Method and system for providing aeronautical communication services

• US 8,116,762 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Soliman, Samir S.
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US11/258,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20060199532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,303 Days
• Field of Search: 455/20, 455/427, 455/428, 455/429.431, 455/429
• US Class Current: 455/429
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

Aeronautical communication services is disclosed. For example, an aeronautical vehicle for use in a first aeronautical communication system to allow communication to and from a land-based station is disclosed, wherein the land-based station transmits communications using a first low frequency band and receives communications using a second low frequency band in accordance with a second aeronautical communication system. In the first aeronautical communication system, the aeronautical vehicle transmits communications using the first low frequency band and receives communications using the second low frequency band.

Claims

1. Apparatus for an aircraft in a first aeronautical communication system to allow communication to and from a land-based station, wherein the land-based station transmits communications using a first low frequency band and receives communications using a second low frequency band in accordance with a mobile satellite service system, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to transmit communications from the aircraft to the land-based station using the first low frequency band, wherein the first low frequency band is an L-band and a fuselage of the aircraft shields transmission of the communications according to the first low frequency band to the land-based station from interference from an orbiting satellite receiving other transmissions from the land-based station using the first low frequency band; and

a receiving unit configured to receive communications from the land-based station using the second low frequency band, the second low frequency band is distinct from the first low frequency band.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna coupled to the transmitting unit and the receiving unit and configured to allow the transmission and reception of the communications,

wherein the antenna is positioned at a bottom of the aircraft.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the antenna is positioned on the fuselage.

4. Apparatus for a flying vehicle with fixed wings to allow aeronautical communication to and from a land-based station, comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to transmit communications from the flying vehicle with fixed wings to the land-based station using a frequency band of a L-band; and

a receiving unit configured to receive communications from the land-based station using a frequency band of a S-band, wherein a fuselage of the flying vehicle shields the communications from the land-based station from interference from transmissions from an orbiting satellite transmitting in the S-band.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

an antenna coupled to the transmitting unit and the receiving unit and configured to allow transmission of the communications from the flying vehicle and reception of the communications from the land-based station,

wherein the antenna is positioned at a bottom of the flying vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the antenna is positioned on the fuselage of the flying vehicle.

7. A powered flying vehicle with fixed wings for use in a first aeronautical communication system to allow communication to and from a land-based station, wherein the land-based station transmits communications using a first low frequency band and receives communications using a second low frequency band in accordance with a second aeronautical communication system, the second aeronautical communication system is a mobile satellite service system, the powered flying vehicle with fixed wings comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to transmit communications from the powered flying vehicle with fixed wings to the land-based station using the first low frequency band, wherein the first low frequency band is an L-band and a fuselage of the powered flying vehicle mitigates interference from transmissions from the land-based station to an orbiting satellite using the first low frequency band; and

a receiving unit configured to receive communications from the land-based station using the second low frequency band, the second low frequency band is distinct from the first low frequency band and is an S-band.

8. The powered flying vehicle with fixed wings of claim 7, further comprising:

an antenna coupled to the transmitting unit and the receiving unit and configured to allow transmission of the communications from the powered flying vehicle and reception of the communications from the land-based station,

wherein the antenna is positioned at a bottom of the powered flying vehicle with fixed wings.

9. The powered flying vehicle with fixed wings of claim 8, wherein the antenna is positioned on the fuselage of the powered flying vehicle with fixed wings.

10. A method for use in an aeronautical vehicle that sustains powered flight through a fixed wing and thrust from a gas turbine engine in a first aeronautical communication system to allow communication to and from a land-based station, wherein the land-based station transmits communications using a first low frequency band and receives communications using a second low frequency band in accordance with a second aeronautical communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting communications from the aeronautical vehicle to the land-based station using the first low frequency band;

receiving communications from the land-based station using the second low frequency band, wherein the first low frequency band is an L-band, the second low frequency band is an S-band; and

shielding, by a fuselage of the aeronautical vehicle, reception of the communications from the land-based station and transmission of the communications to the land-based station from interference from transmissions from an orbiting satellite that transmits or receives signals using the first low frequency band or the second low frequency band.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

positioning an antenna at a bottom of the aeronautical vehicle, wherein the antenna allows transmission of the communications to the land-based station and reception of the communications from the land-based station.

12. A processor for an aeronautical vehicle in a first aeronautical communication system to control communication to and from a land-based station, wherein the land-based station transmits communications using a first low frequency band and receives communications using a second low frequency band in accordance with a second aeronautical communication system and wherein an aerodynamic force acting on an airfoil associated with the aeronautical vehicle sustains continuous flight of the aeronautical vehicle, the processor configured to control:

transmission of communications to the land-based station from the aeronautical vehicle using the first low frequency band, wherein the transmission of the communications to the land-based station are shielded from interference from an orbiting satellite receiving communications from the land-based station using the first low frequency band by a fuselage of the aeronautical vehicle; and

reception of communications from the land-based station to the aeronautical vehicle using the second low frequency band, wherein the first low frequency band is an L-band frequency band and the second low frequency band is an S-band frequency band.

13. The processor of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to control the transmission of the communications using the L-band frequency band.

14. The processor of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to control the reception of the communications using the S-band frequency band.

15. An aeronautical vehicle for allowing aeronautical communication to and from a land-based station, wherein the aeronautical vehicle achieves powered flight through use of an airfoil and an associated gas-turbine engine;

the aeronautical vehicle comprising;

a transmitting unit configured to transmit communications from the aeronautical vehicle to the land-based station using a frequency band of an L-band, wherein the communications from the aeronautical vehicle to the land-based station are shielded from communication interference from an orbiting satellite receiving communications in the L-band by a body section of the aeronautical vehicle; and

a receiving unit configured to receive communications from the land-based station to the aeronautical vehicle using a frequency band of an S-band.

16. The aeronautical vehicle of claim 15, further comprising:

an antenna coupled to the transmitting unit and the receiving unit and configured to allow transmission of the communications from the aeronautical vehicle and reception of the communications from the land-based station,

wherein the antenna is positioned at a bottom of the aeronautical vehicle.

17. The aeronautical vehicle of claim 16, wherein the antenna is positioned at a fuselage of the aeronautical vehicle.

18. A method for use in an aeronautical vehicle to allow aeronautical communication to and from a land-based station, comprising:

transmitting communications to the land-based station from the aeronautical vehicle using a frequency band of an L-band;

receiving communications from the land-based station to the aeronautical vehicle using a frequency band of an S-band; and

protecting, with a body section of the powered flying vehicle, the communications from the land-based station to the aeronautical vehicle using the S-band and the communications from the aeronautical vehicle to the land-based station using the L-band from interference from an orbiting satellite transmitting in the S-band and from the land-based station transmitting in the L-band,

wherein the aeronautical vehicle is a powered flying vehicle with fixed wings.

19. An aeronautical vehicular system allowing aeronautical communication to and from a land-based station, comprising:

means for transmitting communications to the land-based station from a powered flying vehicle with fixed wings using a frequency band of an L-band; and

means for receiving communications from the land-based station to the aeronautical vehicle using a frequency band of an S-band; and

means for protecting, with a body section of the powered flying vehicle, the communications from the land-based station to the aeronautical vehicle using the S-band and the communications from the aeronautical vehicle to the land-based station using the L-band from interference from an orbiting satellite transmitting in the S-band and from the land-based station transmitting in the L-band.