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Multi-airplane cellular communications system

  • US 6,968,187 B1
  • Filed: 06/26/2000
  • Issued: 11/22/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A communications link for the cellular communications system, comprising:

  • a first airplane for flying in a first pattern and including a first antenna for transmitting RF beams to form a first footprint on a first target geographic area to provide cellular phone users within the footprint with a first communications link said second footprint at least partially overlapping said first footprint;

    a second airplane for flying in a second pattern and including a second antenna for transmitting RF beams to form a second footprint on a second target geographic area to provide cellular phone users within the second footprint with a second communications link;

    said first and second airplane configured to fly in the first and second patterns at an altitude less than approximately fifty thousand (50,000) feet;

    said first and second patterns being varied to enable the first and second airplane to provide continuous uninterrupted coverage via first and second beam patterns, respectively, to a service area below in a weather pattern-independent and geographic feature-independent manner.

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