System and methods for antenna optimization for wireless broadband communication
First Claim
1. An antenna array for long distance wireless communication between an airborne platform and a surface base station, the antenna array comprising:
- a higher-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to a base station and receive from the base station, and further configured to form a more directional beam substantially closer to the horizon; and
a lower-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to a base station and receive from the base station, and further configured to form a less directional beam substantially below the horizon as compared to the more directional beam, wherein the lower-gain beamforming antenna has a gain less than the higher-gain beamforming antenna, wherein the less directional beam has a larger width than the more directional beam, and wherein the less directional beam and the more directional beam may be directed independently.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for antenna optimization for wireless broadband communication is provided. Such an enhanced antenna array includes higher-gain antenna and lower-gain antenna. The beamforming antenna, both higher-gain and lower-gain, are designed to be able to transmit to and receive from another transceiver. The higher-gain antenna may be designed to form a more directional beam substantially closer to the horizon; whereas the lower-gain antenna is capable of forming a less directional beam at a distance further from the horizon. In both cases, the antenna may form their respective beams anywhere in the 360 degrees horizontally around the antenna array. The higher-gain antenna may include a coverage area from the horizon to a substantially acute angle from the horizon in the vertical direction. In contrast, the lower-gain antenna may have coverage from the substantially acute angle from the horizon to substantially vertical. The substantially acute angle may be approximately 10 degrees in some cases. In some cases the lower-gain antenna may include four elements. Likewise, in some embodiments, the higher-gain antenna may include four elements as well.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An antenna array for long distance wireless communication between an airborne platform and a surface base station, the antenna array comprising:
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a higher-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to a base station and receive from the base station, and further configured to form a more directional beam substantially closer to the horizon; and a lower-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to a base station and receive from the base station, and further configured to form a less directional beam substantially below the horizon as compared to the more directional beam, wherein the lower-gain beamforming antenna has a gain less than the higher-gain beamforming antenna, wherein the less directional beam has a larger width than the more directional beam, and wherein the less directional beam and the more directional beam may be directed independently. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for antenna array optimization for long distance wireless communication between an airborne platform and a surface base station, the method comprising:
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forming a higher-gain directional beam, wherein the higher-gain directional beam is spatially oriented between an airborne platform and a surface base station, and wherein the higher-gain directional beam is oriented substantially closer to the horizon; and
;forming a lower-gain directional beam, wherein the lower-gain directional beam is spatially oriented between an airborne platform and a surface base station, and wherein the lower-gain directional beam is oriented substantially below the horizon as compared to the higher-gain directional beam, wherein the lower-gain directional beam has a gain less than the higher-gain directional beam, wherein the lower-gain directional beam has a larger width than the higher-gain directional beam, and wherein the less directional beam and the more directional beam may be directed independently. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An enhanced antenna array for long distance wireless communication between an airborne platform and a surface base station, the antenna array comprising:
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a higher-gain beamforming antenna, comprised of at least four elements, configured to transmit to a base station and receive from the base station, and further configured to form a more directional beam substantially closer to the horizon, wherein the higher-gain beamforming antenna is configured to have a coverage area of three hundred and sixty degrees around the antenna array in the horizontal direction, and wherein the higher-gain beamforming antenna is configured to have a coverage area of between the horizon and a substantially acute vertical angle below the horizon, and wherein the substantially an acute vertical angle below the horizon is approximately 10 degrees; and a lower-gain beamforming antenna, comprised of at least four elements, configured to transmit to a base station and receive from the base station, and further configured to form a less directional beam substantially below the horizon, wherein the lower-gain beamforming antenna is configured to have a coverage area of three hundred and sixty degrees around the antenna array in the horizontal direction, and wherein the lower-gain beamforming antenna is configured to have a coverage area of between the substantially acute vertical angle below the horizon to approximately vertical, wherein the lower-gain beamforming antenna has a gain less than the higher-gain beamforming antenna, wherein the less directional beam has a larger width than the more directional beam, and wherein the less directional beam and the more directional beam may be directed independently.
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18. An enhanced antenna array for long distance wireless communication between a surface platform and at least two base stations, the antenna array comprising:
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a higher-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to a first base station and to receive from the first base station, and further configured to form a more directional beam towards the first base station; and a lower-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to a second base station and to receive from the second base station, and further configured to form a less directional beam towards the second base station, wherein the lower-gain beamforming antenna has a gain less than the higher-gain beamforming antenna, wherein the less directional beam has a larger width than the more directional beam, and wherein the less directional beam and the more directional beam may be directed independently. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An antenna array for long distance wireless communication between an airborne platform and a surface base station, the antenna array comprising:
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a higher-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to an airborne platform and receive from the airborne platform, and further configured to form a more directional beam substantially closer to the horizon; and a lower-gain beamforming antenna configured to transmit to an airborne platform and receive from the airborne platform, and further configured to form a less directional beam substantially above the horizon as compared to the more directional beam, wherein the lower-gain beamforming antenna has a gain less than the higher-gain beamforming antenna, wherein the less directional beam has a larger width than the more directional beam, and wherein the less directional beam and the more directional beam may be directed independently. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification