Concentric cells in a wireless communication system

• US 9,497,640 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Original Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Inventors: Hyslop, Douglas, Caplan, Andrew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US15/002,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20160142923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/431, 455/446, 455/448, 455/454, 343/874, 343/879, 343/893
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/30 Special cell shapes, e.g. doughnuts or ring cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Aspects described herein relate to a base station for providing air-to-ground wireless communication over various altitudes. The base station includes a first antenna array comprising one or more antennas configured to form a first cell coverage area extending substantially from a horizon up to a first elevation angle away from the first antenna array to a predetermined distance from the first antenna array. The base station further includes a second antenna array configured at an uptilt elevation angle to form a second cell coverage area extending at least from the first elevation angle to a second elevation away from the second antenna array, wherein the first cell coverage area and the second cell coverage area are concentric to define the ATG cell at least to the predetermined distance and up to a predetermined elevation.

Claims

1. A base station for providing air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication over various altitudes of an ATG cell, the base station comprising:

a first antenna array comprising one or more antennas configured to form a first cell coverage area extending substantially from the horizon up to a first elevation angle away from the first antenna array to a predetermined elevation relative to the first antenna array along each of a plurality of directions from the base station;

a second antenna array configured at an uptilt elevation angle to form a second cell coverage area extending away from the second antenna array at least from the first elevation angle to a second elevation angle, wherein the first cell coverage area and the second cell coverage area are concentric to combine to define the ATG cell to provide continuous coverage within the ATG cell having a substantially cylindrical shape up to the predetermined elevation and out to a radial distance defined at an intersection of the first elevation angle with the predetermined elevation.

2. The base station of claim 1, wherein the predetermined elevation is about 45,000 feet.

3. The base station of claim 1, wherein the radial distance is at least 100 miles.

4. The base station of claim 1, wherein the first antenna array and the second antenna array each employ different respective radios to enable the first and second antenna arrays to transmit signals concurrently.

5. The base station of claim 1, wherein the first antenna array and the second antenna array are configured such that the first cell coverage area and the second cell coverage area are concentric over a similar azimuth.

6. The base station of claim 1, wherein the second antenna array is configured to transmit signals at a higher elevation and vertical beam width than the one or more antennas of the first antenna array at a given radial distance from the base station.

7. The base station of claim 1, wherein the first antenna array comprises four antennas installed at four respective different sectors to define 360 degrees of coverage around the base station between the horizon and the first elevation angle.

8. The base station of claim 7, wherein the second antenna array includes four additional antennas installed at similar locations around the base station as the four antennas of the first antenna array.

9. The base station of claim 8, further comprising a patch antenna disposed concentric with the first and second antenna arrays to provide a third coverage area from the second elevation angle to at least a point directly above the base station at the predetermined elevation.

10. The base station of claim 9, wherein the patch antenna is configured substantially perpendicularly to the first antenna array.

11. A method for providing air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication over various elevations, comprising:

transmitting signals using a first antenna array configured to form a first cell coverage area extending substantially from the horizon up to a first elevation angle away from the first antenna array to a predetermined elevation relative to the first antenna array; and

transmitting additional signals using a second antenna array configured at an uptilt elevation angle to form a second cell coverage area extending away from the second antenna array at least from the first elevation angle to a second elevation angle, wherein the first cell coverage area and the second cell coverage area are concentric to combine to define the ATG cell to provide continuous coverage within the ATG cell having a substantially cylindrical shape up to the predetermined elevation and out to a radial distance defined at an intersection of the first elevation angle with the predetermined elevation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting signals using a patch antenna disposed concentric with the first and second antenna arrays to provide a third coverage area from the second elevation to at least a point directly above the base station at the predetermined elevation.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first cell coverage area and the second cell coverage area are concentric over a similar azimuth.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the additional signals are transmitted at a higher elevation and using an increased vertical beam width than the signals transmitted using the first antenna array at a given radial distance from the base station.

15. A network comprising a plurality of base stations for providing air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication over various altitudes of an ATG cell, each of the base stations comprising:

a first antenna array comprising one or more antennas configured to form a first cell coverage area extending substantially from the horizon up to a first elevation angle away from the first antenna array to a predetermined elevation relative to the first antenna array along each of a plurality of directions from the base station;

a second antenna array configured at an uptilt elevation angle to form a second cell coverage area extending away from the second antenna array at least from the first elevation angle to a second elevation angle, wherein the first cell coverage area and the second cell coverage area are concentric to combine to define the ATG cell to provide continuous coverage within the ATG cell having a substantially cylindrical shape up to the predetermined elevation and out to a radial distance defined at an intersection of the first elevation angle with the predetermined elevation.

16. The network of claim 15, wherein the predetermined elevation is about 45,000 feet.

17. The network of claim 15, wherein the radial distance is at least 100 miles.

18. The network of claim 15, wherein the first antenna array and the second antenna array each employ different respective radios to enable the first and second antenna arrays to transmit signals concurrently.

19. The network of claim 15, further comprising a patch antenna disposed concentric with the first and second antenna arrays to provide a third coverage area from the second elevation angle to at least a point directly above the base station at the predetermined elevation.

20. The network of claim 19, wherein the patch antenna is configured substantially perpendicularly to the first antenna array.