System and method for managing communications with mobile platforms operating within a predefined geographic area
First Claim
1. A system for managing communication between a mobile platform operating within a pre-defined geographic region and a communications station, the system comprising:
- a control system for managing communications within said geographic region;
a mobile platform communications component located on said mobile platform for communicating with said control system;
a plurality of antennas located at spaced apart locations within or adjacent said geographic region, each of said antennas being in communication with said control system; and
wherein said control system uses an operating characteristic of said mobile platform as said mobile platform operates within said geographic region to inform said mobile platform as to which one of said antennas to communicate with to maintain a communications link between said mobile platform and said control system while reducing a frequency with which said mobile platform is required to switch between different ones of said antennas as said mobile platform moves within said geographic region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing communications within an airfield between an aircraft component located upon an aircraft and an airport data network. A control computer is used to select an optimal antenna substation from a plurality of antenna substations disposed about the airfield for the aircraft component to communicate with. The selection is based in part upon position information including the directional heading of the aircraft, determined using a suitable position detecting system, such as a Global Positioning System or a multi-lateration system, and in part upon the loading (i.e., RF traffic) being experienced by each antenna array. Determining the optimal antenna array for the aircraft to communicate with based on the directional heading of the aircraft and the real time usage of each of the antenna substations is advantageous as it decreases the number of times that the aircraft must initiate a new connection with a new antenna substation, and therefore decreases the transmission interruptions experienced due to the creation of new connections.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A system for managing communication between a mobile platform operating within a pre-defined geographic region and a communications station, the system comprising:
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a control system for managing communications within said geographic region;
a mobile platform communications component located on said mobile platform for communicating with said control system;
a plurality of antennas located at spaced apart locations within or adjacent said geographic region, each of said antennas being in communication with said control system; and
wherein said control system uses an operating characteristic of said mobile platform as said mobile platform operates within said geographic region to inform said mobile platform as to which one of said antennas to communicate with to maintain a communications link between said mobile platform and said control system while reducing a frequency with which said mobile platform is required to switch between different ones of said antennas as said mobile platform moves within said geographic region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for managing communications with a mobile platform operating within a pre-defined geographic region, comprising:
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a mobile platform communications component located on said mobile platform for determining a location of said mobile platform while said mobile platform is operating within said pre-defined geographic region;
at least one antenna located on said mobile platform;
a ground based component including;
a plurality of antennas located at spaced apart locations about said pre-defined geographic region;
a control system in communication with said antennas; and
wherein said control system analyzes location information received by at least one of said antennas and selects a specific antenna with which said mobile platform communications component is to use for communicating with a network disposed at said pre-defined geographic region, said selection being made based at least in part on real-time location information for said mobile platform. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for managing communications between a mobile platform operating within a pre-defined terrestrial, geographic region, in a manner to minimize interruptions to a communications link established between the mobile platform and a communications center at the geographic region, the system comprising:
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a communications component disposed on said mobile platform, said communications component including a system for providing real time location information;
a ground based component including;
a plurality of antenna stations disposed at predetermined locations about geographic region for providing radio frequency (RF) communications with said mobile platform at any location within said geographic region;
a control system in communication with each of said antenna stations; and
wherein said control system uses said location information and a direction of travel of said mobile platform to determine which of said antenna stations to communicate with and to instruct said mobile platform to switch from one of said antenna stations to another in a manner to minimize a number of changes between said antenna stations while said mobile platform travels within said geographic region, and while maintaining an optimal RF communications link between said mobile platform and said ground component. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for managing communications within a pre-defined geographic area between a mobile platform operating within the geographic area and a control system, comprising:
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a) using a plurality of ground-based antenna stations, each disposed at fixed locations within the geographic area, to each transmit an identification;
b) using a communications component located on said mobile platform to receive said beacon signals and to select an initial one of said antenna stations to establish a communications link with said control system as said mobile platform operates within said geographic region;
c) using said control system to communicate with each of said antenna stations and to monitor at least one of speed of travel and direction of travel of said mobile platform within said geographic region;
d) using said control system to analyze information obtained at step c) to determine when said mobile platform should switch from communicating with said initial one of said antenna stations to a different one of said antenna stations to maintain an optimal communications link while moving within said geographic region; and
e) instructing said communications component, in real time, as to which one of said antenna stations to use to maintain said communications link in a manner which reduces a frequency with which said communications component is required to switch from one said antenna system to another. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for managing communications within a pre-defined geographic area between a mobile platform operating within the geographic area and a control system, comprising:
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locating a plurality of ground-based antenna stations, each disposed at fixed locations within the geographic area;
using at least one of the ground-based antenna stations to transmit an identifying signal;
using a communications component located on said mobile platform to receive said identifying signal and to establish a communications link with said control system via said one of said antenna stations as said mobile platform travels within said geographic area;
using said control system to analyze position information relating to said mobile platform as said mobile platform moves within said geographic area;
using said control system to determine when said communications component should switch from said one antenna station to a different one of said antenna stations to maintain an optimal communications link with said communications component while minimizing a number of times that switching between different ones of said antenna stations occurs; and
using the control system to inform said communications component, via at least one of said antenna stations, which of said antenna stations to switch to so as to maintain said communications link. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification