Air-to-ground cellular communication network terrestrial base station having multi-dimensional sectors with alternating radio frequency polarizations

• US 20080102812A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogo Business Aviation LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aircell LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liu, Yong, Chari, Anand K., Walsh, Patrick J., Saroka, Harold G., Joyce, Tim, McKenna, Daniel B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/283 Blade, stub antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0435 using two feed points
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The Multi-Link Aircraft Cellular System makes use of multiple physically separated antennas mounted on the aircraft, as well as the use of additional optional signal isolation and optimization techniques to improve the call handling capacity of the Air-To-Ground cellular communications network. These additional techniques can include polarization domain and ground antenna pattern shaping (in azimuth, in elevation, or in both planes). Further, if code domain separation is added, dramatic increases in capacity are realized. Thus, the Air-To-Ground cellular communications network can increase its capacity on a per aircraft basis by sharing its traffic load among more than one cell or sector and by making use of multiple physically separated antennas mounted on the aircraft, as well as the use of additional optional signal isolation and optimization techniques.

Claims

1. A system for managing radio frequency communications in a non-terrestrial region of space between a plurality of wireless subscriber devices located in an aircraft and an Air-To-Ground cellular communications network, comprising:

a plurality of Air-To-Ground terrestrial base stations of said Air-To-Ground cellular communications network for populating said non-terrestrial region of space with a plurality of multi-dimensional Radio Frequency sectors to exchange call traffic between said plurality of wireless subscriber devices and said Air-To-Ground cellular communications network; and

polarization means for polarizing adjacent ones of said plurality of sectors from among at least two substantially orthogonal polarizations.

2. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 wherein at least one of said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base stations comprises:

azimuthal sectoring means for dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an azimuthal plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern.

3. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 2 wherein said polarization means comprises:

alternating means for alternating polarization of adjacent ones of each of said plurality of sectors between said at least two substantially orthogonal polarizations.

4. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 wherein at least one of said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base stations comprises:

elevational sectoring means for dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an elevational plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern.

5. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 4 wherein said polarization means comprises:

alternating means for alternating polarization of adjacent ones of each of said plurality of sectors between said at least two substantially orthogonal polariztions.

6. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein at least one of said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base stations comprises;

azimuthal sectoring means for dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an azimuthal plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern,

elevational sectoring means for dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an elevational plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern; and

wherein said polarization means alternates polarization of adjacent ones of each of said plurality of sectors between said at least two substantially orthogonal polarizations.

7. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 further comprising:

link selection means for identifying a plurality of said Radio Frequency sectors, extant on at least one of said plurality of Air-To-Ground terrestrial base stations, to exchange call traffic between a plurality of wireless subscriber devices in an aircraft and said Air-To-Ground cellular communications network.

8. A method for managing radio frequency communications in a non-terrestrial region of space between a plurality of wireless subscriber devices located in an aircraft and an Air-To-Ground cellular communications network, comprising:

populating, using a plurality of Air-To-Ground terrestrial base stations of said Air-To-Ground cellular communications network, said non-terrestrial region of space with a plurality of multi-dimensional Radio Frequency sectors to exchange call traffic between said plurality of wireless subscriber devices and said Air-To-Ground cellular communications network; and

polarizing of adjacent ones of said plurality of sectors from among at least two substantially orthogonal polarizations.

9. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 8 wherein said step of populating comprises:

dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an azimuthal plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern.

10. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 9 wherein said step of polarizing comprises:

alternating polarization of adjacent ones of each of said plurality of sectors from said at least two substantially orthogonal polarizations.

11. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 8 wherein said step of populating comprises:

dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an elevational plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern.

12. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 11 wherein said step of polarizing comprises:

alternating polarization of adjacent ones of each of said plurality of sectors from said at least two substantially orthogonal polarizations.

13. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 8 further comprising:

wherein said step of populating comprises;

dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an azimuthal plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern,

dividing said Air-To-Ground terrestrial base station antenna'"'"'s far field pattern into a plurality of sectors in an elevational plane, each comprising a portion of said far field pattern; and

wherein said step of polarizing alternates polarization of adjacent ones of each of said plurality of sectors from said at least two substantially orthogonal polarizations.

14. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 8 further comprising:

identifying a plurality of said Radio Frequency sectors, extant on at least one of said plurality of Air-To-Ground terrestrial base stations, to exchange call traffic between a plurality of wireless subscriber devices in an aircraft and said Air-To-Ground cellular communications network.