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Antenna beam management and gateway design for broadband access using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms

  • US 9,614,608 B2
  • Filed: 09/15/2014
  • Issued: 04/04/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for providing broadband access, comprising:

  • a plurality of gateways, each of the gateways being coupled to a core network;

    one or more user terminals; and

    an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the UAV comprising;

    a first antenna system configured to form at least one first beam towards the one or more user terminals;

    a second antenna system configured to form at least one second beam toward the one or more gateways;

    a first set of radio transceivers and modems configured to transmit and receive a first plurality of signals to/from the one or more user terminals;

    a second set of radio transceivers and modems configured to transmit and receive a second plurality of signals to/from the one or more gateways; and

    a router/processor sub-system configured to route packets between the one or more user terminals and at least one of the plurality of gateways and to manage the at least one first and at least one second beams, where the router/processor sub-system is further configured to;

    determine at least one blockage condition that affects transmission or reception of the second plurality of signals to/from the one or more gateways; and

    responsively switch the transmission or reception of the second plurality of signals to/from one or more diversity gateways.

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