Communication system using multiple link terminals for aircraft

• US 7,103,317 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Donald C. D., Lim, Wah L., Chang, Ming U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, C.
• Application Number:
  US09/967,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/431, 455/427, 455/428, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/430, 455/59, 455/103, 455/16, 455/66.1, 455/13.3, 455/13.2, 455/432.2, 455/445, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/456.2, 455/464, 455/550.1, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 348/14.1, 348/441, 370/338, 370/316, 370/317, 370/319, 370/321, 370/325, 370/326, 370/511, 370/358, 370/352, 370353-355, 704/270.01, 709/227, 725/39, 725/143, 725/76, 725/75, 725/74, 725/81, 725/62, 725/63, 725/105, 725/86, 725121-123, 725/134
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• 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 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A communication system has a communication infrastructure and a gateway station communicating a communication signal to the communication infrastructure. An airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit for establishing a plurality of multiple communication links corresponding to the communication infrastructure is used. The gateway station generates multiple datagrams from the television signal and transmits the multiple datagrams through the multiple dynamic links. The antenna receives the datagrams from the infrastructure and the processing circuit and reassembles the datagrams into the communication signal.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a communication infrastructure having at least two devices;

a gateway station communicating a first communication signal to said communication infrastructure;

an airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit for establishing a plurality of multiple dynamic links corresponding to said communication infrastructure, said processing circuit generating a first plurality of datagrams from a second communication signal and transmitting the first plurality of datagrams through said multiple dynamic links to said gateway station;

said gateway station generating a second plurality of datagrams from said first communication signal and transmitting the second plurality of datagrams through said multiple dynamic links; and

said antenna receiving the first plurality of datagrams from said infrastructure and said processing circuit reassembling the datagrams into the first communication signal.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communication infrastructure includes a satellite selected from a group consisting of a LEO satellite, a MEO satellite, or a CEO satellite.

3. A system gs recited in claim 2, wherein said satellite comprises a first satellite from a first constellation and a second satellite from a second constellation.

4. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said airplane further comprises a server coupled to said processing circuit, a local area network and a plurality of users coupled to said server through said local area network.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said multiple dynamic links have independently varying data rates.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a router circuit for routing uplink datagrams through said links.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein said router circuit receives the datagrams and arranges the datagrams in a predetermined sequence.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a multiple beam antenna capable of simultaneously generating the multiple dynamic links.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communication signal comprises a television signal.

10. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing circuit comprises a hub and router circuit coupled to a digital beam former for receiving multiple dynamic links through said at least two devices.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing circuit comprises a TCP/IP protocol for transmitting the multiple communication portions.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing circuit comprises:

a plurality of receiving elements;

a receiving beam forming network for forming a plurality of receive beams from the plurality of elements;

a receiving hub and router circuit coupled to the receiving digital beam forming network for assembling said second plurality of datagrams received by the receive beams from the receiving digital beam forming network; and

a receiving direction control circuit coupled to the receiving hub and router circuit and the receiving digital beam forming network for estimating relative position vectors for said at least two devices and the airplane.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein said processing circuit further comprises:

a plurality of transmitting elements coupled to a transmitting digital beam forming network;

a transmitting hub and router circuit coupled to the transmitting digital beam forming network for making the second communication signal into the first plurality of datagrams and routing the first plurality of datagrams through multiple dynamic links formed by the transmitting digital beam forming network to said at least two devices; and

a transmitting direction control circuit coupled to said hub and router circuit and to said transmitting digital beam forming network for forming relative position vectors of said at least two devices and said airplane, said transmitting digital beam forming network directing transmitting beams to said least two devices.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said user state vector and said platform state vector are used to generate relative position vectors.

15. A television broadcast system comprising:

a television feed system generating a television signal;

a first gateway station coupled to said feed system forming a first plurality of datagrams from the television signal;

an airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit;

a communication infrastructure directing the plurality of datagrams through a plurality of communication links to the antenna;

said processing circuit reassembling said datagrams into the television signal; and

a sewer; and

a plurality of user locations within the airplane, said server directing the television signal to said plurality of user locations.

16. A television broadcast system comprising:

a television feed system generating a television signal;

a first gateway station coupled to said feed system forming a first plurality of datagrams from the television signal;

an airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit;

a communication infrastructure comprising a satellite directing the plurality of datagrams through a plurality of communication links to the antenna;

said processing circuit reassembling said datagrams into the television signal.

17. A method of operating a communication system comprising:

forming a first communication signal;

dividing the first communication signal into a first plurality of datagrams;

routing the first plurality of datagrams through a plurality of communication links of a communication infrastructure to an airplane;

receiving the first plurality of datagrams through an antenna coupled to the airplane;

reassembling the first plurality of datagrams into the first communication signal in a processing circuit coupled to the airplane; and

directing the first communication signal to a plurality of user locations through a server.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

directing the first communication signal to a plurality of user locations through a local area network coupled to the server within the airplane.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 further comprising:

generating a second communication signal at one of the plurality of a user locations;

coupling the user signal to the processing circuit through the local area network;

dividing the second communication signal into a second plurality of datagrams;

directing the second plurality of datagrams though multiple communication links to a gateway station; and

reassembling the second plurality of datagrams into the second communication signal.

20. A method as recited in claim 18 further comprising coupling the second communication signal to the Internet after reassembling the second plurality of datagrams.

21. An airplane comprising:

an antenna coupled to the airplane;

a processing circuit within the airplane coupled to the antenna for establishing a plurality of multiple dynamic links corresponding to communication signals;

a server coupled to said processing circuit for directing said communications signals to and from said processing circuit;

a local area network coupled to said server; and

a plurality of users locations coupled to said server through said local area network, said user locations generating and receiving the communications signals, said communication signals including a first communication signal,

said processing circuit generating multiple datagrams from said first communication signal and transmitting the multiple datagrams through said multiple dynamic links.