Terrestrial based high speed data communications mesh network

• US 8,509,765 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Original Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Inventors: Alcorn, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/601,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20120322444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/432.1, 455/422.1, 455/436, 455/441, 455/442, 455/437, 370/230, 370/468, 370/469, 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. A network comprising a plurality of communication nodes including:

at least one fixed node configured to provide a high speed data communications link for a receiver station responsive to the receiver station being within a coverage area defined by the at least one fixed node; and

a plurality of mobile nodes each of which is independently movable relative to each other, at least some of the mobile nodes being configured to act as relay stations to provide the high speed data communications link to the receiver station responsive to at least one of the mobile nodes being in communication with the at least one fixed node and the receiver station being at an area outside of the coverage area defined by the at least one fixed node and in a movable coverage area of the at least one of the mobile nodes,

wherein the high speed data communications link is maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while the receiver station transitions between the coverage area defined by the at least one fixed node and the movable coverage area of the at least one of the mobile nodes.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided with the receiver station employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

3. The network of claim 2, wherein the receiver station employs communication bands in about a 2 GHz to about a 6 GHz range utilizing OFDM.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided with the receiver station according to Long Tenn Evolution (LTE) terrestrial radio access network protocols.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided in association with a media access control layer of the high speed data communications link that employs a variable length protocol data unit.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the network is a mesh network and wherein the receiver station is disposed aboard an in-flight aircraft, a land based station or a sea based station.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the network is a mesh network and wherein at least one of the mobile nodes is an in-flight aircraft or a ship.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein video surveillance data is communicable from the receiver station through at least one of the mobile nodes to the at least one fixed node.

9. The network of claim 1, wherein the receiver station is in communication with the at least one fixed node via at least one of the mobile nodes and at least one additional node acting as a repeater node between the at least one fixed node and the at least one of the mobile nodes.

10. A communication node configured to receive high speed data communications from a network including a combination of fixed and mobile nodes, the communication node comprising:

a receiver station configured to enable communication with;

at least one fixed node configured to provide a high speed data communications link for a receiver station responsive to the receiver station being within a coverage area defined by the at least one fixed node; and

a plurality of mobile nodes each of which is independently movable relative to each other, at least some of the mobile nodes being configured to act as relay stations to provide the high speed data communications link to the receiver station responsive to at least one of the mobile nodes being in communication with the at least one fixed node and the receiver station being at an area outside of the coverage area defined by the at least one fixed node and in a movable coverage area of the at least one of the mobile nodes,

wherein the high speed data communications link is maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while the receiver station transitions between the coverage area defined by the at least one fixed node and the movable coverage area of the at least one of the mobile nodes.

11. The communication node of claim 10, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided with the receiver station employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

12. The communication node of claim 11, wherein the receiver station employs communication bands in about a 2 GHz to about a 6 GHz range utilizing OFDM.

13. The communication node of claim 10, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided with the receiver station according to Long Term Evolution (LTE) terrestrial radio access network protocols.

14. The communication node of claim 10, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided in association with a media access control layer of the high speed data communications link that employs a variable length protocol data unit.

15. The communication node of claim 10, wherein the network is a mesh network and wherein the receiver station is disposed aboard an in-flight aircraft, a land based station or a sea based station.

16. The communication node of claim 10, wherein the network is a mesh network and wherein at least one of the mobile nodes is an in-flight aircraft or a ship.

17. The communication node of claim 10, wherein video surveillance data is communicable from the receiver station through at least one of the mobile nodes to the at least one fixed node.

18. The communication node of claim 10, wherein the receiver station is in communication with the at least one fixed node via at least one of the mobile nodes and at least one additional node acting as a repeater node between the at least one fixed node and the at least one of the mobile nodes.