Global communication network

• US 9,369,198 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Beals, Travis Roland, Uhlik, Christopher Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Jain, Ankur
• Application Number:
  US14/229,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20150280810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 455/13.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• 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: H04B 7/18521 Systems of inter linked satellites, i.e. inter satellite service for optical links between satellites H04B10/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/033 by updating distance vector protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A communication system allows communication between two users separated by a long distance includes a source ground station, a constellation, one or more linking-gateways, and a destination ground station. The constellation includes groups of communication devices orbiting or traveling around the earth. A first communication device of a first group of communication devices is in communication with the source ground station and receives a communication from the source ground station. The linking-gateway is in communication with at least the first and a second group of communication devices. The linking-gateway receives the communication from the first group of communication devices and sends the communication to a second communication device of the second group of communication devices. The destination ground station is in communication with the second group of communication devices, the destination ground station receiving the communication from a communication device of the second group of communication devices.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a source ground station;

a constellation of communication devices comprising groups of communication devices orbiting earth, each group having an orbital path or trajectory different from another group, a first communication device of a first group of communication devices in communication with the source ground station and receiving a communication from the source ground station;

a linking-gateway in communication with at least the first group of communication devices and a second group of communication devices, the linking-gateway receiving the communication from the first group of communication devices and sending the communication to a second communication device of the second group of communication devices;

a destination ground station in communication with the second group of communication devices, the destination ground station receiving the communication from a communication device of the second group of communication devices; and

a data processing device configured to determine a path of the communication from a source in communication with the source ground station to a destination in communication with the destination ground station, the path based on a scoring function for assigning a score or weight value of a distance between the source and the destination, a capacity of an inter-device link between two devices, an operational status of a communication device, and a signal strength of a communication device.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the source ground station receives the communication from a first user through a cabled, fiber optic, radio-frequency wireless, or free-space optical connection and the destination ground station transmits the communication to a second user through a cabled, fiber optic, radio-frequency wireless, or free-space optical connection.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication devices comprise communication balloons and/or satellites.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the linking-gateway is moving across the earth.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein a current communication device having possession of the communication is in communication with a forward communication device within the orbital path or trajectory of its group of communication devices and a rearward communication device within the orbital path or trajectory of its group of communication devices via inter-device links, the current communication device, forward communication device, and the rearward communication device within the same group of communication devices.

6. The communication system of claim 5, wherein after the first communication device receives the communication, the first communication device sends the communication via an inter-device link to the forward communication device or the rearward communication device, the communication device receiving the communication forwarding the communication to the linking-gateway.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the data processing device is in communication with the source ground station, the constellation of communication devices, the linking-gateway, and the destination ground station.

8. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the data processing device determines the path based on at least one of a border gateway protocol, an interior gateway protocol, maximum flow algorithm, or shortest path algorithm.

9. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operational status of a communication device comprises an active status or an inactive status of the communication device as a whole or one or more individual components of the communication device.

10. A method of communication, the method comprising:

determining, by data processing hardware, a path of a communication from a source in communication with a source ground station to a destination in communication with a destination ground station through a constellation of communication devices comprising groups of communication devices orbiting earth, each group having an orbital path or trajectory different from another group, the path based on a scoring function for assigning a score or weight value of a distance between the source and the destination, a capacity of an inter-device link between two devices, an operational status of a communication device, and a signal strength of a communication device;

instructing, by the data processing hardware, the source ground station to send the communication to a first communication device of a first group of communication devices;

instructing, by the data processing hardware, the first group of communication devices to send the communication to a nearest linking-gateway;

instructing, by the data processing hardware, the linking-gateway to send the communication to a second communication device of a second group of communication devices; and

instructing, by the data processing hardware, the second group of communication devices to send the communication to the destination ground station.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the path based on at least one of a border gateway protocol, an interior gateway protocol, maximum flow algorithm, or shortest path algorithm.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the operational status of a communication device comprises an active status or an inactive status of the communication device as a whole or one or more individual components of the communication device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the source ground station receives the communication from a first user and the destination ground station transmits the communication to a second user.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication devices comprise communication balloons and/or satellites.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the linking-gateway is moving across the earth.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining or tracking a position of the linking-gateway.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

instructing a current communication device having possession of the communication to send the communication to a forward or rearward communication device within the orbital path or trajectory of the current communications device and within the same group of communication devices as the current communication device; and

instructing the forward or rearward communication device receiving the communication to send the communication to the linking-gateway.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the source ground station receives the communication from a first user through a cabled, fiber optic, radio-frequency wireless, or free-space optical connection and the destination ground station transmits the communication to a second user through a cabled, fiber optic, radio-frequency wireless, or free-space optical communication.

19. A communication system comprising:

a data processing device in communication with

a source ground station;

a constellation of communication devices comprising groups of communication devices orbiting earth, each group having an orbital path or trajectory different from another group, a first communication device of a first group of communication devices in communication with the source ground station;

a linking-gateway in communication with the first group of communication devices and a second group of communication devices; and

a destination ground station in communication with the second group of communication devices,

wherein the data processing device is configured to perform operations comprising;

determining a path of a communication from a source in communication with the source ground station to a destination in communication with the destination ground station through the constellation of communication devices and the linking-gateway, the path based on a scoring function for assigning a score or weight value of a distance between the source and the destination, a capacity of an inter-device link between two devices, an operational status of a communication device, and a signal strength of a communication device;

instructing the source ground station to send the communication to the first communication device of the first group of communication devices;

instructing the first group of communication devices to send the communication to the linking-gateway;

instructing the linking-gateway to send the communication to a second communication device of the second group of communication devices; and

instructing the second group of communication devices to send the communication to the destination ground station.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the source ground station receives the communication from a first user through a cabled or fiber optic connection and the destination ground station transmits the communication to a second user through a cabled or fiber optic connection.

21. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the communication devices comprise high-altitude communication balloons or satellites.

22. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the linking-gateway is moving across the earth.

23. The communication system of claim 19, wherein a current communication device having possession of the communication is in communication with a forward communication device within the orbital path or trajectory of its group of communication devices and a rearward communication device within the orbital path or trajectory of its group of communication devices via inter-device links, the current communication device, forward communication device, and the rearward communication device within the same group of communication devices.

24. The communication system of claim 23, wherein after the first communication device receives the communication, the first communication device sends the communication via an inter-device link to the forward communication device or the rearward communication device, the communication device receiving the communication forwarding the communication to the linking-gateway.

25. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the data processing device determines the path based on at least one of a border gateway protocol, an interior gateway protocol, maximum flow algorithm, or shortest path algorithm.

26. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the operational status of a communication device comprises an active status or an inactive status of the communication device as a whole or one or more individual components of the communication device.