DISTRIBUTED AIRBORNE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20160050011A1
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sunlight Aerospace Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sunlight Photonics Incorporated
• Inventors: FROLOV, SERGEY V., CYRUS, MICHAEL, BRUCE, ALLAN J., MOUSSOURIS, JOHN PETER
• Application Number:
  US14/462,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050011A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing distributed airborne wireless communications are provided. An airborne wireless communication system may include: an airborne fleet comprising a plurality of airborne platforms; a distributed communication payload subdivided into parts, each distributed on respective airborne platforms. The communication payload comprises air-to-user link equipment and air-to-air link equipment to provide communications between the airborne wireless communication system and end-users and between individual airborne platforms; and payload control electronics to control the air-to-user and air-to-air equipment and manage operation of the airborne wireless communication system. The air-to-user link equipment comprises an RF antenna to produce an RF beam in a direction towards the ground. A communication cell is defined on the ground and in the airspace below the fleet bounded by a boundary of the RF beam. The air-to-user communication equipment is configured to provide communication links between the airborne fleet and end-user devices within the communication cell.

Claims

1. An airborne wireless communication system, comprising:

an airborne fleet comprising a plurality of airborne platforms;

a distributed communication payload subdivided into constituent parts, wherein the parts are distributed and positioned on respective ones of the plurality of airborne platforms;

the communication payload comprising air-to-user link equipment and air-to-air link equipment to provide communications between the airborne wireless communication system and end-users and between individual airborne platforms;

the communication payload further comprising payload control electronics to control the air-to-user and air-to-air equipment and manage operation of the airborne wireless communication system, wherein constituent parts of the payload control electronics that manage a function of the entire airborne wireless communication system are distributed among at least two of the airborne platforms;

the air-to-user link equipment further comprising an RF antenna, wherein the RF antenna is configured to produce an RF beam in a direction towards the ground, wherein the RF beam is characterized by its boundary; and

a communication cell on the ground and in the airspace below the fleet bounded by the RF beam boundary, wherein the air-to-user communication equipment is configured to provide communication links between the airborne fleet and end-user devices within the communication cell.

2. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a ground-based gateway station, a communication satellite, or ground-based cellular communication tower.

3. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second airborne wireless communication system configured as described with respect to the airborne wireless communication system of claim 1.

4. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one airborne platform is an unmanned airborne vehicle.

5. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one airborne platform is a piloted aircraft.

6. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one airborne platform is a fixed-wing aircraft.

7. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one airborne platform is a lighter-than-air aircraft.

8. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one communication cell is serviced by air-to-user communication equipment located on at least two different airborne platforms.

9. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one airborne platform contains payload with air-to-user link equipment servicing at least two different communication cells.

10. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the airborne platforms are separated by a distance smaller than a size of a communication cell.

11. The airborne wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the airborne platforms are separated by a distance smaller than an average altitude of the airborne platforms.

12. An airborne wireless communication network, comprising:

an airborne fleet comprising a plurality of airborne platforms;

a distributed communication payload subdivided into constituent parts, wherein the constituent parts are distributed and positioned on respective ones of the plurality of airborne platforms;

a gateway station located on the ground below the airborne fleet;

the communication payload further comprising air-to-user link equipment, air-to-ground and air-to-air equipment configured to provide communications between the fleet and end-users, the fleet and the gateway station, and between individual airborne platforms;

the communication payload further comprising payload control electronics configured to control the air-to-user and air-to-air equipment and manage operations of the distributed communication payload, wherein constituent parts of the payload control electronics that manage a function of the entire distributed communication payload are distributed among at least two of the airborne platforms;

the air-to-user link equipment further comprising an RF antenna configured to provide an RF beam in a direction towards the ground, wherein the RF beam is characterized by its boundary; and

a communication cell on the ground and in the air space below the fleet bounded by the boundary of the RF beam, wherein the air-to-user communication equipment is configured to transmit signals to and receive signals from end-user devices within the communication cell.

13. The airborne wireless communication network of claim 12, further comprising multiple communication cells.

14. The airborne wireless communication network of claim 12, wherein at least one airborne platform is positioned directly above the communication cell and includes a communication payload to support communications within the communication cell.

15. The airborne wireless communication network of claim 12, wherein the communication payload further comprises:

communication links with external communication networks including at least one of wired networks, wireless terrestrial networks, or satellite networks.

16-30. -30. (canceled)