Real-time calibration of an air to ground communication system
First Claim
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1. A method for real-time calibration of an air to ground two-way communication system, comprising:
- sequentially transmitting a sector wide pilot signal on a wide beam by each of a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array of a ground base station during at least one calibration period;
entering a calibration mode at an agreed time, the agreed time being sent to an aircraft using the sector wide pilot signal;
receiving forward link calibration coefficients over a reverse link from the aircraft to the ground base station in response to the sector wide pilot signals transmitted during the at least one calibration period, the forward link calibration coefficients characterizing the sector wide pilot signals received by the aircraft from the ground base station, and the sector wide pilot signals being based at least in part on a multipath fading in open space between the aircraft and the ground base station; and
calibrating the ground base station antenna array in real-time based at least in part on a current position of the aircraft and according to the forward link calibration coefficients received from the aircraft as part of a communication signaling protocol for performing two-way normal traffic communication within the air to ground two-way communication system over a narrow beam.
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Abstract
A method for real-time calibration of an air to ground two-way communication system. The method includes calibrating a ground base station antenna array according to forward link calibration coefficients received from an aircraft as part of a communication signaling protocol during operation of the air to ground two-way communication system. The method may also includes communicating between the ground base station antenna array and the aircraft over a narrow beam.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for real-time calibration of an air to ground two-way communication system, comprising:
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sequentially transmitting a sector wide pilot signal on a wide beam by each of a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array of a ground base station during at least one calibration period; entering a calibration mode at an agreed time, the agreed time being sent to an aircraft using the sector wide pilot signal; receiving forward link calibration coefficients over a reverse link from the aircraft to the ground base station in response to the sector wide pilot signals transmitted during the at least one calibration period, the forward link calibration coefficients characterizing the sector wide pilot signals received by the aircraft from the ground base station, and the sector wide pilot signals being based at least in part on a multipath fading in open space between the aircraft and the ground base station; and calibrating the ground base station antenna array in real-time based at least in part on a current position of the aircraft and according to the forward link calibration coefficients received from the aircraft as part of a communication signaling protocol for performing two-way normal traffic communication within the air to ground two-way communication system over a narrow beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
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means for sequentially transmitting a sector wide pilot signal on a wide beam by each of a plurality of antenna elements of a ground base station antenna array during at least one calibration period; means for entering a calibration mode at an agreed time, the agreed time being sent to an aircraft using the sector wide pilot signal; means for receiving forward link calibration coefficients over a reverse link from the aircraft to the ground base station in response to the sector wide pilot signals transmitted during the at least one calibration period, the forward link calibration coefficients characterizing the sector wide pilot signals received by the aircraft from the ground base station, and the sector wide pilot signals being based at least in part on a multipath fading in open space between the aircraft and the ground base station; and means for calibrating the ground base station antenna array in real-time based at least in part on a current position of the aircraft and according to the forward link calibration coefficients received from the aircraft as part of a communication signaling protocol for performing two-way normal traffic communication within an air to ground two-way communication system; and means for communicating between the ground base station antenna array and the aircraft over a narrow beam. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having non-transitory program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising:
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program code to sequentially transmit a sector wide pilot signal on a wide beam by each of a plurality of antenna elements of a ground base station antenna array during at least one calibration period; program code to enter a calibration mode at an agreed time, the agreed time being sent to an aircraft using the sector wide pilot signal; program code to receive forward link calibration coefficients over a reverse link from the aircraft to the ground base station in response to the sector wide pilot signals transmitted during the at least one calibration period, the forward link calibration coefficients characterizing the sector wide pilot signals received by the aircraft from the ground base station, and the sector wide pilot signals being based at least in part on a multipath fading in open space between the aircraft and the ground base station; and program code to calibrate the ground base station antenna array in real-time based at least in part on a current position of the aircraft and according to the forward link calibration coefficients received from the aircraft as part of a communication signaling protocol for performing two-way normal traffic communication within an air to ground two-way communication system over a narrow beam.
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16. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
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a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor being configured; to sequentially transmit a sector wide pilot signal on a wide beam by each of a plurality of antenna elements of a ground base station antenna array during at least one calibration period; to enter a calibration mode at an agreed time, the agreed time being sent to an aircraft using the sector wide pilot signal; to receive forward link calibration coefficients over a reverse link from the aircraft to the ground base station in response to the sector wide pilot signals transmitted during the at least one calibration period, the forward link calibration coefficients characterizing the sector wide pilot signals received by the aircraft from the ground base station, and the sector wide pilot signals being based at least in part on a multipath fading in open space between the aircraft and the ground base station; and to calibrate the ground base station antenna array of the ground base station in real-time based at least in part on a current position of the aircraft and according to the forward link calibration coefficients received from the aircraft as part of a communication signaling protocol for performing two-way normal traffic communication within an air to ground two-way communication system over a narrow beam. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification