System and method for dynamic wireless aerial mesh network

• US 9,654,200 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mutualink, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mutualink, Inc.
• Inventors: Mazzarella, Joseph R., Wengrovitz, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US14/523,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20150063202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 2, 701 3, 455430, 455431
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/385 Uniform resource identifier for session initiation protocol [SIP URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/402 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel non-real time sessions, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Embodiments include a dynamic wireless aerial mesh network having aerial nodes that provides real-time persistent wide area communications service to provide communications in response to an incident. Typically, the area services is a wide area that is physically inaccessible via ground transportation. In addition, embodiments include the formation of a decentralized mesh supernetwork comprising two or more dynamic wireless aerial mesh networks where each dynamic wireless aerial mesh network is owned by a different agency (e.g., a secure community). A member of a first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network may send a request to a member of a second dynamic wireless aerial mesh network for the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network to join the second dynamic wireless aerial mesh network to form a mesh supernetwork, and receive an acceptance from the member of the second dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a wireless communication from a ground base station associated with a first agency;

transmitting the wireless communication to an end unit radio transceiver associated with the first agency,

wherein the transmitting is via a first aerial node (AN) of two or more ANs of a first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network that provides persistent wide area communications service; and

adjusting a flight pattern of the first AN based on changes to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight pattern of the first AN comprises a persistent coverage rotation cycle, wherein a replacement AN is scheduled to launch and land on a staggered basis based on an actual or projected flight duration time of the two or more ANs.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a second AN of the two or more ANs occupies a relational position within the flight pattern of the first AN, wherein as the second AN retires, the replacement AN launches to fill the relational position within the flight pattern of the first AN vacated by the second AN.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first AN in communication with the end unit radio transceiver initiates a handoff to the replacement AN of the two or more ANs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the flight pattern of the first AN comprises:

detecting a failed AN of the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network; and

adapting the flight pattern of the first AN to maintain the persistent wide area communications service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring an audio event, a radiation level, a chemical level, a heat level, an electromagnetic signature, a pressure level, a reflective signature, a geo-position coordinate, or a homing beacon signal;

determining that the measurement satisfies a threshold; and

transmitting a threshold alert to an AN of the two or more ANs, the end unit radio transceiver associated with the first agency, or a server coupled to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a new flight path based on the threshold alert, wherein the first AN of the two or more ANs adjusts the flight pattern of the first AN accordingly.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a new flight path command based on the threshold alert, wherein a remaining AN of the two or more ANs adjusts a flight pattern of the remaining AN accordingly.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the new flight path command includes different duties than the two or more ANs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the flight pattern of the first AN comprises:

detecting a new AN in communications proximity, wherein the new AN is associated with the first agency; and

changing to a new flight path based on an addition of the new AN to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the flight pattern of the first AN comprises:

detecting a new AN in communications proximity, wherein the new AN is associated with a second agency, wherein the first and second agencies are associated with an incident, wherein the first and second agencies communicate securely, and wherein an agency includes a collection of communication resources having an administrator that maintains control over the agency;

receiving a request from the new AN to join the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network;

transmitting an acceptance to the new AN; and

changing to a new flight path based on an addition of the new AN to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

12. The method of claim 11, further, comprising:

transmitting a second request to the first agency to join the new AN to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network; and

receiving a second acceptance to join the new AN to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the new AN is coupled to a second dynamic wireless aerial mesh network associated with the second agency, further comprising:

receiving a second wireless communication from the end unit radio transceiver associated with the first agency; and

transmitting the second wireless communication to a second end unit radio transceiver associated with the second agency via the second dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting the request is transmitted out-of-band.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the end unit radio transceiver comprises:

a legacy radio device, or an Internet Protocol (IP)-based device, wherein the IP-based device includes;

a smartphone, a tablet, a wearable sensor, a watch, a remote controller, or a laptop computer.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a flight command including a speed, a direction, an elevation, or a geographical waypoint; and

adjusting the flight pattern of the first AN based on the received flight command.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the flight command is generated manually, automatically, or semi-automatically, and wherein the flight command is based on a geospatial position, a relative position to a remaining AN of the two or more ANs of the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network, an intended flight path of the remaining AN of the two or more ANs, deviations from a planned flight path, a flight condition, a rerouting flight instruction, a ground bandwidth need, a density or number of end unit radio transceivers in a coverage area of the persistent wide area communications service, or a location of one end unit radio transceiver of the number of end unit radio transceivers in the coverage area.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first AN comprises a unique identification number that includes a unique aircraft identification number, a registration number, a MAC address of an embedded hardware, or a designated sequence slot assignment within a multi-AN flight coverage pattern.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording images in conjunction with another AN of the two or more ANs; and

transmitting the images via the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network or a separate communications path.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first AN is coupled to a platform comprising:

a pilotless aerial drone, a balloon, an aerostat, or a piloted plane.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first AN is coupled to the pilotless aerial drone, and another AN of the two or more ANs of the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network is coupled to a different platform.

22. An aerial node (AN) system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory;

wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive a wireless communication from a ground base station associated with a first agency;

transmit the wireless communication to an end unit radio transceiver associated with the first agency,

wherein the wireless communication is transmitted via a first AN of two or more ANs of a first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network that provides persistent wide area communications service; and

adjust a flight pattern of the first AN based on changes to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the flight pattern of the first AN comprises a persistent coverage rotation cycle, and wherein a replacement AN is scheduled to launch and land on a staggered basis based on an actual or projected flight duration time of the two or more ANs.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein a second AN of the two or more ANs occupies a relational position within the flight pattern of the first AN, and wherein as the second AN retires, the replacement AN launches to fill the relational position within the flight pattern of the first AN vacated by the second AN.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

measure an audio event, a radiation level, a chemical level, a heat level, an electromagnetic signature, a pressure level, a reflective signature, a geo-position coordinate, or a homing beacon signal;

determine that the measurement satisfies a threshold; and

transmit a threshold alert to an AN of the two or more ANs, the end unit radio transceiver associated with the first agency, or a server coupled to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a new flight path based on the threshold alert, wherein the first AN of the two or more ANs adjusts the flight pattern of the first AN accordingly.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

detect a new AN in communications proximity, wherein the new AN is associated with a second agency;

receive a request from the new AN to join the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network;

transmit an acceptance to the new AN; and

change to a new flight path based on an addition of the new AN to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the new AN is coupled to a second dynamic wireless aerial mesh network associated with the second agency, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a second wireless communication from the end unit radio transceiver associated with the first agency; and

transmit the second wireless communication to a second end unit radio transceiver associated with the second agency via the second dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the first AN is coupled to a platform comprising:

a pilotless aerial drone, a balloon, an aerostat, or a piloted plane.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first AN is coupled to the pilotless aerial drone, and another AN of the two or more ANs of the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network is coupled to a different platform.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

transmit a second request to the first agency to join the new AN to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network; and

receive a second acceptance to join the new AN to the first dynamic wireless aerial mesh network.