Terrestrial based high speed data communications mesh network

• US 8,311,533 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Original Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Inventors: Alcorn, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/552,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20120287903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 117 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/432.1, 455/422.1, 455/436, 455/442, 455/443, 455/405, 455/406, 455/404.2, 455/465, 370/230, 370/468, 370/469, 370/465, 370/351, 370/352, 370/401, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/431
• 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: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A network for providing high speed data communications may include multiple terrestrial transmission stations that are located within overlapping communications range and a mobile receiver station. The terrestrial transmission stations provide a continuous and uninterrupted high speed data communications link with the mobile receiver station employing a wireless radio access network protocol.

Claims

1. An airborne communication node configured to receive high speed data communications on an in-flight aircraft, comprising:

a receiver station disposed on the in-flight aircraft, the receiver station configured to communicate with at least one of a plurality of ground transmission stations, the ground transmission stations being located along a predefined air corridor such that at least some of the ground transmission stations are within overlapping communications range of respective other ones of the ground transmission stations, the ground transmission stations being configured to communicate with the receiver station to provide a high speed data communications link continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station employing a wireless radio access network protocol,

wherein the high speed data communications link is maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while the in-flight aircraft is within a coverage area provided by one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and as the in-flight aircraft moves from the coverage area provided by the one of the plurality of ground transmission stations to a coverage area provided by another of the plurality of ground transmission stations, and

wherein a media access control layer of the high speed data communications link employs a variable length protocol data unit.

2. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein the receiver station employs communication bands in about a 2 GHz to about a 6 GHz range utilizing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

3. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link employs Long Term Evolution (LTE) terrestrial radio access network protocols.

4. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided between one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and the receiver station as a direct link between the one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and a passenger terminal comprising the receiver station or as a direct link between the one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and an on-board aircraft server comprising the receiver station.

5. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein the receiver station comprises an on-board aircraft server configured to provide service to a plurality of passenger terminals on the in-flight aircraft based on data received via the high speed data communications link, and wherein the passenger terminals are enabled to request bandwidth from the on-board aircraft server based on parameters associated with services employed by each of the passenger terminals.

6. The airborne communication node of claim 4, wherein the receiver station is configured to poll the passenger terminals for bandwidth requests individually or in groups.

7. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein a frame structure utilized for the high speed data communications link provides dynamically assignable uplink and downlink burst profiles based on link conditions.

8. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein multiple media access control protocol data units are linkable to a single burst.

9. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link provides internet access, streaming video, or voice-over IP to the receiver station.

10. The airborne communication node of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link transfers security data communications comprising video surveillance from the aircraft to one of the plurality of ground stations.

11. A terrestrial network configured to provide high speed data communications to an in-flight aircraft, comprising:

a plurality of ground transmission stations, the ground transmission stations being located along a predefined air corridor such that at least some of the ground transmission stations are within overlapping communications range of respective other ones of the ground transmission stations, the ground transmission stations being configured to communicate with a receiver station located on board the in-flight aircraft to provide a high speed data communications link continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station employing a wireless radio access network protocol,

wherein the high speed data communications link is maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while the in-flight aircraft is within a coverage area provided by one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and as the in-flight aircraft moves from the coverage area provided by the one of the plurality of ground transmission stations to a coverage area provided by another of the plurality of ground transmission stations, and

wherein a media access control layer of the high speed data communications link employs a variable length protocol data unit.

12. The terrestrial network of claim 11, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided between one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and the receiver station as a direct link between the one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and a passenger terminal comprising the receiver station or as a direct link between the one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and an on-board aircraft server comprising the receiver station.

13. The terrestrial network of claim 11, wherein the high speed data communications link provides internet access, streaming video, or voice-over IP service to the receiver station.

14. The terrestrial network of claim 11, wherein the ground transmission stations employ Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) over communication bands in about a 2 GHz to about a 6 GHz range.

15. The terrestrial network of claim 11, wherein the high speed data communications link employs Long Term Evolution (LTE) terrestrial radio access network protocols.

16. An airborne communication node configured to receive high speed data communications on an in-flight aircraft, comprising:

a receiver station disposed on the in-flight aircraft, the receiver station configured to communicate with at least one of a plurality of ground transmission stations, the ground transmission stations being located along a predefined air corridor such that at least some of the ground transmission stations are within overlapping communications range of respective other ones of the ground transmission stations, the ground transmission stations being configured to communicate with the receiver station to provide a high speed data communications link continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station employing a wireless radio access network protocol,

wherein the high speed data communications link is maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while the in-flight aircraft is within a coverage area provided by one of the plurality of ground transmission stations and as the in-flight aircraft moves from the coverage area provided by the one of the plurality of ground transmission stations to a coverage area provided by another of the plurality of ground transmission stations,

wherein the receiver station comprises an on-board aircraft server configured to provide service to a plurality of passenger terminals on the in-flight aircraft based on data received via the high speed data communications link,

wherein the passenger terminals are enabled to request bandwidth from the on-board aircraft server based on parameters associated with services employed by each of the passenger terminals; and

wherein the receiver station is configured to poll the passenger terminals for bandwidth requests individually or in groups.

17. The airborne communication node of claim 16, wherein the receiver station employs communication bands in about a 2 GHz to about a 6 GHz range utilizing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

18. The airborne communication node of claim 16, wherein the high speed data communications link employs Long Term Evolution (LTE) terrestrial radio access network protocols.

19. The airborne communication node of claim 16, wherein a media access control layer of the high speed data communications link employs a variable length protocol data unit.

20. The airborne communication node of claim 16, wherein a frame structure utilized for the high speed data communications link provides dynamically assignable uplink and downlink burst profiles based on link conditions.