Distributed airborne wireless networks
First Claim
1. An airborne wireless communication node, comprising:
- an airborne fleet comprising a plurality of airborne platforms having flight control electronics configured to control flight of individual airborne platforms and coordinate a flight plan of the airborne fleet as a whole, wherein the plurality of airborne platforms comprise unmanned aerial vehicles; and
a distributed communication payload, wherein the distributed communication payload is subdivided into constituent parts, wherein the constituent parts are distributed and positioned on respective ones of the plurality of airborne platforms, wherein the distributed communication payload has requirements that are not satisfied by the capabilities of a single platform of the plurality of airborne platforms, and wherein the distributed communication payload comprises;
air-to-user link equipment to provide communication links with end-users, the air-to-user link equipment further comprising an RF antenna;
air-to-air link equipment to provide communications between individual airborne platforms; and
payload control electronics to control the air-to-user and air-to-air link equipment and managing communication services.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for providing distributed airborne wireless communications are provided herein. In some embodiments, an airborne wireless communication node includes: an airborne fleet comprising a plurality of airborne platforms having flight control electronics configured to control flight of individual airborne platforms and coordinate a flight plan of the airborne fleet as a whole; and a distributed communication payload, wherein the communication payload is subdivided into constituent parts, wherein the parts are distributed and positioned on respective ones of the plurality of airborne platforms. In some embodiments, the distributed communication payload includes: air-to-user link equipment to provide communication links with end-users, the air-to-user link equipment further comprising an RF antenna; air-to-air link equipment to provide communications between individual airborne platforms; and payload control electronics to control the air-to-user and air-to-air link equipment and managing communication services.
247 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An airborne wireless communication node, comprising:
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an airborne fleet comprising a plurality of airborne platforms having flight control electronics configured to control flight of individual airborne platforms and coordinate a flight plan of the airborne fleet as a whole, wherein the plurality of airborne platforms comprise unmanned aerial vehicles; and a distributed communication payload, wherein the distributed communication payload is subdivided into constituent parts, wherein the constituent parts are distributed and positioned on respective ones of the plurality of airborne platforms, wherein the distributed communication payload has requirements that are not satisfied by the capabilities of a single platform of the plurality of airborne platforms, and wherein the distributed communication payload comprises; air-to-user link equipment to provide communication links with end-users, the air-to-user link equipment further comprising an RF antenna; air-to-air link equipment to provide communications between individual airborne platforms; and payload control electronics to control the air-to-user and air-to-air link equipment and managing communication services. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of providing an airborne wireless communication node, comprising:
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providing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms with predetermined payload capabilities; providing a range of communication payload sections with requirements that are not satisfied by the capabilities of a single UAV platform of the plurality of UAV platforms; and mounting individual communication payload sections onto respective individual UAV platforms of the plurality of UAV platforms to form a UAV fleet with net communication payload capabilities of an airborne wireless communication node. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification