inventions is intended
to limit or otherwise affect the scope of the appended claims, and
nothing stated in this Brief Summary of the Disclosure is intended
as a definition of a claim term or phrase or as a disavowal or
disclaimer of claim scope.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The following figures form part of the present specification
and are included to demonstrate further certain aspects of the
present invention. The invention may be better understood by
reference to one or more of these figures in combination with the
detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.
[0016] While the inventions disclosed herein are susceptible to
various modifications and alternative forms, only a few specific
embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and
are described in detail below. The figures and detailed
descriptions of these specific embodiments are not intended to
limit the breadth or scope of the inventive concepts or the
appended claims in any manner. Rather, the figures and detailed
written descriptions are provided to illustrate the inventive
concepts to a person of ordinary skill in the art and to enable
such person to make and use the inventive concepts.
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system 1000 for providing a
high bandwidth communication connection, such as an Internet
connection to objects traveling through the sky, such private or
commercial airplanes.
[0018] FIGS. 2A-2C illustrates various aspects of approaches and
examples that may be used to implement the exemplary Ground
Stations of FIG. 1.
[0019] FIGS. 3A-3B depict exemplary approaches for distributing
Ground Stations across a geographic region over which high
bandwidth communications with objects traveling through the sky are
desired.
[0020] FIGS. 4A-4I illustrates exemplary arrangements for the
directional antennas of exemplary given Ground Stations, with the
directional antennas being designed and oriented to
received/transmit radio signals from/to a preferred region of the
sky.
[0021] FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C illustrate different exemplary forms that
the Air Radio/Antenna Assemblies in each Air Station may take.
[0022] FIG. 6 generally illustrates one exemplary manner in which
multiple ARAAs may be combined to form an Air Station.
[0023] FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D illustrate the manner in which the
directional antennas within a given Air Station containing either
three (3) or six (6) ARAAs may be oriented and arranged to provide
radio-communication coverage for substantially all of the space
below a plane on which the Air Station is located.
[0024] FIGS. 8A and 8B, which illustrate the manner in which the
directional antenna for an Air Station including six (6) GRAAs can
be physically positioned and oriented on a plane
[0025] FIGS. 9A and 9B depict exemplary approaches for distributing
Ground Stations across a geographic region over which high
bandwidth communications with objects traveling through the sky are
desired.
[0026] FIGS. 10A-10B generally illustrate the manner in which the
described system may be controlled to enable high bandwidth
communications to an exemplary plane 10000.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] SYSTEM OVERVIEW: FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system 1000
for providing a high bandwidth communication connection, such as an
Internet connection, to devices within an airplane traveling
through the sky, such as smart phones, tablets, and laptop
computers within the cabin of a private or commercial airplane.
Note that the images in FIG. 1 are for representational purposes
only and are not to scale.
[0028] As described in more detail herein, the system of air
stations, with each air station--in one example--being associated
with a given air-based object such as an airplane. Each air station
is able to communicate with one or more ground stations through the
use of directional antennas and programmable radios. In certain
examples, each air station is also able to provide a local wireless
network within the plane in which it is positioned to support
wireless communications, such as Internet communications, with
devices within the plane.
[0029] In many of the examples described herein, each air station
is made up of a number of radio-antenna assembles such that a given
air station can communicate with a plurality of different ground
stations any given time. In such examples, the bandwidth available
to each air station can be significant since the total bandwidth
available to the air station will be the collective bandwidth
provided by the various ground stations with which it is
communicating along with any overhead that the used protocols
require.
[0030] In some of the examples discussed herein, each ground
station will include a number of different radio-antenna
assemblies, such that each ground station can communicate with a
number of air stations at any given time.
[0031] Having a large number of ground stations alone can provide
effective bandwidth between a single airplane and the Internet.
However, this will not be effective if there is more than a single
airplane associated with each ground station. To provide larger
amounts of bandwidth to each airplane, ground stations may be
configured with multiple antennas where each antenna may be
separately configured to one or more transmission frequencies. This
may then allow each ground station to provide Internet access to
multiple aircraft. Similarly, aircraft may be provided with
multiple antennas where each antenna may be separately configured
to one or more transmission frequencies so that each aircraft may
then simultaneously connect to multiple ground stations. Combining
these enhanced capabilities of ground stations and air stations may
provide significant bandwidth to devices on many aircraft at the
same time.
[0032] Additionally, since many of the examples described herein
utilize software defined radios, the characteristics of the
communications between each air station and each ground station it
is communicating with can be varied to avoid interference,
efficiently allocate bandwidth, and ensure optimum operation of the
system.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, the exemplary illustrated system
includes a plurality of Ground Stations 1100A-1100D that may be
used to support bi-directional high-bandwidth communications with
devices the plurality of airplanes 1200A-1200C.
[0034] GROUND STATIONS AND GROUND STATION RADIO-ANTENNA ASSEMBLIES
("GRAAs"):
[0035] As discussed above, in some of the systems described herein,
multiple ground stations are provided that can be used to
communicate with the air stations in the systems. In general, each
ground station will be formed from multiple, individual,
antenna-radio assemblies. Each antenna-radio assembly can be used
to enable bi-directional communications with a given antenna-radio
assembly in an air station.
[0036] As discussed in more detail below, each of the Ground
Stations 1100 is a reconfigurable system that is capable of
supporting a large number of bi-directional communication links
with a number of airplanes located with a region of the sky above
the Ground Station. In the example, the structures used to
establish and maintain the communication links are reconfigurable,
such that operational parameters of each communication link can be
quickly and dynamically changed. Nonlimiting examples of parameters
that can be dynamically changed are the frequency used for
communications enabled by the link, the bandwidth of those
communications and the power level of the signals used to enable
the communication link. Each Ground Station can communicate with
many airplanes at once in the sky above the Ground Station and can
provide high bandwidth Internet communications to such planes to
the extent enabled by the Internet connection to the Ground
Station. Similarly, each aircraft may simultaneously communicate
with multiple Ground Stations.
[0037] While much of the discussion of communication signals in the
examples of this disclosure are in the context of providing
bandwidth to/from the Internet, it should be understood that the
system and approaches disclosed herein are not limited to the
provision of Internet communications and that the present
disclosure can be used to facilitate high bandwidth communications
of most any type including packet switching and circuit switching
technologies.
[0038] As discussed in more detail below, in certain examples, each
Ground Station includes a Ground Station Control Unit coupled a
plurality of Ground Station Radio/Antenna Assemblies ("GRAA"). Each
GRAA is capable of supporting at least one communication link and,
in certain embodiments where each GRAA is able to simultaneously
communicate signals having different frequencies, the number of
communication links that is equal the number of different frequency
signals that can be simultaneously communicated at any given
time.
[0039] In the example of FIG. 1, each GRAA includes at least one
software defined radio ("SDR"), a radio frequency ("RF") amplifier;
and a directional antenna with a beam width associated with a
particular area of the sky above the Ground Station 1100 that
includes the GRAA. In general, each GRAA is capable of transmitting
radio frequency signals into the particular area of the sky
associated with the directional antenna of that GRAA and is capable
of receiving radio frequency signals from that particular area of
the sky. The frequencies at which the signals are transmitted
and/or received and processed can be dynamically changed through
configuration of the SDR within the GRAA. In general, the
directional antennas of each of the GRAAs should cover a specific
region of the sky above the Ground Station in which the GRAA is
contained. In certain embodiments, the overlap between regions
covered by different GRAAs within a single Ground Station can be
non-existent or limited.
[0040] Because each Ground Station will include a number of GRAAs,
each Ground Station will include a multitude of antennas pointing
at the sky. In certain embodiments, no two of the antennas within a
given Ground Station will point to the same area of the sky. Thus,
the total bandwidth that will be available from the Ground Station
will equal the number of radio-antenna assemblies within the Ground
Station multiplied by the bandwidth that can be provided by each
radio-antenna assembly. The total bandwidth available from the
system will, in turn, by the total bandwidth available from each
Ground Station multiplied by the total number of Ground Stations
within the system. In another embodiment, it may be beneficial to
have two or more antennas pointing to the same section of sky,
where each antenna is using frequencies not used by any other
antenna.
[0041] The number of Ground Stations 1100 shown in FIG. 1 is
representative only. The number of Ground Stations in an
implemented system will vary and will likely vary based on the size
and scope of the geographical region to be serviced by the
disclosed system
[0042] AIR STATIONS AND AIR STATION RADIO-ANTENNA ASSEMBLIES
("ARAAs"): In the specific example of FIG. 1, each of the airplanes
1200 includes an Air Station. As discussed in more detail below,
each of the Air Stations is a reconfigurable system that is capable
of supporting a large number of bi-directional communication links,
where various operational parameters of each communication link can
be quickly and dynamically changed. In the embodiment of FIG. 1,
each airplane includes a plurality of Air Station Antenna Radio
Assemblies ("ARAAs").
[0043] Similar to the Ground Stations discussed above, each Air
Station includes a number of radio-antenna assemblies. Each of the
radio-antenna assemblies in each Air Station is capable of
establishing one (or more) communication links with a given Ground
Station. Thus, the total maximum bandwidth available to a given Air
Station will be the number of radio-antenna assemblies in the Air
Station multiplied by the number of communication links supported
by each radio-antenna assembly multiplied by the maximum bandwidth
available for each communication link.
[0044] Similar to the Ground Stations discussed above, each Air
Station includes a controller that may be used to control the
frequency/frequencies, bandwidth and other parameters of the
communication links supported by the Air Station. In the example of
FIG. 1, this is accomplished by ensuring that each ARAA includes at
least one software defined radio ("SDR"), a radio frequency ("RF")
amplifier; and a directional antenna with a beam width associated
with a particular area of the sky below the Air Station. In
general, each ARAA is capable of transmitting radio frequency
signals into the particular area of the sky associated with the
directional antenna of that ARAA and is capable of receiving radio
frequency signals from that particular area of the region below it.
The frequencies at which the signals are transmitted and/or
received and processed can be dynamically changed through
configuration of the SDR within the GRAA.
[0045] In general, the directional antennas of each of the ARAAs
should cover a specific region of the space below the Air Station
in which it is contained. In certain embodiments, the overlap
between regions covered by different ARAAs within a single Air
Station can be non-existent or limited.
[0046] Because each Air Station will include a number of ARAAs,
each Air Station will include a multitude of antennas pointing to a
region of space below the Air Station In certain embodiments, no
two of the antennas within a given Air Station will point to the
same region of space
[0047] In one exemplary embodiment, each Air Station on each
airplane within the system includes six ARAAs (and thus six
antennas and at least six SDRs) such that it can communicate
simultaneously with six ground stations. In this example, each
radio-antenna assembly win each Air Station would be capable of
communicating over 1/6 of the space below the airplane.
[0048] In the example of FIG. 1, when an airplane in a section of
the sky above a Ground Station, the Ground Station can communicate
with the airplane through the use of a GRAA within the Ground
Station. The airplane can, in turn, communicate with the Ground
Station through the use of an ARAA within the plane. By
coordinating the configuration and operation of the Ground Stations
and the Air Stations, the system 1000 is capable of establishing
one or more high-bandwidth communication links between each of the
Air Stations and one or more of the Ground Stations.
[0049] In the example of FIG. 1, the high bandwidth link (or links)
between each Air Station and one or more Ground Stations can then
be used to provide high-bandwidth connections to wireless devices
within the given plane. In particular, the bandwidth available to
each airplane will be the bandwidth available for each
communication link multiplied by the number of communication links
supported by the air station.
[0050] The bandwidth available to each airplane can be distributed
to multiple devices within the airplane. For example, the total
bandwidth available to the airplane can be allocated to devices
built-into the airplane and to devices used by passengers traveling
on the plane. In the example of FIG. 1, this functionality is
provided through the provision, within each Air Station, of a
wireless distribution device, such as a Wi-Fi router (not
illustrated in FIG. 1) that establishes a high bandwidth wireless
communication network within, for example, the cabin of the plane.
Devices within the plane's cabin can join the Wi-Fi network and
communicate using the Wi-Fi network within the cabin of the plane
in the same general manner that such devices would communicate with
a Wi-Fi device within a land-based location.
[0051] The devices in the plane that can access the bandwidth
provided by the disclosed system can take many different forms. For
purposes of the examples in this disclosure, the devices within the
cabin of the plane that can access the Wi-Fi network established
within the cabin of the pane by the distribution device can
comprise or consist of any electric devices capable of accessing a
land-based Wi-Fi network. Such devices include but are not limited
to laptop computers; tablet computers; smart phones; smart watches
or other communicating wearable devices, or any other device that
is capable of communicating across a local wireless network.
[0052] In one of many envisioned embodiments, controls may be put
in place aboard the plane to segment the devices into groups so
that they may make use of the plethora of communications channels
available to the Air Station. In an example where an Air Station
has established links to two Ground Stations, half of the on-board
devices may be directed to one Ground Station and the other half to
the other Ground Station. This distribution of access may be
handled seamlessly by a controller aboard the plane such that the
actual physical path between the plane and the Internet need not be
known to any of the devices, but will appear to be seamless. It is
envisioned that these groups need not be static, but devices may be
moved from one to another, or even into new groups as network usage
increases and/or decreases for each on-plane device.
[0053] In another envisioned embodiment, all of the traffic from
all of the devices may be round-robined from the Air Station to
each of the Ground Stations. The ground-based system may then send
return traffic to the Air Station from any available Ground Station
in a similar round-robin fashion.
[0054] During operation of the exemplary system of FIG. 1,
bi-directional communications can be established between each of
the Air Stations in one or more of the planes 1200A-1200C and one
or more of the Ground Stations 1100A-1100D to provide massive
communication bandwidth to the Air Station. For example, to the
extent that bandwidth is desired for plane 1200A, and plane 1200A
is positioned over a portion of the sky above Ground Station 1100A,
a communication link 1500 can be established, over a given
frequency range, between the GRAA within Ground Station 1100A
associated with the space in which the plane 1200A is located and
the ARAA within the Air Station on plane 1200A associated with the
space below the plane 1200 in which the Ground Station 1100A is
located. As plane 1200A travels through the sky and into a region
of space no longer associated with the specific GRAA within Ground
Station 1200A involved in the initial communication link, a further
communication link can be established between a different the GRAA
within Ground Station 1100A that associated with the new space in
which the plane 1200A would then be located and the ARAA within the
Air Station on plane 1200A associated with the new space below the
plane 200 in which the Ground Station 1100A is located.
[0055] As noted above, each Ground Station in the disclosed system
is responsible for a particular region of the sky over the area
supported by the system. Thus, as a given airplane travels across
the area supported by the present system, the plane will pass
through the region if sky supported by a given Ground Station such
that that that Ground Station would no longer be able to
communicate with the airplane. In order to maintain the provision
of the same bandwidth to the plane, the communication link
supported by that Ground Station will need to be transferred to a
different Ground Station that is capable of supporting
communications for the claim.
[0056] For example, as plane 1200A travels through the sky, plane
1200A may pass out of the regions of the sky associated with the
various GRAAs within Ground Station 1100A and into a region of the
sky associated with one of the GRAAs within Ground Station 1100B.
In such an event, a communication link between an appropriate ARAA
in the Air Station within plane 1200A and a GRAA within Ground
Station 1100B associated with the region of the sky in which the
plane 1200A is located can be established. In this manner,
communication bandwidth can be provided to plane 1200A at all
times.
[0057] Because each Air Station in the described example is capable
of supporting communications between multiple Air Station
radio-antenna assemblies and multiple Ground Stations, the number
of communication links between the airplane and the ground can be
dynamically controlled to increase or decrease the bandwidth
available to the airplane to ensure that the provided bandwidth is
aligned with the bandwidth required. For example, in the example
discussed above, situations may arise wherein the bandwidth of the
communication link established between an Air Station and a single
Ground Station is insufficient to support the level of
communications desired with the plane. In such a situation, the
system exemplary system of FIG. 1 enables establishment of an
additional communication link between the Air Station for which
additional bandwidth is required and a second Ground Station, such
that the Air Station would now be served by two active
communication links This situation is exemplified by plane 1200B in
FIG. 1.
[0058] Referring to plane 1200B of FIG. 1, communication links 1510
and 1520 are illustrated between the Air Station within plane 1200B
and Ground Station 1110C and Ground Station 1100B. Although not
illustrated, it will be understood that each of such communication
links will exist between an ARAA within the Air Station on plane
1100B and a GRAA within one of Ground Station 1100C and a GRAA
within Ground Station 1100B. In this example, because two distinct
communication paths exist with respect to plane 1200B, the
communication bandwidth provided to plane 1200B can be as much as
twice the bandwidth provided to plane 1200A (for which only one
communication link exists).
[0059] Like the communication link established with respect to
plane 1200A, above, the communication links established with
respect to plane 1200B would be transferred among different GRAAs
in Ground Stations 1100C and 1100B (and potentially among different
ARAAs in the Air Station within plane 1200B as plane 1200B travels
through the sky.
[0060] Should additional bandwidth be required to fill the
bandwidth needs of the Air Station in plane 1200B (or 1200A),
additional communication links between an ARAA within the Air
Station at issue and a GRAA within a Ground Station not currently
communicating with the plane can be established. In the example of
FIG. 1, where each Air Station includes six (6) ARAAs, as many as
six (6) communication links can be established between the plane at
issue and six Ground Stations to provide massive communication
bandwidth to the plane.
[0061] In the example of FIG. 1 it should be appreciated that each
Ground Station is capable of communicating simultaneously with
multiple planes. Thus, for example, one of the GRAAs within Ground
Station 1100C can be communicating with one of the ARAAs within the
Air Station in Plane 1200B through communication link 1510, while
another of the GRAAs within the Ground Station 1100C can be
communicating with one of the ARAAs within the Air Station in Plane
1200C, through communication link 1530. Note that at the same time,
the Air Station in Plane 1200C can also include an ARAA
communicating with one of the GRAAs in Ground Station 1100D over
communication link 1540.
[0062] In the example of FIG. 1, the number of GRAAs within each of
the Ground Station is the same and the number of GRAAs in each
Ground Station is greater than the number of ARAAs in each Air
Station. In the illustrated example, each Ground Station 1100
includes sixteen (16) GRAAs and each Air Station includes six (6).
It will be appreciated that this number is not critical and that
the number of GRAAs can vary amount Ground Stations, the number of
ARAAs can vary among Air Stations, and the number and ratio of
GRAAs to ARAAs can vary as well without departing from the
teachings of this disclosure. It will be appreciated that if
additional antennas are included within each of the Air Stations,
the space below each Air Station can be further segmented, and
additional communication links with additional Ground Stations can
be established, thus permitting the creation of an additional
number of simultaneously-enabled communication links.
[0063] In the examples discussed above, each communication link
involves a single ground station radio communicating through a
single antenna, at a single frequency, to a single radio in an air
station. Alternate embodiments are envisioned wherein each antenna
in the air and ground stations will be capable of simultaneously
supporting communications at different frequencies. In such
embodiments, the use of multiple frequencies for each antenna will
permit the establishment of multiple communication channels for
each air-station/ground-station radio assembly pairs.
[0064] For example, as discussed in more detail below, embodiments
are envisioned where each GRAA is capable of communicating with
each ARAA simultaneously on multiple frequencies such that the
communication bandwidth can further be expanded. In such
embodiments, each GRAA-ARAA communication pair could then support a
communication link for each frequency at which simultaneous
communication can occur. Accordingly, in the example of FIG. 1, if
each GRAA/ARAA is capable of simultaneously communicating on two
distinct frequencies, then up to twelve (12) communication links
(or twice the number of directional antennae in each Air Station)
could be provided to each plane.
[0065] The system and method of communication described above has
many features and advantages.
[0066] One potential advantage is that the disclosed system can
operate using only a limited number of frequencies, system wide.
This is because of the directional nature of the antenna used
within the system. Since the communication links within the system
are enabled by directional antenna, such that each link involves
radio signals within only a particular region of the sky, multiple
links can utilize the same radio frequency as other communication
links.
[0067] For example, in one exemplary embodiment, a limited set of
frequencies will be used for all communication in the system. In
this exemplary embodiment, all Ground Stations will use the same
set of frequencies to communicate with the Air Stations within the
airplanes. This sharing of frequencies is possible because in the
described system, each ground/airplane communication link is
provided by a specific antenna within a specific ground station and
a specific antenna within an Air Station. In this embodiment, each
of the antenna pairs (i.e., each link between an antenna in a GRAA
and an antenna in an ARAA) can use the same frequency as much as
possible. Such use of the same frequency by multiple communication
links minimizes the number of frequencies that must be used by the
system. This embodiment does not preclude the use of one frequency
for transmission and another for reception.
[0068] A further advantage of the system described above is that
each airplane in the system will have the ability to communicate
through multiple ARAAs to multiple GRAAs within different Ground
Stations. Thus if a particular radio, antenna, or other structure
within a given ARAA-GRAA link goes down or is compromised, the Air
Station within the airplane and/or the Ground Station involved in
the communication link can readily establish other communication
links to replace or augment the lost or compromised link.
[0069] GRAA STRUCTURE AND OPERATION: FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate various
exemplary forms each of the GRAA within a Ground Station may take.
As reflected in these figures, the basic form of each disclosed
ground station is a control unit controlling the radios that form
the ground station, and a plurality of radio-antenna assemblies.
Each of the radio-antenna assemblies includes an antenna and at
least one radio, where each of the radios is connected to the
Internet. In this manner, each radio-antenna assembly in the ground
station can communicate with a radio-antenna-assembly in an air
station to support, for example, the provision of high-bandwidth
Internet communications from the ground station to the air station.
The control unit can vary the operating parameters for each radio
within the ground station to address issues (such as interference),
to allocate bandwidth, and to otherwise ensure efficient operation
of the system.
[0070] Referring first to FIG. 2A, an exemplary GRAA 2000 is
illustrated. The exemplary GRAA includes a Software Defined Radio
("SDR") 2100, a radio frequency (RF) amplifier 2200, and a
directional antenna 2300 as shown. An internet connection 2700 is
provided directly to the SDR.
[0071] In the example of FIG. 2A, a Ground Station Control Unit
2600 is provided that is coupled to both the SDR 2100 (via
connection 2400) and the RF Amplifier 2200 (by connection
2401).
[0072] In operation, the Ground Station Control Unit 2600 can be
used to configure and program the SDR 2100 such that it operates in
a desired manner. For example, the Ground Station Control Unit can
configure the SDR to transmit a signal at a specific frequency (or
at specific frequencies), control the bandwidth of signals
transmitted by the SDR and/or configure the SDR to process received
signals at one or more specific frequencies or across a given
frequency bandwidth.
[0073] In the example of FIG. 2A, the Ground Station Control Unit
is coupled to the Internet via connection 2700. As such, the
operation of the Ground Station Control Unit can be modified and
adjusted via commands received over the Internet connection 2700.
Accordingly, through the use of Internet commands and
communication, the system of the present disclosure can coordinate
the operation of the GRAAs within the various Ground Stations
comprising the disclosed system and can, via communications with
the Air Stations, coordinate operation of the Ground Stations and
the various Air Stations.
[0074] As will be appreciated, in the Ground Stations of the
present system Internet connections are useful for two different
purposes. For example, one purpose is to permit the receipt and
provision of intemet signals that are useful for configuring and
controlling the various software defined radios in the Ground
Station. Another purpose is to permit Internet communications
between the Ground Stations and the Air Stations. For such purposes
it is not necessary that the air-ground Internet communications
pass through the Ground Station Control Unit. As such, such
Internet communications can be provided via direct Internet
connections to each of the radio-antenna assemblies within the
Ground Station.
[0075] For example, in the example discussed above, will also be
noted that the SDR 2100 includes its own communication link to the
Internet 2700. As such, the SDR is capable of receiving radio
signals from antenna 2300 reflecting Internet communications,
processing them such that they are converted to digital data
signals that can be passed to the Internet 2700, and communicating
such signals to the Internet without any data input from the Ground
Station Control Unit. In other words, in the example of FIG. 2A,
while the Ground Station Control Unit 2600 is able to configure and
control aspects of the operation of the SDR 2100, the data provided
to, and provided by, the SDR need not be provided to, received by,
or processed by the Ground Station Control Unit. Such data can pass
from/to the internet through the SDR without ever being provided to
or processed by the Ground Station Control Unit.
[0076] In the example of FIG. 2A, the Ground Station Control Unit
also includes a connection 2401 to the RF Amplifier 2200. As
discussed elsewhere here, for various reasons, it is often
desirable to operate the GRAAs and the ARAAs in the disclosed
system at the lowest power level required for acceptable
communications. In one exemplary embodiment, the Ground Station
Control Unit can monitor signals received and transmitted by the
various GRAAs to which it is connected and can, through such
monitoring, determine the minimum power required for such
communications. The Ground Station Control Unit 2600 can then
utilize the communication link 2401 to control the amplification
level of the RF Amplifier 2200 such that the transmitted power of
the GRAA is at, or approximately at, the lowest power level
required for acceptable communications.
[0077] During transmission operations of the GRAA 2000, SDR 2100
will generate a RF signal to be transmitted by the GRAA. The RF
signal will be provided by the SDR 2100 to the RF amplifier 2200,
that will then amplify the RF signal by a desired amount and
transmit the amplified RF signal to the directional antenna 2300.
The directional antenna 2300 will then transmit the amplified RF
signal such that the most powerful part of the signal is within the
beam-width cone associated with the directional antenna 2300.
[0078] During receive operations, the directional antenna 2300 will
receive radio signals received from within the reception area and
transmit the received signals through the RF Amplifier 2200 to the
SDR 2100.
[0079] Because the amplification level of the RF amplifier is
variable, the level can be adjusted in response to need. For
example, during communications, the amplification level can
initially be set at the highest possible level to establish
communications, and the level can thereafter be decreased until the
lowest amplification level necessary to permit communications is
reached. In this manner, the lowest amplification level required
for acceptable communications can be identified and used to
minimize the interference that may result from more significant
amplification.
[0080] Thus, in the illustrated example should be noted that the RF
amplifier need not be used to provide a constant amplification
level at all times. For example, embodiments are envisioned wherein
the RF Amplifier will vary the level of amplification depending on
the condition of the plane within in which the GRAA is located
and/or other conditions. For example, where the GRAA is located
geographically proximate to the plane in with which the GRAA is
communicating, the RF amplifier may amplify the signal by a
relatively small amount. As the plane travels away from that Ground
Station the level of amplification may increase. This approach can
be used to both conserve power and to try to limit the interference
that could arise if a number of highly amplified signals from
different planes were to be transmitted in the same general
airspace.
[0081] It should also be noted that the RF Amplifier 2200 need not
amplify signals during both transmission and reception operations
and, when amplification is used, need not be used to amplify
equally for transmission and reception. Thus, embodiments are
envisioned where the amplifier 2200 is operational to amplify
signals during reception, but not transmission, and vice versa.
Embodiments are also envisioned where the amplifier 2200 is used to
amplify signals at one level during transmission and another level
during reception. Embodiments are also envisioned wherein the
amplifier 2200 also acts as a filter and amplifies signals only
within one or more certain desired frequency ranges and does not
amplify (or attenuates) signals outside such range or ranges.
[0082] As noted above, in the disclosed system the operating
parameters of the communication can be varied. This is enabled, in
one example, through the use of software defined radios in each of
the Ground Station Radio-Antenna assemblies. In terms of structure,
the SDR 2100 within the exemplary GRAA under discussion can take
the form a software defined radio capable of receiving and
transmitting signals that can be quickly programed, in real time,
to vary one or all of: the transmit power of the radio, the center
frequency, the bandwidth, and the mode of operation (such as the
form of transmitted data, the form of signal modulation, the
periods of transmit/receive, and other aspects of the radio
operation). For SDRs that can transmit and/or receive signals at
more than one frequency simultaneously, the SDRs may also enable
adjustment of the center frequency and bandwidth for each of the
multiple operational frequencies.
[0083] As noted above, in addition to varying the
frequency/frequencies at which communications across a given
communication link can occur, the Ground Station can vary the
bandwidth of the enabled communications. For example, in one
embodiment the SDR used within the GRAAs should be selected such
that it can be programed to enable communications within a given
selected bandwidth across a selected predetermined range of
frequencies. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, each
SDR used in a GRAA should be such that it can generate and receive
RF signals within the frequency range of between about 700 MHz to
2.5 GHz and can communicate about a selected authorized frequency
within that range using a bandwidth of up to about 6 MHz. It should
be appreciated that these ranges are exemplary only and that
frequencies and bandwidths outside these ranges can be used without
departing from the teachings of this disclosure.
[0084] Because each GRAA will be used in a system in which other
GRAAs (and ARAAs) are neighbors, there is the possibility that
transmissions from one or more GRAA could interfere with RF signals
being transmitted or received by another GRAA. To reduce the
potential for such interference, each SDR may be programmed such
that it can transmit about only a limited number of selected
midpoint frequencies, with the various mid-point frequencies
selected to minimize the potential for interference. One exemplary
embodiment is envisioned wherein each SDR in each GRAA in the
system is configured to operate at one of a preselected number of
midpoint frequencies, where the preselected midpoint frequencies
are selected such that interference between any two or more
selected frequencies is limited. For example, each GRAA within a
given system can be selected such that it can operate at one of
fifteen (15) preselected midpoint frequencies.
[0085] In the described example, the frequencies available to each
Ground Station can be selected from frequencies assigned to the
user of the system or from the frequencies available to the user
for which there is limited expected interference.
[0086] While the embodiments discussed above envision use of SDRs
with a high degree of programmability, other embodiments are
envisioned wherein the SDRs used in the system are optionally
designed to operate in one of a limited number of discrete modes.
For example, for systems where it is anticipated that the SDRs will
operate over only two or three predetermined frequency ranges, SDRs
may be designed or selected that can operate only within those
specified frequency ranges. Still further, for systems where the
radios are anticipated to operate over only one, or a very limited
number of predetermined frequencies, it may be possible to use more
conventional radio transmitters/receivers that are designed to
optionally operate over the specific predetermined frequency
ranges.
[0087] In one embodiment, the communication signals transmitted by
the SDRs will be encrypted and compressed both to protect the
transmitted data and reduce the size of all or some of the
transmitted data packets.
[0088] THE RF AMPLIFIERS: As generally described above the RF
amplifiers in each radio-antenna assembly may be used to amplify
the signals to be transmitted or the received signals. The RF
Amplifier 2200 within the GRAA may take any suitable form. In one
embodiment, the GRAAs are designed to operate at a relatively low
radio frequency (RF) power level, for example, on the order of 1-5
Watts, and the RF Amplifier is selected such that the transmitted
power from the directional antenna 2300 is within the desired
range.
[0089] As reflected in FIG. 2A, the amplified radio frequency
signal from the SDR 2100 and the RF Amplifier 2200 is provided to a
directional antenna 2300. The directional antenna 2300 within the
GRAA may take many forms. In general, the directional antenna 2300
within each GRAA should be selected such that: (a) for purposes of
transmitting a radio signal, it emits a focused, relatively narrow
radio wave beam directed to a particular section of the sky about
the Ground Station in which the GRAA is located (e.g., over a beam
width roughly in the form of a cone extending from the antenna and
covering particular degree span of the sky) and (b) for purposes of
receiving radio signals, it amplifies radio signals received from a
preferred directional space and attenuates radio signals received
from other directions.
[0090] THE DIRECTIONAL ANTENNAE: As described above the directional
antenna in each of the radio-antenna assemblies is intended to
permit communication over a particular region of the sky above the
Ground Station in which the antenna is located. Thus, for example,
for a Ground Station including sixteen directional antennas or
oriented to cover the entire sky above the ground station, each of
the antenna can permit communications over cone extending from the
antenna where the san of the antenna is at or slightly greater than
45 degrees.
[0091] In one embodiment, each directional antenna in each of the
Radio/Antenna Assemblies is a Yagi-type antenna. Alternative
embodiments are envisioned wherein each of the directional antennas
takes the form of a high-performance panel antenna capable of
receiving signals across a specific range of frequencies and
capable of providing a relatively high gain over a particular span
of space. One exemplary panel antenna that could be used in such an
embodiment is the PE51130 High Performance Panel Antenna, which is
capable of receiving signals from between 1700 MHz and 2500 MHz and
operating over a cone having a beam-width of 60 degrees with a gain
of 9 dBi.
[0092] In yet another envisioned embodiment, steerable antenna may
be used, which may be automatically moved.
[0093] In one embodiment, the directional antenna 2300 within each
GRAA can be designed for optimum operation over a specific RF
frequency band and around a specific RF midpoint frequency. In
alternate embodiments, each antenna 4300 can be designed or
selected to operate across a number of different frequency bands
and around various possible midpoint frequencies.
[0094] In still other embodiments, each antenna 2300 may be
designed or selected to optionally operate over a defined number of
predetermined frequency bands and at a correspondingly defined
number of predetermined midpoint frequencies. For example, in a
system in which each GRAA is configured to operate at one of
fifteen preselected midpoint frequencies, the antennas within the
GRAAs used in the system may be selected to have suitable operating
characteristics at those preselected midpoint frequencies.
[0095] THE SELECTED COMMUNICATION FREQUENCIES AND POWER LEVELS In
general, any suitable frequencies or power levels may be used for
the communications described herein, However, in preferred
embodiments, the frequencies and power levels should be selected in
such a manner that interference with other communications is
avoided.
[0096] As indicated above, in certain embodiments each of the SDRs
within the GRAAs in the system are programmable to operate at any
one of a number of select frequencies and bandwidths. To minimize
the potential for interference between the signals transmitted by
the GRAAs in the system, one of more of the following approaches
may be used.
[0097] POWER LEVEL ADJUSTMENT: First, to avoid having the signals
transmitted by the GRAAs give rise to interference with other
signals, the GRAAs should generally broadcast at the minimal power
levels required for god communications. Such transmission powers
will minimize the potential for transmitted signals to interfere
with other signals. The power level of the transmitted signals can
be adjusted through, for example, control of the RF Amplifier
within each of the GRAAs. In one exemplary embodiment, test
transmissions can be made between a GRAA and a receiver (such as an
ARAA) within a given geographical area to determine the minimum
power for acceptable communications and that determined power level
can be provided to the System Control Unit for broadcast across the
system such that all GRAA/receiver communications links in that
area utilize the determined power level.
[0098] In still further embodiments, the power level for all
communications between any Ground Station and any Air Station may
be kept at the minimum required for acceptable communications to
preserve energy and avoid interference.
[0099] AVOIDANCE OF AIR-TO-GROUND PRIMARY FREQUENCIES: Second, the
frequencies used for all GRAA-ARAA transmissions can be selected
such that they are not aligned with any Primary Frequencies used
for Air-to-Ground transmission.
[0100] AVOIDANCE OF DETECTED FREQUENCIES USED FOR COMMUNICATION:
Third, the frequencies used for GRAA-ARAA transmission can be
determined on a regular basis through the use of a frequency test
protocol wherein, during certain periods where each of the GRAAs
and ARAAs are not involved in the transmission or reception of a
communication signal, the ARAAs (and potentially the GRAAs) will
monitor the signals received at their antennas to try to identify
which specific frequencies and bandwidths are being used for
communications. In such embodiments, only those predetermined
frequencies not the same or close to a frequency in use will be
used for transmissions. In accordance with one variant of this
approach, implementation of the frequency test protocol will result
in a list being created of frequencies from the most used frequency
in the area to the lowest used frequency in the area and the
predetermined frequencies closest to the lowest used frequency will
be preferred over frequencies near the most used frequencies in the
area.
[0101] In one exemplary embodiment, the frequency test protocol can
be performed every day, or every other day, such that the
frequencies used by the GRAAs in the system are regularly updated.
In certain other embodiments, a version of the frequency test
protocol can be performed prior to each transmission of a signal by
a GRAA. In such an embodiment, before transmitting over a given
frequency, the GRAA seeking to transmit a signal will first look
for communications from other devices at that frequency. If the
detected signals at that frequency are greater than a certain
level, the GRAA will not use that frequency but will instead select
an alternate frequency and then reperform the frequency test
protocol using the alternative frequency.
[0102] In one embodiment, only secondary frequencies will be used
for GRAA transmissions. In such an embodiment, such secondary
frequencies may be selected such that they do not correspond to any
air-to-ground primary frequencies.
[0103] In one variant of this embodiment, the secondary frequencies
used by the GRAAs can correspond to a Primary Frequency used for
ground-to-ground communications since the air-to-ground signals
transmitted by the GRAAs will be generally orthogonal to any
ground-to-ground communicating devices using the selected frequency
such that the potential for interference between the air-to-ground
and ground-to-ground transmission is minimal In such examples, the
use of a Primary Ground-to-Ground Frequency should not cause
problematic interference because the communications of such a
system would always be from Air-to-Ground or Ground-to-Air or and
not Ground-to-Ground.
[0104] In any embodiment where the system will communicate using a
Secondary Frequency, before sending any initial message to a Ground
Station with which the Air Station is not currently in
communication, the Air Station will engage in a "listening" period
where it detects radio signals received on its associated ARAAs.
This is done to determine what radio frequencies may be currently
in use by others in the geographical area associated with the
Ground Station for which new communications will be established.
Based on the results of the listening period, the Air Station may
select a transmission frequency so as to avoid or minimize
interference with frequencies on which communications are
detected.
[0105] As discussed above to increase the flexibility and,
potentially the bandwidth capability of the system, embodiments are
envisioned wherein one, some, or all of the GRAAs in a given Ground
Station are capable of transmitting (and/or receiving) radio
signals across one or more mid-point frequencies and, potentially,
one or more bandwidths.
[0106] COMBINING GRAAs TO FORM A GROUND STATION: As described
above, a number of different Ground Radio-Antenna Assemblies can be
combined to form a Ground Station.
[0107] FIG. 3A illustrates one exemplary manner in which a
plurality of GRAAs may be combined to form a Ground Station. As
reflected in the figure, an exemplary Ground Station 3000 is
depicted that is formed from a plurality of GRAAs, seven of which
are illustrated in the figure. As reflected in the figure, each of
the illustrated GRAAs includes a directional antenna, a RF
amplifier and an SDR with the communication links from all of the
various SDRs being coupled to a common communication network. Also
coupled to the communication network is a Ground Station Control
Unit 3200. As depicted in FIG. 3A, the Ground Station Control Unit
3200 is coupled to communicate with each of the SDRs and each of
the RF Amplifiers in each of the seven illustrated GRAAs. The
connection and operation may be as described above in connection
with FIG. 2A.
[0108] As further reflected in FIG. 3A, in the illustrated example,
the Ground Station Control Unit 3200 is connected to the Internet
at connection 3300 and connections to the Internet 3300 are also
provided for each of the illustrated GRAAs.
[0109] In the illustrated embodiment the Ground Station Control
Unit 3200 can take the form of a programmable computer that is
capable of configuring each of the SDRs within the GRAAs in the
Ground Station 3200, providing and receiving communications to/from
the SDRs within the GRAAs, communicating with the Internet 3300 so
as to enable Internet communications to pass from and through each
of the GRAAs and to permit the Ground Station to communicate with
other devices, including but not limited to other Ground Stations
and a general system controller (not illustrated in FIG. 3). As
described elsewhere herein, the Ground Station Control unit can
program and configure the GRAAs within the Ground Station in which
it is contained to facilitate high-bandwidth communication between
the Ground Station and an Air Station.
[0110] As noted above, each of the directional antennas associated
with each of the GRAAs within the Ground Station may be arranged so
that each GRAA is associated with a particular region of the sky
above the ground station. One purpose of such an exemplary
arrangement may be to ensure that the Ground Station has the
ability to transmit signals to, and receive signals from each
region of the sky above the Ground Stations where communications
are to be enabled.
[0111] FIG. 3B illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a GRAA
that includes a separate antenna structure for receiving location
information from planes traveling above the GRAA. As will be noted
the exemplary GRAA of FIG. 3B is similar to the example of FIG. 3A
with the notable difference being the inclusion of an additional
antenna assembly 3400 coupled to the Ground Station Control Unit
3200.
[0112] Because planes being services by the system disclosed herein
will be traveling across the region serviced by the system, it will
be necessary to control the manner in which communication links are
established with the air station on the plane such that, as the
plane moves across the region, communication links can be
established with ground stations in the region where the plane has
traveled to and can be terminated for ground stations in the
regions from which the plane has traveled. This can be accomplished
in a number of different ways.
[0113] One way in which communications with the plane may be
controlled is through the use of ADS information, available from
different sources. Presently many commercial and non-commercial
planes automatically transmit an ADS signal that provides
information relating to the identify of airplane (e.g., tail number
or other identifier) and the location of the plane in space. In the
example of FIG. 3B, the antenna assembly 3400 is configured to
receive such ADS signals and the Ground Station Control Unit 3200
is configured to process those signals. Thus, using the ADS signals
received at the antenna assembly 3400, the Ground Station Control
Unit 3200 can receive the ADS signal of a plane within its general
vicinity, and process the signal to determine the location of the
plane. The Ground Station Control Unit can then use that provided
ADS information to configure and control the various SDRs within
the Ground Station to optimize the high bandwidth communications to
the plane as discussed in more detail below. For example, using the
ADS information, the Ground Station Control Unit can, in some
instances, determine an estimated flight path for the plane to
which communications are desired to be made and use the estimated
track to determine which GRAA should be used to communicate with
the plane (and in what manner) at different points in time.
[0114] This process need not be started while the plane is in the
air. In one of many envisioned embodiments, the reservation of
bandwidth at a succession of Ground Stations may be made in advance
of the departure of a plane simply by knowing the filed flight path
of the plane and at which Ground Stations it is expected to be near
at approximate times. The bandwidth reservations may be adjusted as
the flight progresses.
[0115] In addition to receiving ADS signals from the antenna
assembly 3400, the Ground Station Control Unit is also able to
communicate with the Internet via the Internet connection 3300.
Through that connection the Ground Station Control Unit 3200 can
access plane flight databases available on the Internet which
provide location information for planes traveling across various
geographical regions. Using such data, alone or in combination with
received ADS information, the Ground Station Control Unit can then
determine or estimate the location in space of a plane to which
communications are to be made and then control SDRs within the
Ground Station to optimize those communications.
[0116] In one envisioned embodiment, the controller will be able to
see and analyze network traffic patterns over time and may use that
information in requesting bandwidth from upcoming (in the forward
direction of travel by the plane) Ground Stations. For example, if
a group of devices on board the airplane have been using a
relatively consistent amount of bandwidth over some time period,
the controller may signal to the ground stations that it will need
to reserve that amount of bandwidth from an upcoming Ground
Station. If a single upcoming Ground Station is not going to be
able to handle that amount of network traffic, the on-plane
controller may further divide the group of devices and request some
amount of bandwidth from one upcoming Ground Station, and another
amount of bandwidth from a different upcoming Ground Station. If
the anticipated amount of bandwidth is not available from any
combination of upcoming Ground Stations, the on-plane controller
may throttle the communications from the devices to provide fair
and equal access.
[0117] As noted above, each Ground Station will include a plurality
of GRAAs and each GRAA in a given Ground Station will include a
directional antenna directed to a particular region of the sky
above the Ground Station. In exemplary embodiments, the arrangement
of the directional antennas will be such that communications will
be enabled over all, a portion of, or the majority of the entirety
of the sky above the Ground Station for a particular geographical
region.
[0118] ANTENNAS FOR USE IN GRAAS: As described above, each of the
ground station radio-antenna assemblies includes a direction
antenna used for bi-directional communications. The specific form
of directional antenna, and the specific arrangement of such
antenna, is not critical provided that the antenna arrangement is
such that each antenna is arranged to permit bi-directional
communications over a specific region of space above the ground
station, and the combination of all the antenna in a ground station
permit high-bandwidth communications over a desired region of space
above the ground stations. Examples of various antenna arrangements
that may be used in a ground station are discussed below.
[0119] FIGS. 4A-4C generally illustrate the directional nature of
an exemplary directional antenna that may be used to implement the
system described herein. Referring first to FIG. 4A a "side view"
of a particular region of space above a directional antenna over
which the directional antenna can receive and transmit signals is
illustrated. As reflected in the figure, in the example, the space
serviced by the illustrative antenna is generally in the form of a
cone, having a particular span, extending from the point that is
representative of the physical location of the antenna. As will be
appreciated, while the space is illustrated for this example as a
cone, the space associated with a given directional antenna may
take other forms. Further, while the cone of FIG. 4A is illustrated
as having defined edges and a termination point, it will be
appreciated that the area of coverage of a given directional
antenna may not be so defined.
[0120] FIG. 4B provides a representative "top down" view of the
space covered by an exemplary directional antenna and FIG. 4C
generally illustrates the manner in which four directional antennae
may be aimed and oriented such that they cover approximately a
180-degree span of space above the antenna assembly.
[0121] FIG. 4D illustrates an exemplary arrangement for the
directional antennas of an exemplary given Ground Station having
sixteen (16) GRAAs, with the directional antennas of each of the 16
GRAAs being designed to received/transmit radio signals from/to a
preferred region of the sky. In the embodiment of FIG. 4A, the
directional antennas within the exemplary Ground Station are
arranged to permit communication to the entre sky above the Ground
Station (180 degrees) and each of the sixteen GRAAs is designed to
cover a portion of the sky above it comprising a cone with an
approximately 12 degree span. As such, the sixteen GRAAs
collectively cover the entire 180-degree span above the GRAA with a
slight overlap between adjacent cones.
[0122] FIG. 4E generally illustrates the manner in which sixteen
directional antennae may be arranged to cover the entire 180-degree
area of sky above the exemplary Ground Station. As reflected in the
figure, the sky above the Ground Station may be divided into
sixteen regions and each directional antenna may be sized and
oriented to cover one of the sixteen regions. In the illustrated
embodiment each of the sixteen regions is intended to cover similar
spans of the sky. The regions do not appear equal in size in the
drawing, however, because this exemplary two-dimensional drawing is
intended to simply represent a complex three-dimensional space.
[0123] Because the disclosed system is designed to communicate with
airborne objects, and because such object will often not be
typically at certain regions of the sky for extended periods (e.g.,
near the ground). Alternate embodiments are envisioned wherein the
span of the sky to be serviced by the Ground Station is less than
180 degrees. For example, because planes rarely remain at very low
altitudes for extended periods of time, it may be possible to
provide suitable connections from a Ground Station that is capable
of covering the space above it from about 20 degrees above the
horizon on all sides of the Ground Station. In such embodiments,
the span of coverage will be on the order of 140 degrees. In such
embodiments, if each Ground Station is to include sixteen (16)
GRAAs having only a single directional antenna, the
beam-width/reception cone of the antennas forming each GRAA can be
on the order of approximately 9 degrees (e.g., 9 degrees plus or
minus 15%).
[0124] Additionally, while the exemplary Ground Station of FIGS. 4A
and 4B included sixteen (GRAAs), alternate embodiments are
envisioned wherein the Ground Stations can include a greater or
lesser number of GRAAs. For example, Ground Stations formed from
nine (9), twenty-five (25) or thirty-six (36) GRAAs are envisioned.
In such embodiments, the beam width of the antennas for each GRAA
should be on the order of the span of the sky above the Ground
Station to be supported by the Ground Station divided by the number
of GRAAs forming the Ground Station. Thus, for a Ground Station
intended to cover a 120-degree span of space of above the Ground
Station and thirteen (13) GRAAs, the beam-width/reception cone
supported by each GRAA should be on the order of between about 9.5
and 10 degrees. Such an alternate embodiment is illustrated in FIG.
4F where a Ground Station comprising thirteen (13) GRAAs, each
covering approximately a 10-degree portion of the sky is
illustrated.
[0125] FIGS. 4G1 and 4G2 illustrate one exemplary GRAA formed from
discrete antenna assemblies. In the example, of FIG. 4G1, each
discrete antenna assembly is formed from four (4) Yagi-type
antennas and where, for a given antenna assembly, each of the
Yagi-antenna within the assembly will cover an approximately 45
degree cone of space, such that the coverage of any given assembly
of four antenna is generally as shown in FIG. 4C. Each of the four
antennae within a given discrete antenna assembly will be coupled
to an RF amplifier and one or more SDRs to form a GRAA in a manner
discussed above in connection with FIGS. 2A-3B. As reflected in
FIG. 4G2, four of the discrete antenna assemblies reflected in FIG.
4G1 may be oriented such that the arrangement of the sixteen
antennae within the GRAA cover the entire space above the Ground
Station.
[0126] FIGS. 4H1 and 4H2 illustrate an alternate embodiment, where
discrete antenna assemblies each comprising six Yagi-style
antennae, can be used to construct an antenna arrangement for a
GRAA including thirty-six (36) antenna arranged in a six-by-six
arrangement.
[0127] In the examples of FIGS. 4G1, 4G2, 4H1 and 4H2, the
illustrated antenna are Yagi-style antenna. It will be appreciated
that other types of directional antenna could be used such as
parabolic antenna or Yagi-parabolic hybrid antenna.
[0128] In the examples of FIG. 4G1, 4G2, 4H1 and 4H2, certain of
the antenna comprising the illustrated GRAA are shown as being
contained in a single discrete antenna assembly. It should be
appreciated that a GRAA in accordance with the teachings of this
disclosure could be constructed from individual antennas that are
not physically connected. An example of such an antenna assembly,
consisting of sixteen individual, unconnected Yagi-parabolic hybrid
antennae is reflected in FIG. 4I where each column--seen from the
front in this example--is an assembly of 4 Yagi-parabolic antenna
assemblies in a row (left to right). The four antenna in the
nearest column are angled towards the viewer as described
previously, and each consecutive column is angled such that the
collection of antenna in the columns and rows cover the entire
sky.
[0129] Use of Ground Stations having a larger or smaller number of
GRAAs can permit the construction of Ground Stations in various
areas to be tailored to the anticipated necessary bandwidth for
those areas. For example, Ground Stations in areas with only
limited air travel (such as in a rural area or a section of water
over which few planes pass) may have a fewer number of GRAAs, while
Ground Stations in heavily trafficked areas may be formed from a
greater number of GRAAs.
[0130] In the examples discussed above, each GRAA included a single
SDR and a single directional antenna and was constructed such that
each SDR could be configured to provide an output signal at a
desired frequency and over a defined bandwidth. Alternate
embodiments are envisioned, where each GRAA remains associated with
a single directional antenna but where the directional antennas of
each GRAA are selected such that two or more signals (if different
frequencies and, potentially different bandwidths) are
simultaneously transmitted or received from the same GRAA.
[0131] It should be appreciated that each GRAA is capable of
communicating with a plurality of aircraft positioned above it.
Such multi-aircraft communications can be enabled through, for
example, using different frequencies to communicate with different
planes, communicating with different planes at different times, a
combination of time and/or frequency multiplexing, and other
multiplexing approaches.
[0132] MULTI-FREQUENCY COMMUNICATION: As discussed generally above,
certain antenna arrangements are capable of conducting simultaneous
bi-directional communications at different frequencies. In such
embodiments a first communication link, at a first frequency and
bandwidth, can be established between a first ground station
antenna and a first air station antenna and a second communication
link can be established using the same antennas but using a second
frequency and a second bandwidth. While the first and the second
frequencies must be different for this approach to work, the first
and second bandwidths may be the same.
[0133] FIG. 2B illustrates one exemplary GRAA that may be used to
transmit and receive two frequencies simultaneously using the same
directional antenna.
[0134] Referring to FIG. 2B a GRAA 2001 is illustrated that
includes a directional antenna 2300 a combiner/RF amplifier 2500
and two software defined radios 2100A and 2100B. Each of the SDRs
2100A and 2100B includes a communication link (2400A and 2400B) for
communicating with the Ground Station Control Unit (not illustrated
in FIG. 2B). During a transmission operation, each of the SDRs
2100A and 2100B will generate a radio signal at a different
frequency and each of those signals will be provided to the
combiner/RF amplifier circuit 2500, which will combine the signals
for transmission by the directional antenna 2300. During a
reception operation, the directional antenna 2300 will receive
signals having multiple frequency components, separate out the
different frequencies and provide a signal at a first frequency to
the SDR 2100A and at a second frequency to SDR 2100B.
[0135] In the example of FIG. 2B a Ground Station Control Unit 2600
is illustrated that is connected to both the combiner/amplifier
2500 and the two SDRs 2100A and 2100B. The operation of the Ground
Station Control Unit 2600 is generally as described above in
connection with FIG. 2A.
[0136] Through the use of dual frequencies, the same directional
antenna can be used to provide two independent communication links
and can, therefore, double the communication bandwidth that an
individual GRAA alone can provide.
[0137] If the appropriate directional antenna is selected, a single
antenna can support simultaneous communications and more than two
frequencies. FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary GRAA where a single
directional antenna 2300 is combined with four (4) SDRs (2100A,
2100B, 2100C and 2100D) to potentially provide up to four
independent communication links. Like numerals represent like
elements with respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B.
[0138] As discussed above, in the present example, during
operation, communication links will be established between at least
one GRAA in a Ground Station and at least one ARAA in an Air
Station.
[0139] COMBINING ARAAs TO FORM AN AIR STATION: In a manner similar
to that described above with respect to the implantation of a
ground station, multiple air antenna-radio antenna assemblies may
be combined to form an air station.
[0140] GENERAL AIR RADIO-ANTENNA ASSEMBLY CONFIGURATION: FIGS. 5A,
5B and 5C illustrate different exemplary forms that the Air
Radio/Antenna Assemblies in each Air Station may take.
[0141] Referring first to FIG. 5A, an exemplary ARAA 5001 is
illustrated that includes a software defined radio ("SDR") 5100, a
RD amplifier 5200, and a directional antenna 5300. A communication
link 5400 is provided to permit the communication of data signals
and control signals that can configure the SDR 5100.
[0142] The identified elements in FIG. 5A operate in a manner
similar to that described above with respect to the exemplary GRAA
of FIG. 2A. In general, during a transmit operation, the SDR 5100
will generate a radio frequency signal embodying the data to be
communicated that will be provided to the RF Amplifier 5200 that
will pass the amplified RF signals to the directional antenna 5300
for transmission into space. During a reception operation, the
directional antenna 5300 will receive a signal that is processed by
RF Amplifier 5200 and passed to the SDR for processing.
[0143] As reflected in FIG. 5B, exemplary ARAAs can be constructed
that, like the exemplary GRAA of FIG. 2B, include two SDRs 5100A
and 5100B and a RF combiner/amplifier circuit 5500 that can combine
and separate transmitted and received signals. While the example of
FIG. 5B illustrates the use of only two SDRs, thus enabling the
simultaneous transmission or reception of signals at two selected
frequencies, embodiments of ARAAs are envisioned wherein the ARAA
includes more than two SDRs (in a manner akin to the exemplary GRAA
of FIG. 2C).
[0144] It will be appreciated that if each ARAA (and each GRAA) is
able to support multi-frequency communication, the number of
communication links that such ARAA (or GRAA) can support will
increase. Thus, a GRAA capable of communicating using one frequency
at any given time can support a single link with a single Air
Station at any given time. A GRAA capable of communicating at two
frequencies may support two communication links with a given Air
Station or one communication link with a first Air Station and
another with a second Air Station at any given time.
[0145] FIG. 5C illustrates yet a further embodiment of an ARAA in
which the signal from a single SDR 5100 is passed through two RF
Amplifiers (5100A and 5100B) and a single directional antenna 5300.
This embodiment is of potential benefit in that, while dividing the
communication bandwidth between the two communication links enabled
by antenna 5300A and 5300B, it provides two possible paths for
communication for each SDR, such that an issue with one of the RF
Amplifiers (5200A or 5200B) or one of the directional antennas
(5300A or 5300B) would not preclude the SDR from engaging in
communications.
[0146] Although not illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5C, it should be
appreciated that each of the RF Amplifiers and SDRs would be
coupled to an Air Station Control Unit to control the RF
Amplifiers/Combiners and SDRs in a manner similar to the manner
that the Ground Station Control Unit configured and controlled the
operation of the RF Amplifiers/Combiners and SDRs contained in the
exemplary GRAAs discussed above.
[0147] CONFIGURATION OF AN AIR STATION: Multiple air radio-antenna
assemblies may be combined to form an Air Station. FIG. 6 generally
illustrates one exemplary manner in which multiple ARAAs may be
combined to form an Air Station.
[0148] Referring to FIG. 6A, an exemplary Air Station 6000 is
illustrated. The exemplary Air Station is illustrated as having
three ARAAs and a combiner/RF amplifier circuit 6200 although it
will be appreciated that the number of ARAAs used to form an Air
Station can vary. For example, as discussed below, embodiments are
envisioned wherein each Air Station includes six (6) ARAAs.
[0149] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, a first communication link 6301
exists between an Air Station Control Unit 6300 and each RF
Amplifier and a second communication link exists between the Air
Station Control Unit 6300 and each of the SDRs within the three
ARAAs. A communication link is also provided between the Air
Station Control Unit 6300 and the wireless communication device
6500. Through use of these communication links, the Air Station
Control Unit 6300 may configure and control the RF Amplifiers, the
SDRs and the Wireless communication device in the Air Station and
also transmit and receive data and control signals via the SDRs
and/or the wireless communication device 6500.
[0150] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the communication links of each
of the three ARAAs in the station are coupled to a common Air
Station Control Unit. The communication link, in turn, is coupled
to an Air Station Control Unit 6300, which may take the form of a
programmed computer capable of configuring the SDRs within the Air
Station and of generating, receiving and processing communication
signals to be transmitted (or received) by the Air Station. Note
that the exemplary Air Station of FIG. 6 can enable a significant
number of communication links at significant bandwidth. For
example, with six (6) directional antennas--each potentially
capable of communicating data from 1-4 SDRs under the control of
the Air Station Control Unit--there could be at least 24 different
communication channels.
[0151] In FIG. 6, the Air Station Control Unit is in turn coupled
to a wireless communication device 6500 which may take the form of
a Wi-Fi router. In certain embodiments, the wireless communication
device may be located within the cabin of a commercial or personal
airplane and may enable communications between one or more wireless
devices being operated by passengers in the cabin. Such passenger
devices may, for example, take the form of a smart phone 6600A or a
tablet or laptop computer.
[0152] In an embodiment where the Air Station Control Unit is
comprised of a router to access the Internet, the function of the
Air Station Control Unit may be regarded as similar to the function
of what is known to those ordinarily skilled in communications as
customer premise equipment. The RF link between the Air Station and
the Ground Station may represent a routable hop, or the Air Station
Control Unit may form a tunnel across the RF link and through the
Ground Station to an upstream unit that may aggregate and
distribute the Internet protocol datagrams similar in manner to how
communications are aggregated and distributed in the Internet to
stationary end routers, such as at homes and businesses. Any number
of aggregation and tunneling protocols as known to those ordinarily
skilled may be deployed in any number of scenarios within the
inventions disclosed herein.
[0153] In one of many possible embodiments, the aggregation of
communications paths from a GRAA to other GRAAs and/or to the
Internet may be accomplished in ways similar to the interconnection
of radio telescope arrays such as the LOFAR radio telescope around
Groningen in the Netherlands, or as is being built in the Square
Kilometre Array in Australia.
[0154] Although not shown, the Air Station Control Unit 6300 may
also be linked to communicating devices (such as laptops,
computers, and discrete devices) via a hardwired connection.
[0155] In general operation, the Air Station 6000 of FIG. 6,
operating in conjunction with at least one, and preferably more,
Ground Stations may enable high bandwidth communications between
devices coupled (wirelessly or via hardwire) to the Air Station
Control Unit and ground systems and networks, such as the Internet.
Specifically, as generally discussed above in connection with FIG.
1, the devices 6600A, 6600B and other devices can communicate with
the Air Station Control unit (via wireless device 6500 or a direct
connection) and provide information to be requested, transmitted or
received. The Air Station Control Unit can then process the
information and provide it to one or more of the ARAAs for
communication to the ground via one or more communication links,
where each communication link reflects a radio frequency
communication channel established between at least one of the ARAAs
in the Air Station and one of the GRAAs in a Ground Station within
the geographical reach of the ARAAs in the Air Station.
[0156] Through communication links as described above, high
frequency communications can be enabled between devices
communicating with the Air Station Control unit 6200 and
ground-based networks and systems (such as the Internet) coupled to
one or more of the Ground Stations.
[0157] EXAMPLE ORIENTATIONS OF ANTENNAE FOR AN AIR STATION: The
directional antenna within each air station may be oriented with
respect to each other to provide communication coverage for a
particular region of the sky below the airplane. As such the total
bandwidth available to the plane will be the total bandwidth
available within each region of the sky below the plane that is
supported by an antenna in the air station, multiplied by the
number of antennae in the air station.
[0158] FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C illustrate the manner in which the
directional antennas within a given Air Station containing either
three (3) or six (6) ARAAs may be oriented and arranged to provide
radio-communication coverage for substantially all of the space
below a plane on which the Air Station is located.
[0159] Referring first to FIG. 7A, a side view of an exemplary
plane is shown as element 7100 from which three directional
antennas (7000A, 7000B and 7000C) extend. In the example, each of
the three antennae extend downwardly from the plane such that the
angle between the plane and the directional antenna of
approximately 30 degrees. This angular displacement orients the
directional preference of each of the antenna to a region of space
below the plane.
[0160] FIG. 7B illustrates the orientation of the three directional
antenna of FIG. 7A from a "top-down" view. As reflected in the
figure, the three antennae are oriented with respect to each other
such that that the angular expanse (when viewed from a top-down
perspective) is on the order of 120 degrees.
[0161] In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the directional
space over which each of the three antennae will be able to
effectively transmit and receive signals will take the form of a
cone having an angular expanse (extending from the physical
location of one directional antenna) of roughly 120 degrees. In
such embodiments, the three-antenna array illustrated in FIGS. 7A
and 7B would be capable of providing coverage of the entire region
of space below the plane on which the Air Station is located.
However, in such an embodiment the three-antennae array would be
capable of providing only a limited number of independent
communication links. Specifically, if each directional antenna were
capable of receiving and transmitting signals from its associated
SDR at only one frequency, only three independent links would be
available. If simultaneous dual-frequency communications (as
described above) were enabled the number of links would be limited
to the number of antennae multiplied by the number of frequencies
that could be transmitted (or received) simultaneously.
[0162] To increase the number of available communication links--and
to increase the overall bandwidth available from the system--the
number of ARAAs in the Air Station (and thus the number of
directional antenna) can be doubled, such that there are six (6)
ARAAs--and six (6) directional antenna in the Air Station. Such
antennas can be oriented to each have a thirty-degree downward
angle with respect to the plane (as shown in FIG. 7A for antennas
7000A-C) and to be oriented from a "top-down" perspective, such
that the primary direction of each antenna is separated from each
adjacent antenna by an angular span of sixty (60) degrees. This is
generally reflected in FIG. 7C.
[0163] FIG. 7D illustrates a perspective view of how six flat panel
antennae may be arranged to form an antenna assembly for an ARAA
having the orientation generally described above in connection with
FIG. 7C.
[0164] Similarly, a GRAA may be made of flat panel antennas.
Enabling the top surface of the assembly to be another flat panel
antenna would result in 7 flat panel antenna surfaces with the top
surface pointing directly upwards. Those ordinarily skilled in the
art will understand through the disclosures presented herein that
such an antenna array need not be positioned on a substantially
flat surface. That is to say that the top surface need not be level
with the surface of the ground. The antenna array may be located on
an incline, such as the side of a mountain, such that what is seen
as the "top" surface may be aligned away from the zenith.
[0165] It should be appreciated that the directional antennas for a
given Air Station need not all be physically located at the same
general point. In particular, as long as the directional
orientation is such that communication over the entirety (or
substantially all or a desired region) of the space below the plane
is enabled, the antennas can be physically located apart from each
other. This is generally reflected in FIGS. 8A and 8B, which
illustrate the manner in which the directional antenna for an Air
Station including six (6) GRAAs can be physically positioned and
oriented on a plane.
[0166] POSITIONING AN AIR STATION ON AN AIRPLANE: The air stations
described above can be positioned on an airplane in a variety of
different ways, depending on the particular airplane involved and a
number of other factors. As an example, all of the antenna forming
the air station can be combined to form a single unit that is
physically attached to the plane at the same location.
Alternatively, a subset of the antenna forming the Air Station
(such as 1/3 or 1/2) can be combined to form a single physical unit
and the various units forming the air station can be distributed
about the outer body of the plane.
[0167] FIGS. 8A and 8B generally illustrate a plane. Coupled to the
plane are two groupings of three antenna. In the illustrate
embodiment, one of the groups of three antenna is positioned
generally as described above with respect to FIGS. 7A-7C with
respect to directional antennas 7000A, 7000B and 700C. In the
example, this group comprises the three antennae near the nose of
the plane. In the illustrated example the other group comprises
three antenna, 7000D-E, which are oriented as reflected in FIG. 7C,
but are physically located at the tail end of the plane. In the
example each illustrated antenna covers a roughly 60-degree span of
sky below the plane such that the entirety of the space below the
plane is available for communication.
[0168] As described above, during operation of the system under
discussion for a given plane, communication links will be
established between an Air Station on the plane and one or more
ground stations such that high bandwidth bidirectional
communications with the plane can be enabled at all times over a
given geographical area. Exemplary approaches for locating and
orienting Ground Stations across a desired area are reflected in
FIGS. 9A and 9B.
[0169] DISTRIBUTING GROUND STATIONS ACROSS A REGION TO BE SERVICED:
As described above, the ground stations of the present system may
be used to provide high bandwidth communications over a geographic
region supported by the system. Such ground stations may be
arranged to provide equal bandwidth coverage over the entire region
serviced by the system or to vary the available bandwidth depending
on the anticipated bandwidth needs of areas within the covered
region. FIGS. 9A and 9B depict exemplary approaches for
distributing Ground Stations across a geographic region over which
high bandwidth communications with objects traveling through the
sky are desired.
[0170] FIXED GRID LAYOUT: Referring initially to FIG. 9A, an
exemplary layout of Ground Stations across an exemplary geographic
region desired to be served by the system is illustrated. In the
example of FIG. 9A the exemplary area to be served is the state of
Texas and adjacent states and waters. It will be appreciated,
however, that the systems and devices disclosed herein can be used
to provide high-bandwidth communications in the sky above any
geographical region. In the example of FIG. 9A, each dot reflects a
single ground station and the Ground Stations are laid out on
roughly a 100 mile by 100 mile grid, with each Ground Station being
separated from its most adjacent Ground Stations (on a
North-South/East-West basis) by a 100 mile distance.
[0171] In general, the distance between ground stations should be
selected such that, for any location with the Geographic Space
desired to be served, at least two ARAAs of each plane to be served
by the system is within the communication range of at least one
Ground Station. This form of spacing is reflected by exemplary
plane 900A which is shown as being able to communicate with at
least the two Ground Stations to the south-east and south-west of
the plane. This is to ensure that for each to be served by the
system, at any desired location within the Geographic Region to be
served, there exist at least two available communication channels.
The ability to provide communications across at least two
communication channels any given point provides both the ability to
increase the bandwidth available to the plane at that location (if
a single communication channel is insufficient to provide the
desired bandwidth) and provide a redundant link in the event that
there is a failure of equipment that disables one of the at least
two potential ARAA-Ground Station links.
[0172] In one exemplary embodiment, the Ground Stations are
positioned and configured such that each plane to be served by the
system will have at least one (or greater if multiple simultaneous
frequency communication is enabled for the plane) high bandwidth
communication path available to it. Thus, for an exemplary system
where each Air Station includes six (6) ARAAs, the Ground Stations
should be positioned such that, at any given geographic point
within the region to be served, each plane is capable of
communicating with six (6) ground stations. This arrangement is
reflected by exemplary plane 900B in FIG. 5A, which is shown as
having the ability to communicate with at least the six Ground
Stations most adjacent to the plane.
[0173] In another exemplary embodiment, the Ground Stations are
positioned in such a manner that each ARAA within a plane is
capable of communicating with at least two Ground Stations
generally along a given direction. Thus, arrangement is generally
reflected by exemplary plane 900C in FIG. 9A. As reflected in FIG.
9A, plane 900C is capable of communicating with at least two Ground
Stations to its East. It will be appreciated that, in other
examples, planes can communicate with multiple Ground Stations in
multiple directions. As discussed in more detail below, this
arrangement can provide benefits in situations where the system is
servicing a large number of planes and/or where one or more planes
require a substantial amount of bandwidth.
[0174] DEMAND-INFLUENCED LAYOUT: FIG. 9B shows some exemplary
alternate or adjusted spacing arrangements. As will be appreciated,
in certain geographic regions the bandwidth demands may be higher
than others. For example, near large cities where the number of
private and commercial planes will typically be greater than in
rural regions, it may be desirable to increase the number of Ground
Stations to enable more communication links over that area. Such
examples are shown in FIG. 9B with respect to the region associated
with the Houston area (9100) and the Dallas-Fort Worth area (9200).
As reflected in the figures, in such areas additional Ground
Stations have been added. The number of Ground Stations can also be
modified to account for greater bandwidth demands in regions where
planes in the area are expected to be greater than in other
regions. For example, near Collage Station Texas, the home of Texas
A&M University, the technical skills and demands of those
traveling in planes in the area may be such that additional Ground
Stations would be warranted, as compared to geographic areas
associated with lesser institutions of learning.
[0175] In addition to considering local bandwidth demands, the
location and spacing of Ground Stations may be adjusted to account
for expected air traffic paths. This is generally reflected by 9300
depicted in FIG. 9B which corresponds to a path of heavy commercial
traffic across the state of Texas.
[0176] Still further, the location and spacing of Ground Stations
may be adjusted to account for geographic and political boundaries.
For example, if the region to be served is intended to be focused
on a specific political area (e.g., the United States) it may be
undesirable to have a Ground Station located in a foreign country.
As such, Ground Stations that--if regular spacing intervals were to
be used--would be outside the country to be served, could be moved
to be within the boundaries of the country. This is shown in FIG.
9B with respect to the unfilled circles and their adjacent filled
circles which reflect the adjusted positioning of a
[0177] Ground Station with respect to an otherwise regular grid
layout. Still further, geographic and/or political concerns (e.g.,
mountains, lakes, sensitive environmental areas, access to
available property, etc.) may influence the location and
positioning of Ground Stations.
[0178] Although not explicitly reflected in the preceding figures,
it should be understood that all of the Ground Stations may be
capable of communicating (via their respective Ground Station
Control units) with the other Ground Station Control units in the
system. Additionally, or alternatively, the Ground Station control
units may also be capable of communicating with one or more Central
System Control Units. The (or each) Central System Control Unit may
take the form of a computer capable of providing control and
operating instructions and data to the various Ground Stations to
control the manner in which the various Ground Stations communicate
with the Air Stations in the system to ensure that planes traveling
through the region serviced by the system (and therefore devices
within such planes) are provided with high bandwidth
communications, for example Internet communications.
[0179] Additionally, while not illustrated in FIGS. 9A or 9B, it is
possible in certain embodiments to position one or more Ground
Stations on the water. Such stations could be positioned on
floating structures and/or permanent or semi-permanent structures,
such as floating oil wells, fixed or floating offshore platforms,
or on temporarily positioned structures.
[0180] ENABLING BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN AN AIR STATION
AND ONE OR MORE GROUND STATIONS: As described above, the present
system is intended to enable the provision of massive bandwidth to
the planes served by the system. One manner in which this can be
done is by permitting the establishment of multiple communication
links between each plane and the ground. This can be accomplished
by configuring the system such that each plane is capable of
establishing bi-directional communication links between each air
antenna in each air station and a ground station, where each of the
ground stations with which each antenna is in communication are
different. In this manner, the total bandwidth available to the
plane will be the sum of the bandwidths available from each
independent communication channel
[0181] FIGS. 10A-10B generally illustrate the manner in which the
described system may be controlled to enable high bandwidth
communications to an exemplary plane 10000. For purposes of this
example, it is assumed that each Air Station includes six (6) ARAAs
and each Ground Station includes sixteen (16) GRAAs.
[0182] At an initial time, reflected in FIG. 10A, the plane 10000
may be located at a given region of the space above the system. At
such a location, the Air Station on the plane may wish to engage in
communications with the system.
[0183] In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, each Air
Station in the system will be provided with an updatable table that
reflects the geographical location of each ground station in the
system (at least for the geographical space over which the plane
containing the Air Station may travel). The table may also include
for each ground station one or both of: (a) an initial preferred
Ground Station Command Frequency for communication with each Ground
Station (or for Ground Stations with GRAAs that support
multi-simultaneous frequency transmission/reception, multiple
initially preferred frequencies); or (b) a list of a plurality of
initially preferred Ground Station Command Frequencies. In one
exemplary embodiment, each Air Station will maintain a table that
associates each available Ground Station with: (i) the geographic
region associated with that Ground Station and (ii) a list of ten
(10) available Ground Station Command Frequencies for that Ground
Station, with the frequency at the beginning of the list being the
most preferred initial Ground Station Command Frequency. In such an
embodiment, the list can rank available command frequencies from
most preferred to least preferred, with the list being updated on a
regular basis to reflect the detection of noise or interference in
the geographic area associated with the Ground Station.
[0184] The table of initially preferred Ground Station Command
Frequencies may be initially provided to each Air Station, and
updated, during a period when ground-based or wired communications
with the Air Station are enabled, such as when the plane containing
the Air Station is located at a hanger and has ground-based wired
or wireless Internet access. Additionally, or alternatively, the
table may be updated through communications with one or more Ground
Stations as the Air Station travels through the sky.
[0185] The initially preferred Command Frequency or Frequencies for
each Ground Station may be selected in a variety of ways. Such
initially preferred frequency/frequencies may be selected to avoid
interference and/or to achieve other desired operating
efficiencies. Various approaches for determining the frequencies to
be used are described below.
[0186] INITIAL FREQUENCY ASSIGNMENT: In one embodiment, each Ground
Station will be assigned an initially preferred communication
frequency. This embodiment may be used, for example, when the
operator of the system has obtained a license to use the specific
preferred frequency in that region and there is little potential
that use of the frequency will be subject to, or cause,
interference with other radio signals in the region.
[0187] In another embodiment, each Ground Station may be assigned
an initial Control Frequency based on the past communications
involving that Ground Station. In this example, the past history of
the Ground Station's communication with Air Stations will be
considered and the frequencies at which the least interference was
detected will be selected as potential initial Control Frequencies
will be determined. Such frequencies will be available as initial
Ground Station Command Frequencies and the frequency with the least
interference will be assigned as the initial Ground Station Command
Frequency.
[0188] ADJUSTMENT OF FREQUENCIES BASED ON FREQUENCY PERFORMANCE
PROTOCOL: In yet a further alternate embodiment, the initially
preferred frequency used by a Ground Station for may be determined
by each Ground Station on a regular basis through use of the
frequency interference protocol discussed above. In such
embodiments, each Ground Station may be provided with a test
communication device within its region to perform the frequency
performance protocol on a regular basis and update its preferred
initial frequency based on the results of performing the protocol.
Such embodiments are useful when specific frequencies have been
allocated to the operator of the system and the operator elects to
operate at available frequencies, within an approved band, at low
power. In such embodiments, each Ground Station may communicate
with the other Ground Stations (either directly, or through
indirect links) or with the Central System Control Unit to update
the preferred initial frequency for that Ground Station.
[0189] Knowing its own geographical location, and possessing a
table enabling identification of the available Ground Stations in
its area and the initial preferred frequency for communications
with those Ground Stations, the plane 10000 may determine the ARAA
that covers the region below the plane where one available Ground
Station is located and, using that ARAA, send a communication
requesting the establishment of a communications link. A GRAA
associated with the region of the sky in which the Air Station is
located within the targeted Ground Station may then receive the
signal and establish a communication link between the targeted
Ground Station and the Air Station within the plane. Note that in
establishing such a communication link, the Ground Station may
inform the Air Station that an alternate frequency should be used,
and the Ground Station and the Air Station can then configure their
respective SDRs to operate at the new desired frequency. Note that
once a communication link is established, it can then be passed
between the GRAAs and ARAAs used to establish the initial link and,
thereafter, to GRAAs in a different Ground Station to provide
continuous high bandwidth communications between the plane and the
system as the plane travels across the geographical area serviced
by the system.
[0190] Because each Air Station can communicate with a number of
different ground stations, it is preferred that each air station's
communications always be supported by at least two different ground
stations In such embodiments, a plane desiring to communicate with
the system will initially attempt to establish a communication link
between the Air Station on the plane and at least two different
Ground Stations. Such an approach will both provide an initial high
bandwidth for communications and will also provide a path for
communications if there is a problem with one of the Ground
Stations or one of the ARAAs within the Air Station. This approach
is generally reflected by FIG. 10A, where the Air Station in plane
10000 is illustrated as having established communication links with
two Ground Stations (12000 and 1300).
[0191] In one embodiment, the communication links established by
the Air Station in plane 10000 will both be at initial frequency
(which may be the same frequency) and utilize the same bandwidth
about that frequency for communication. For the initial
communications, the bandwidth about the selected frequency may, to
conserve bandwidth and power, be of minimum bandwidth.
[0192] The ability of an air station to simultaneously support
communication links with more than one different ground station
allows for adjustment of the number of communication links
supported by the air station, such that the bandwidth available to
the plane can be increased or decreased as needed. For example, if
the minimum bandwidth is insufficient to enable the level of
communications desired by the Air Station, the Air Station, in
communication with the Ground Stations involved in the links, may
request that the bandwidth be increased to an intermediate
bandwidth. If the intermediate bandwidth is still insufficient to
provide the desired level of communications, the Air Station and
Ground Station may together adjust the SDRs involved in the
communications to operate at an even higher bandwidth. These
increases may continue up to the point of utilizing all available
bandwidth.
[0193] In one exemplary embodiment, in the event that the increase
of the frequency bandwidth as described does not permit the two
established links to provide the level of communications desired by
the air station on plane 10000, and both the Air Station on plane
10000 and the Ground Stations with which it is communicating are
capable of implementing simultaneous dual-frequency communications,
the Air Station and the Ground Stations with which it is
communicating may then configure the SDRs involved in the
communication to establish single frequency communication links
with two additional Ground Stations before beginning providing dual
frequency communications. When implemented, this approach would
then potentially double the available bandwidth available to the
Air Station as there would now be four communication links between
the Air Station and the Ground Station. This is reflected
generally, in FIG. 10B, where the Air Station within plane 10000 is
shown as having established communication links with Ground
Stations 12000, 13000, 14000 and 15000.
[0194] In an alternate exemplary embodiment, in the event that the
increase of the frequency bandwidth as described does not permit
the two established links to provide the level of communications
desired by the air station on plane 10000, and both the Air Station
on plane 10000 and the Ground Stations with which it is
communicating are capable of implementing simultaneous
dual-frequency communications, the Air Station and the Ground
Stations with which it is communicating may then configure the SDRs
involved in the communication to begin providing dual frequency
communications before establishing single-frequency communications
with additional Ground Stations. When implemented, this approach
wound then would potentially double the available bandwidth
available to the Air Station as there would not be two
communication links (one at each frequency of communication)
between the Air Station and the Ground Station.
[0195] In the embodiments above, where the transition is made from
communications between an Air Station and two Ground Stations to
communications between an Air Station and four Ground Stations (or
alternatively from single frequency communications to dual
frequency communications,) the frequency bandwidth for each
communication link (which would have been at the maximum frequency
bandwidth) can be automatically reduced to an intermediate
frequency bandwidth level. In alternate embodiments, the bandwidth
can remain at the maximum frequency bandwidth level after the
transition, but the Air Station and Ground Station can then
determine if the communication needs of the Air Station can be met
with a lower frequency bandwidth and, if so, reduce the frequency
bandwidth. In general, the frequency bandwidth should be as small
as possible to adequately support the desired communications.
[0196] If the example where single frequency links are established
before any dual frequency links are established, if the transition
to communication links between the Air Station and four Ground
Stations dual frequency communications across the communication
links between the Air Station on plane 10000 and Ground Stations
12000 and 13000 still does not provide enough communication
bandwidth to support the communications desired by the Air Station
on plane 10000, the Air Station may cause two of the ARAAS in the
Air Station to send transmissions to additional Ground Stations to
establish still additional communication links. This would result
in the establishment of six single-frequency links with six
different Ground Stations.
[0197] In the example where six single frequency communication
links are established, if additional bandwidth is desired and
dual-frequency communications are available, one or more, or pairs,
of the single frequency communication links can be converted to
dual-frequency links as needed.
[0198] The Air Station and involved Ground Stations can then
communicate to set the necessary frequency bandwidths, the need for
single or dual frequency transmissions, and to provide the desired
communication bandwidth to the Air Station. In the event that the
bandwidth available from the addition communication links is
exceeded, the Air Station and Ground Station can request still
additional communication links up to the point that all of the
ARAAs in the Air Station are fully utilized.
[0199] It should be noted that the example of FIGS. 10A and 10B
shows the plane 10000 in the same location. It will be appreciated
that the establishment and adjustment of the various communication
links will be occurring as the plane travels across the
geographical space and that the communication links at issue will
actually be transitioning between ARAAs within the Air Station,
between GRAAs within the initially involved Ground Stations and
between multiple Ground Stations as the plane traverses
geographical space.
[0200] As described above, in the various examples described above,
the Ground Stations will cooperate with Air Stations in planes to
provide high bandwidth communications with the Air Stations
including a plurality of ARAAs and the Air Stations can then, in
turn, use devices such as communication device 6500 to enable
communication devices (e.g., laptops, smart phones) within the
plane to utilize the available bandwidth. Alternate embodiments are
envisioned, however, where the Ground Stations and Air Stations are
simplified to enable the establishment of a cost-effective
system.
[0201] The availability of a number of high bandwidth communication
links provided by the system disclosed herein allows for efficient
control of the data provided to/or received from each of the ARAAs
and, in turn, each of the individual devices within the cabin of a
plane.
[0202] Thus, for example, by having multiple Ground Stations
available to service each of the airplanes in the space covered by
the system, high-bandwidth links can be dynamically allocated to
particular planes with high demand and low bandwidth communication
links can be dynamically allocated to other planes to provide
on-demand Internet service. In this manner bandwidth adjustments
can be made on a plane-by-plane basis.
[0203] The system further permits efficient control of the multiple
communication links established for a given plane. For example, if
the wireless devices within the plane are transmitting and
receiving data at roughly the same level, then it may be
appropriate to distribute the bandwidth of the communications
equally across the various communication links then in use.
However, if it is determined that many of the devices are engaged
in significant streaming activity (such that the upload of data to
the ARAAs and then to the communicating devices) is dominant, then
it may be optimal to devote one or more of the communication
channels solely to the streaming uplink of data from a GRAA to an
ARAA. Doing so, may permit more efficient compression and
transmission of data as the dedicated links can be used solely
(primarily) for one type of data transmission. By using such an
approach, the transmission of data from an ARAA to a GRAA (which
would otherwise potentially interrupt the streaming transmission of
data from a GRAA to an ARAA as it would require use of the link to
transmit data from the ARAA to the GRAA) can be directed to an
alternative communication link and the communication links used for
streaming can continue to be used primarily (or exclusively) over a
given period, for the transmission of data to one or more ARAAs in
the Air Station.
[0204] The above is but one example of the alternative approaches
enabled by the disclosed system. Others as may be apparent to those
ordinarily skilled in the arts when presented with this disclosure
are envisioned.
[0205] In terms of the network architecture, any of the known
network medias and transports may be used in this application.
Without limitation, this may include the Internet Protocol as is
used throughout the Internet; packet relay technology; asynchronous
transfer mode (ATM); frame relay; circuit switching; or any other
technology that is practicable.
[0206] Selecting an upcoming GRAA while the airplane containing an
ARAA is moving will need to be done rapidly. The airplane may
select an upcoming GRAA through the use of signal strength and
bandwidth availability, which may be signaled through a
command/control signal from the GRAA. This may be sent to
individual aircraft that identify themselves to the GRAA, or they
may be broadcast for all receivers to make decisions based upon the
information they contain.
[0207] A fairness algorithm may be implemented so that congested
Ground Station may not be selected even though an aircraft is very
close to it and the GRAA has the best signal strength. For example
when a small aircraft with few devices on it needing Internet
access is close to a Ground Station at the same time that a large
aircraft with hundreds of devices on it is further away from the
same GRAA, the GRAA may determine that its capabilities are best
used by devoting itself to serving the larger aircraft. The GRAA
may then signal to the smaller aircraft to find an alternative
Ground Station, even if the alternative has poorer signal
strength.
[0208] When an airplane is moving between one GRAA and another, it
will start to lose the signal from the previous GRAA and will need
to acquire a signal from a next GRAA. During this transition, it is
desirable to not lose any signals transmitted to or from the
stations. As noted, the airplane may be receiving signals from
other (upcoming) GRAAs and may select one based upon signal
strength, congestion, and possibly other determinations. In one
embodiment, if the airplane is actively transmitting signals to
destinations on the Internet, it may duplicate these signals and
send them to the active GRAA and any other Ground Station receiver
capable of receiving them. This may be done before the airplane
establishes a link to that GRAA. In this embodiment, the GRAA
should receive those signals and send them to their intended
destinations. In the Internet Protocol, it is known that
duplication of packets may occur, and they may be properly handled
by a receiver. While this may incur additional bandwidth usage in
the backhaul network, it may be preferable to do this so that
handoffs are not disruptive.
[0209] As will be appreciated from a review of this disclosure, the
exemplary systems described herein can supply massive communication
bandwidth to the sky with a limited number of allocated frequencies
and minimal ground and airplane hardware. Thus, for example, if a
Ground Station has twenty-five (25) GRAAs (and therefore 25
directional antenna) each Ground Station could communicate at any
given time with up to twenty-five Air Stations (and thus 25
different airplanes on a first frequency and, if dual-frequency
communications were enabled, to another twenty-five (25) Air
Stations for a total of fifty (50) different airplanes that can be
supported at any given time. As another example, a system including
two hundred (200) Ground Stations (each with twenty-five GRAAs and
thus 25 different antenna) could potentially communicate, using
single-frequency communications, with up to five-thousand different
airplanes in the sky supported by the system. With dual-frequency
communications, the number of supported airplanes could be doubled
(or the bandwidth to each of the five thousand planes could be
doubled). With multi-frequency communications supporting three
frequency communications, the number of supported planes (or the
bandwidth to each plane) cold be tripled, and so forth as the
number of frequencies supported by each GRAA at any given time
increases.
[0210] The Figures described above, and the written description of
specific structures and functions below are not presented to limit
the scope of what I have invented or the scope of the appended
claims. Rather, the Figures and written description are provided to
teach any person skilled in the art to make and use the inventions
for which patent protection is sought. Those skilled in the art
will appreciate that not all features of a commercial embodiment of
the inventions are described or shown for the sake of clarity and
understanding. Persons of skill in this art will also appreciate
that the development of an actual commercial embodiment
incorporating aspects of the present inventions will require
numerous implementation-specific decisions to achieve the
developer's goal for the commercial embodiment. Such
implementation-specific decisions may include, and likely are not
limited to, compliance with system-related, business-related,
government-related, and other constraints, which may vary by
specific implementation, location and from time to time. While a
developer's efforts might be complex and time-consuming in an
absolute sense, such efforts would be, nevertheless, a routine
undertaking for those of skill in this art having benefit of this
disclosure. It must be understood that the inventions disclosed and
taught herein are susceptible to numerous and various modifications
and alternative forms. Lastly, the use of a singular term, such as,
but not limited to, "a," is not intended as limiting of the number
of items. Also, the use of relational terms, such as, but not
limited to, "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "upper," "lower,"
"down," "up," "side," and the like are used in the written
description for clarity in specific reference to the Figures and
are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or the
appended claims.
[0211] Aspects of the inventions disclosed herein may be embodied
as an apparatus, system, method, or computer program product.
Accordingly, specific embodiments may take the form of an entirely
hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an
embodiment combining software and hardware aspects, such as a
"circuit," "module" or "system." Furthermore, embodiments of the
present inventions may take the form of a computer program product
embodied in one or more computer readable storage media having
computer readable program code.
[0212] Reference throughout this disclosure to "one embodiment,"
"an embodiment," or similar language means that a feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the
embodiment is included in at least one of the many possible
embodiments of the present inventions. The terms "including,"
"comprising," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but
not limited to" unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated
listing of items does not imply that any or all the items are
mutually exclusive and/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly
specified otherwise. The terms "a," "an," and "the" also refer to
"one or more" unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0213] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or
characteristics of one embodiment may be combined in any suitable
manner in one or more other embodiments. Those of skill in the art
having the benefit of this disclosure will understand that the
inventions may be practiced without one or more of the specific
details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so
forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or
operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring
aspects of the disclosure.
[0214] Aspects of the present disclosure are described with
reference to schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block
diagrams of methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program
products according to embodiments of the disclosure. It will be
understood by those of skill in the art that each block of the
schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, and
combinations of blocks in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or
schematic block diagrams, may be implemented by computer program
instructions. Such computer program instructions may be provided to
a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose
computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to create
a machine or device, such that the instructions, which execute via
the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, structurally configured to implement the functions/acts
specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic
block diagrams block or blocks. These computer program instructions
also may be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can
direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or
other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the
instructions stored in the computer readable storage medium produce
an article of manufacture including instructions which implement
the function/act specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams
and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks. The computer
program instructions also may be loaded onto a computer, other
programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a
series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other
programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer
implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the
computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for
implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or
block diagram block or blocks.
[0215] The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block
diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality,
and/or operation of possible apparatuses, systems, methods, and
computer program products according to various embodiments of the
present inventions. In this regard, each block in the schematic
flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams may represent a
module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more
executable instructions for implementing the specified logical
function(s).
[0216] It also should be noted that, in some possible embodiments,
the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted
in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may
sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality involved. Other steps and methods may be conceived
that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more
blocks, or portions thereof, of the illustrated figures.
[0217] Although various arrow types and line types may be employed
in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, they do not limit the scope
of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or other
connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the
depicted embodiment. For example, but not limitation, an arrow may
indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration
between enumerated steps of the depicted embodiment. It will also
be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or
flowchart diagrams, may be implemented by special purpose
hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or
acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer
instructions.
[0218] The description of elements in each Figure may refer to
elements of proceeding Figures. Like numbers refer to like elements
in all figures, including alternate embodiments of like elements.
In some possible embodiments, the functions/actions/structures
noted in the figures may occur out of the order noted in the block
diagrams and/or operational illustrations. For example, two
operations shown as occurring in succession, in fact, may be
executed substantially concurrently or the operations may be
executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality/acts/structure involved.
[0219] The inventions have been described in the context of
preferred and other embodiments and not every embodiment of the
invention has been described. Obvious modifications and alterations
to the described embodiments are available to those of ordinary
skill in the art. The disclosed and undisclosed embodiments are not
intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the
invention conceived of by the Applicants, but rather, in conformity
with the patent laws, Applicants intend to protect fully all such
modifications and improvements that come within the scope or range
of equivalent of the following claims.
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