SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING HIGH SPEED COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE IN AN AIRBORNE WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORK

• US 20080274734A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogo Business Aviation LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aircell LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tarokh, Vahid, Kostanic, Ivica, Chari, Anand K., Cruz, Joseph M., Saroka, Harold G., Gordon, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The present Broadband Link System supplements the existing Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency communications link with an additional, separate high speed Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel to provide additional data communication capacity for aircraft. This Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel is typically a uni-directional (Ground-To-Air) link directed via a focused beam to selected aircraft which are operational in the coverage area of the Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel. The routing of the various data transmissions on both the Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency communications link and the Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel are managed in a unified manner to maximize the utilization of the two transmission facilities.

Claims

1. A system for providing wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in an aircraft that is operational in a selected coverage area, comprising:

a ground-based communications network having a plurality of base stations located on the ground, each of which operates at least one transceiver to create a coverage area that provides wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in an aircraft that is operational in the coverage area, said transceiver comprising;

Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means for providing at least one radio frequency communication link, operating at a first radio frequency and having a first bandwidth, for transmitting communications signals between said aircraft and said transceiver, and

Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means for establishing at least one Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link, operating at a second radio frequency and having a second bandwidth which is greater than said first bandwidth, with said aircraft for transmitting communications signals from said transceiver to said aircraft.

2. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 wherein said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means comprises:

radio frequency antenna means for creating at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to said aircraft.

3. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 2 wherein said base station further comprises:

data routing means, responsive to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, for activating said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means to create said at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to said aircraft to transmit said communications signals from said transceiver to said aircraft.

4. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 wherein said base station further comprises:

data routing means, responsive to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, for dividing said communication signals between said Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means and said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means.

5. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 wherein said base station further comprises:

contention protocol means for managing the concurrent delivery of said communications signals on said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means to a plurality of aircraft.

6. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 5 wherein said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means implements a plurality of carrier signals, and said contention protocol means comprises:

busy carrier means for periodically placing a busy one of said carrier signals in an idle state to enable an idle one of said carrier signals to be selected for transmission.

7. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 1 wherein said second radio frequency of said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means is higher than said first radio frequency of said Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means.

8. A method for providing wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in an aircraft that is operational in a selected coverage area, via a ground-based communications network having a plurality of base stations located on the ground, each of which operates at least one transceiver to create a coverage area that provides wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in an aircraft that is operational in the coverage area, comprising:

providing at least one Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency link, operating at a first radio frequency and having a first bandwidth, for transmitting communications signals between said aircraft and said transceiver; and

establishing at least one Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link, operating at a second radio frequency and having a second bandwidth which is greater than said first bandwidth, with selected ones of said aircraft for transmitting communications signals from said transceiver to said aircraft.

9. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 8 wherein said step of establishing at least one Broadband Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link comprises:

creating at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to said aircraft.

10. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 9, further comprising:

activating, in response to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, said step of establishing at least one Broadband Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link to create said at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to said aircraft to transmit said communications signals from said transceiver to said aircraft.

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

dividing, in response to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, said communication signals between said Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency link and said Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link.

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

managing the concurrent delivery of said communications signals on said Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link to a plurality of aircraft.

13. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 12 wherein said Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link implements a plurality of carrier signals, and said step of managing comprises:

periodically placing a busy one of said carrier signals in an idle state to enable an idle one of said carrier signals to be selected for transmission.

14. A system for providing wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in a plurality of aircraft that are operational in a selected coverage area, comprising:

a ground-based communications network having a plurality of base stations located on the ground, each of which operates at least one transceiver to create a coverage area that provides wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in a plurality of aircraft that are operational in the coverage area, said transceiver comprising;

Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means for providing radio frequency communication links, operating at a first radio frequency and having a first bandwidth, for transmitting communications signals between each of said aircraft and said transceiver, and

Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means for establishing at least one Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link, operating at a second radio frequency and having a second bandwidth which is greater than said first bandwidth, with selected ones of said aircraft for transmitting communications signals from said transceiver to said selected aircraft.

15. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 14 wherein said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means comprises:

radio frequency antenna means for creating at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to each of said selected aircraft.

16. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 15 wherein said base station further comprises:

data routing means, responsive to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, for activating said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means to create said at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to each of said selected aircraft to transmit said communications signals from said transceiver to each of said selected aircraft.

17. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 14 wherein said base station further comprises:

data routing means, responsive to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, for dividing said communication signals between said Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means and said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means.

18. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 14 wherein said base station further comprises:

contention protocol means for managing the concurrent delivery of said communications signals on said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means to a plurality of aircraft.

19. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 18 wherein said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means implements a plurality of carrier signals, and said contention protocol means comprises:

busy carrier means for periodically placing a busy one of said carrier signals in an idle state to enable an idle one of said carrier signals to be selected for transmission.

20. The system for managing radio frequency communications of claim 14 wherein said second radio frequency of said Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means is higher than said first radio frequency of said Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means.

21. A method for providing wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in a plurality of aircraft that are operational in a selected coverage area, via a ground-based communications network having a plurality of base stations located on the ground, each of which operates at least one transceiver to create a coverage area that provides wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in a plurality of aircraft that are operational in the coverage area, comprising:

providing at least one Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency link, operating at a first radio frequency and having a first bandwidth, for transmitting communications signals between each of said aircraft and said transceiver; and

establishing at least one Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link, operating at a second radio frequency and having a second bandwidth which is greater than said first bandwidth, with selected ones of said aircraft for transmitting communications signals from said transceiver to said aircraft.

22. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 21 wherein said step of establishing at least one Broadband Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link comprises:

creating at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to each of said selected aircraft.

23. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 22, further comprising:

activating, in response to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, said step of establishing at least one Broadband Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link to create said at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is directed to each of said selected aircraft to transmit said communications signals from said transceiver to each of said selected aircraft.

24. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 21, further comprising:

dividing, in response to communications signals received for delivery to said aircraft, said communication signals between said Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency link and said Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link.

25. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 21, further comprising:

managing the concurrent delivery of said communications signals on said Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link to a plurality of aircraft.

26. The method for managing radio frequency communications of claim 25 wherein said Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link implements a plurality of carrier signals, and said step of managing comprises:

periodically placing a busy one of said carrier signals in an idle state to enable an idle one of said carrier signals to be selected for transmission.