Aggregate Batch Polling Method for Return Link Communications Between a Platform and a Base Station

• US 20070275659A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Martens, Paulus J., McLain, Christopher J., Parkman, David S., King, Janet L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/13.400
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

Implementations are described that use a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms that are pre-authorized to make use of the satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from the base transceiver. The control center may cause the base transceiver to transmit at least one polling message, the polling message carries information addressed to a specific aggregate group of the registered mobile platforms and includes a return channel which may be used by a mobile platform to communicate with the base transceiver. In one implementation, the control center protects the system from exceeding power spectral density (PSD) statistical limits by using the mobile platform in the group that has a greatest power spectral density signal as the PSD that the aggregate group will generate.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a radio frequency (RF) communications link between an RF base transceiver and a mobile platform carrying an RF transceiver, via a satellite-based transponder, wherein the mobile platform is within a predetermined coverage region, the method comprising:

using a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms, wherein the registered mobile platforms are pre-authorized to make use of the satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from the base transceiver;

using the control center to cause the base transceiver to transmit at least one polling message, the polling message radiating across the coverage region, and wherein the polling message carries information addressed to a specific aggregate group of the registered mobile platforms and includes a return channel which may be used by a mobile platform to communicate with the base transceiver; and

using a mobile platform in the specific aggregate group that, if the mobile platform were to establish a return link, would have the greatest power spectral density (PSD) signal as representative of the PSD that the aggregate group will generate.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the return channel has a minimum predetermined bandwidth and data rate.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the return channel comprises a predetermined bandwidth and data rate, and wherein the control center maintains a list of the return channels in use at all times.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the polling message includes a message body that includes at least one aircraft identification code, information concerning which one of a plurality of satellites the aircraft has been assigned to track, a frequency band of a specific transponder for establishing a return communications link, a data rate, and a multiple access code.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising randomly ordering at least a plurality of the registered mobile platforms.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of the registered mobile platforms randomly ordered is limited to mobile platforms that intentionally do not have a return communications link.

7. A method for establishing a radio frequency (RF) communications link between an RF base transceiver and a mobile platform carrying an RF transceiver, via a satellite-based transponder, wherein the mobile platform is within a predetermined coverage region, the method comprising:

using a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms, wherein the registered mobile platforms are pre-authorized to make use of the satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from the base transceiver;

randomly ordering at least a plurality of the registered mobile platforms maintained on the list of registered mobile platforms;

assigning at least a plurality of the randomly ordered mobile platforms to a specific aggregate group;

using the control center to cause the base transceiver to transmit at least one polling message, the polling message radiating across the coverage region, and wherein the polling message carries information addressed to the specific aggregate group of the registered mobile platforms and includes a return channel which may be used by a mobile platform to communicate with the base transceiver; and

using a mobile platform in the specific aggregate group that, if the mobile platform were to establish a return link, would have the greatest power spectral density (PSD) signal as representative of the PSD that the aggregate group will generate.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the return channel has a minimum predetermined bandwidth and data rate.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the return channel comprises a predetermined bandwidth and data rate, and wherein the control center maintains a database of the return channels in use at all times.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the polling message includes a message body including at least one aircraft identification code, information concerning which one of a plurality of satellites the aircraft has been assigned to track, a frequency band of a specific transponder for establishing a return communications link, a data rate, and a multiple access code.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of the registered mobile platforms randomly ordered is limited to mobile platforms that intentionally do not have a return communications link.

12. A system for establishing a plurality of radio frequency (RF) communications links between an RF base station transceiver and a mobile platform carrying an RF transceiver, wherein the mobile platform is within a predetermined coverage region, the system comprising:

an RF base station transceiver disposed within the coverage region;

a network operations center (NOC) for maintaining a list of available return communication channels and a list of mobile platforms authorized to establish communication links with the RF base station transceiver; and

a satellite-based transponder disposed in orbit that supports the predetermined coverage region,

wherein the NOC operates to cause the RF base station transceiver to transmit at least one polling message, via the satellite-based transponder, to a specific aggregate group of the registered mobile platforms, the polling message designating a return channel that may be used by a mobile platform to communicate with the RF base station transceiver, and wherein the NOC uses a mobile platform in the specific aggregate group that, if the mobile platform were to establish a return link, would have the greatest power spectral density (PSD) signal as representative of the PSD that the aggregate group will generate.

13. The System according to claim 12, wherein the NOC randomly orders at least a plurality of the registered mobile platforms, and the randomly ordered plurality of the registered mobile platforms include only the specific aggregate group of registered mobile platforms.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the return channel has a minimum predetermined bandwidth and data rate.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the polling message includes a message body including at least one aircraft identification code, information concerning which one of a plurality of satellites the aircraft has been assigned to track, a frequency band of a specific transponder for establishing a return communications link, a data rate and a multiple access code.