Terrestrial based high speed data communications mesh network

• US 8,792,880 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• 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:
  US13/601,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20120327858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 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:

at least a first node comprising a surface node configured to provide a high speed data communications link for a receiver station onboard an in-flight aircraft responsive to the receiver station being within a coverage area defined by the first node; and

at least a second node configured to provide the high speed data communications link to the receiver station onboard the in-flight aircraft responsive to the in-flight aircraft transiting between the coverage area defined by the first node and a coverage area defined by the second node,

wherein the high speed data communications link is maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while the in-flight aircraft transitions between coverage areas defined by the first node and the second node, and

wherein the receiver station comprises passenger equipment and the high speed data communications link is maintained between the passenger equipment and a respective one of the first node and the second node without an in-flight storage server between the passenger equipment and the first node or the second node.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided continuous and uninterrupted in time 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 continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station according to Long Term Evolution (LTE) terrestrial radio access network protocols.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station according to IEEE 802.16 Air Interface Standard.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the network is a mesh network and wherein the surface node comprises a land based node or a sea based node.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the second node comprises an in-flight node that is in communication with the receiver station via at least one additional node acting as a repeater node.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein the second node comprises an in-flight node on a different aircraft than the receiver station.

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

a receiver station comprising passenger equipment disposed on the in-flight aircraft, the receiver station configured to communicate with;

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

at least a second node configured to provide the high speed data communications link to the receiver station onboard the in-flight aircraft responsive to the in-flight aircraft transiting between the coverage area defined by the first node and a coverage area defined by the second node,

wherein the high speed data communications link is maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while the in-flight aircraft transitions between coverage areas defined by the first node and the second node, and

wherein the receiver station comprises passenger equipment and the high speed data communications link is maintained between the passenger equipment and a respective one of the first node and the second node without an in-flight storage server between the passenger equipment and the first node or the second node.

10. The airborne communication node of claim 9, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

11. The airborne communication node of claim 10, wherein the receiver station employs communication bands in about a 2 GHz to about a 6 GHz range utilizing OFDM.

12. The airborne communication node of claim 9, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station according to Long Term Evolution (LTE) terrestrial radio access network protocols.

13. The airborne communication node of claim 9, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station according to IEEE 802.16 Air Interface Standard.

14. The airborne communication node of claim 9, wherein the network is a mesh network and wherein the surface node comprises a land based node or a sea based node.

15. The airborne communication node of claim 9, wherein the second node comprises an in-flight node that is in communication with the receiver station via at least one additional node acting as a repeater node.

16. The airborne communication node of claim 9, wherein the second node comprises an in-flight node on a different aircraft than the receiver station.