Terrestrial based high speed data communications mesh network

• US 9,312,947 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Original Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Inventors: Alcorn, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/862,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/441, 455/405, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 base station within a network including at least one in-flight communication node, the network base station comprising:

a radio configured via software defined radio to utilize beamforming to generate a plurality of steerable beams, to enable multiple reuses of a same frequency to communicate with respective different in-flight communication nodes via respective different communication links,

wherein the respective different communication links are high speed data communications links that are enabled to be maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while one of the respective different in-flight communication nodes transitions between a first steerable beam associated with a first coverage area defined by the network base station and a second steerable beam associated with a second coverage area defined by another network base station, the first and second coverage areas at least partially overlapping.

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

4. The network base station 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 base station 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 base station of claim 1, wherein the radio is further configured to generate the plurality of beams such that at least one of the beams has a beamwidth of less than about 4 degrees.

7. The network base station of claim 1, wherein the network base station is one of a plurality of base stations in a land based mesh network serving in-flight nodes.

8. The network base station of claim 1, wherein the network base station is one of a plurality of base stations in an air mesh network of in-flight nodes serving at least one surface node.

9. The network base station of claim 1, wherein the network base station is one of a plurality of base stations in an air mesh network of in-flight nodes serving at least one other in-flight node on another aircraft.

10. The network base station of claim 1, wherein the network base station is one of a plurality of base stations in an air and sea mesh network of in-flight nodes and sea based nodes serving at least one surface node or at least one air node.

11. A network comprising a plurality of network base stations configured to communicate with at least one in-flight node, the network base stations including at least two base stations having coverage areas that at least partially overlap with each other, each of the at least two base stations including:

a radio configured via software defined radio to utilize beamforming to generate a plurality of steerable beams, to enable multiple reuses of a same frequency to communicate with respective different in-flight communication nodes via respective different communication links,

wherein the respective different communication links are high speed data communications links that are enabled to be maintained continuous and uninterrupted in time while one of the respective different in-flight communication nodes transitions between corresponding steerable beams associated with respective ones of the coverage areas defined by the at least two base stations.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein the high speed data communications link is provided continuous and uninterrupted in time with the receiver station employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

13. The network of claim 12, wherein the radio employs communication bands in about a 2 GHz to about a 6 GHz range utilizing OFDM.

14. The network of claim 11, 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.

15. The network of claim 11, 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.

16. The network of claim 11, wherein the radio is further configured to generate the plurality of beams such that at least one of the beams has a beamwidth of less than about 4 degrees.

17. The network of claim 11, wherein mesh network is a land based mesh network serving in-flight nodes.

18. The network of claim 11, wherein the mesh network is an air mesh network of in-flight nodes serving at least one surface node.

19. The network of claim 11, wherein the mesh network is an air mesh network of in-flight nodes serving at least one other in-flight node on another aircraft.

20. The network of claim 11, wherein the mesh network is an air and sea mesh network of in-flight nodes and sea based nodes serving at least one surface node or at least one air node.