System and technique for plane switchover in an aircraft based wireless communication system
First Claim
1. An aircraft based communication system defining a wireless service area comprising:
- a communication gateway connected to a terrestrial based communication network;
a first aircraft located in proximity to the wireless service area, the first aircraft communicating with the gateway and communicating with at least one subscriber located within the wireless service area, the first aircraft transmitting a first control signal within the wireless service area;
a second aircraft located in proximity to the wireless service area, the second aircraft operable for communicating with the gateway and operable for communicating with the subscriber located within the wireless service area;
wherein the second aircraft flies in proximity to the first aircraft for transferring communication sessions from the first aircraft to the second aircraft and maintaining a constant communication link between the subscriber and the terrestrial based communication network, the second aircraft transmits a second control signal within the wireless service area; and
wherein the beam pattern of the second control signal overlaps the beam pattern of the first control signal by at least 80%.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft based communication system (10) defining a wireless service area (20) is disclosed. The communication system (10) includes a communication gateway (30) connected to a terrestrial based communication network. A first aircraft (12) is located in proximity to the wireless service area (20). The first aircraft (12) communicates with the gateway (30) and communicates with at least one subscriber (24) located within the wireless service area (20). The first aircraft (12) transmits a first control signal (16) within the wireless service area (20). A second aircraft (14) is located in proximity to the wireless service area (20). The second aircraft (14) being operable for communicating with the gateway (30) and being operable for communicating with the subscriber (24) located within the wireless service area (20). The second aircraft (14) flies in proximity to the first aircraft (12) for transferring communication sessions (56, 58) from the first aircraft (12) to the second aircraft (14) and maintaining a constant communication link between the subscriber (24) and the terrestrial based communication network.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An aircraft based communication system defining a wireless service area comprising:
-
a communication gateway connected to a terrestrial based communication network;
a first aircraft located in proximity to the wireless service area, the first aircraft communicating with the gateway and communicating with at least one subscriber located within the wireless service area, the first aircraft transmitting a first control signal within the wireless service area;
a second aircraft located in proximity to the wireless service area, the second aircraft operable for communicating with the gateway and operable for communicating with the subscriber located within the wireless service area;
wherein the second aircraft flies in proximity to the first aircraft for transferring communication sessions from the first aircraft to the second aircraft and maintaining a constant communication link between the subscriber and the terrestrial based communication network, the second aircraft transmits a second control signal within the wireless service area; and
wherein the beam pattern of the second control signal overlaps the beam pattern of the first control signal by at least 80%. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An aircraft based communication system defining a wireless service area comprising:
-
a communication gateway connected to a terrestrial based communication network, the communication gateway providing a communication link between the terrestrial based communication network and the aircraft based communication system;
a first aircraft located in proximity to the wireless service area, the first aircraft having a repeater for communicating with the gateway and communicating with at least one subscriber located within the wireless service area, the first aircraft transmitting a first control signal within the wireless service area;
a second aircraft located in proximity to the wireless service area, the second aircraft having a repeater operable for communicating with the gateway and operable for communicating with the subscriber located within the wireless service area, the second aircraft transmitting a second control signal within the wireless service area wherein a beam pattern of the second control signal substantially overlaps a beam pattern of the first control signal;
the second aircraft flying in proximity to the first aircraft while transmitting the second control signal for executing a switchover protocol, wherein a power level of the second control signal is increased and a power level of the first control signal is attenuated during the switchover protocol for transferring communication sessions from the first aircraft to the second aircraft while maintaining an uninterrupted communication link between the subscriber and the terrestrial based communication network; and
the communication gateway includes a first receiver and a second receiver, the first receiver communicating with the first aircraft and the second receiver communicating with the second aircraft during the switchover protocol. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An aircraft based communication system comprising:
-
a communication gateway connected to a terrestrial base communication network, the communication gateway providing a communication link between the terrestrial based communication network and the aircraft based communication system;
a servicing aircraft located above a wireless service area, the aircraft communicating with the gateway and communicating with at least one subscriber located within the wireless service area, the aircraft transmitting a control signal within the service area, the control signal including a plurality of communication beams;
wherein the servicing aircraft functions as a repeater for repeating communication sessions between the subscriber and the communication gateway for providing communication service between the subscriber and the terrestrial based communication network; and
a second aircraft flying in proximity to the servicing aircraft, the second aircraft communicating with the gateway and communicating with at least one subscriber located within the wireless service area, the second aircraft transmitting an alternate control signal within the service area, the alternate control signal including a plurality of communication beams which substantially overlap the control signal transmitted from the servicing aircraft by at least 80%. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A method for executing a communication switchover protocol comprising the steps of:
-
providing a communication gateway having a transmitter, a first receiver, and a second receiver;
providing a first aircraft based communication repeater, the first aircraft based communication repeater maintaining a first communication link between at least one wireless subscriber and the communication gateway;
providing a second aircraft based communication repeater, the second aircraft based communication repeater operable for maintaining a second communication link between the wireless subscriber and the communication gateway;
broadcasting a first communication signal from the first aircraft based communication repeater at a first power level;
broadcasting a second communication signal from the second aircraft based communication repeater at a second power level, the first power level being greater than the second power level;
increasing power of the second power level and decreasing power of the first power level until the second power level is greater than the first power level;
wherein a communication session associated with the first communication link is transferred to the secondary aircraft based communication repeater; and
during the step of broadcasting the second communication signal, the first receiver communicates with the first repeater and the second receiver communicates with the second repeater during the communication switchover protocol.
-
Specification