Aircraft communications during different phases of flight

• US 9,692,500 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: McMillin, Duke, Mitchell, Timothy M., Small, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIEH, PING Y
• Application Number:
  US15/226,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20160365917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 4554042, 4554141, 4554142, 4554143, 4554144, 455431, 455430, 455428, 455429, 455436, 4554561, 455 111, 455 131, 455 133, 455 25, 370331, 370255, 370256, 370311, 370312
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for exchanging information between a source and an aircraft. In response to a request to exchange the information between the aircraft and the source, a number of aircraft is identified to send microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form a number of identified aircraft based on a location of the aircraft and a location of the source. The number of identified aircraft is configured to send the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form a number of configured aircraft. The number of configured aircraft forms a mobile network. The microwave signals are sent between the source and the aircraft using the number of configured aircraft. The information is exchanged between the aircraft and the source using the microwave signals sent through the mobile network.

Claims

1. A method for exchanging information between a source and an aircraft, the method comprising:

responsive to a request to exchange the information between the aircraft and the source, identifying a number of aircraft to send microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form a number of identified aircraft based on a location of the aircraft and a location of the source;

configuring the number of identified aircraft to send the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form a number of configured aircraft, wherein the number of configured aircraft form a mobile network; and

sending the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft using the mobile network, wherein the information is exchanged between the aircraft and the source using the microwave signals sent through the mobile network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received during a phase of flight of the aircraft and the phase of flight is selected from one of in flight, on ground, take off, landing, climbing, and cruising.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises:

identifying the number of aircraft from a plurality of aircraft based on the location of the aircraft relative to the plurality of aircraft.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

identifying an updated number of aircraft from the plurality of aircraft to send the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form an updated number of identified aircraft based on an updated location of the aircraft and an updated location of the source;

configuring the updated number of identified aircraft to send the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form an updated number of configured aircraft, wherein the updated number of configured aircraft form a modified mobile network; and

sending the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft using the modified mobile network.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

identifying at least one of the number of aircraft and the updated number of aircraft using an optimization process, wherein the optimization process uses at least one of a maximum bandwidth, a maximum throughput, a least number of aircraft sending the microwave signals, a minimum distance between the number of aircraft, a minimum distance between the number of aircraft and the aircraft, a minimum distance between the source and the aircraft, and information about the aircraft and the number of aircraft.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information includes at least one of a location, a speed, a heading, a time, an altitude, a flight path, a phase of flight, and a range of frequencies.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a first configured aircraft in the number of configured aircraft configures an antenna associated with the first configured aircraft to send the microwave signals between a second configured aircraft in the number of configured aircraft and the first configured aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the source is selected from one of another aircraft and a ground station.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

configuring a first number of antennas using the optimization process to send the microwave signals between the source, the aircraft, and the number of identified aircraft; and

configuring a second number of antennas using the optimization process to send the microwave signals between the source, the aircraft, and the updated number of identified aircraft.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the configuring step comprises:

positioning the first number of antennas and the second number of antennas; and

tuning the first number of antennas and the second number of antennas to a number of frequencies.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the source is a ground station and the configuring step comprises:

positioning a directional antenna on the ground station.

12. A method for providing communications, the method comprising:

responsive to a request to provide the communications between a source and an aircraft within a plurality of aircraft approaching the source and having a selected phase of flight, identifying an antenna in a plurality of antennas associated with the source based on a location of the aircraft and a location of the antenna;

configuring the antenna to send microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form a configured antenna; and

sending the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft using the configured antenna, wherein the microwave signals provide the communications.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

configuring a number of antennas in the plurality of antennas to send the microwave signals between the source and a number of aircraft in the plurality of aircraft based on a first number of locations for the number of antennas and a second number of locations for the number of aircraft to form a number of configured antennas.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the number of configured antennas sends the microwave signals between the source and the number of aircraft with a total bandwidth and a total throughput for the communications.

15. The method of claim 14, ground when the at least one wherein the aircraft is on of the total bandwidth and the total throughput are reduced below a desired level.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

responsive to the reduction of the at least one of the total bandwidth and the total throughput for the communications below the desired level, identifying a new second number of locations for the aircraft to increase the at least one of the total bandwidth and the total throughput for the communications;

reconfiguring the number of antennas to send the microwave signals between the source and the number of aircraft based on the first number of locations for the number of antennas and the new second number of locations for the number of aircraft; and

responsive to reconfiguring the number of antennas, sending the microwave signals between the source and the number of aircraft using the number of antennas.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the configuring and reconfiguring steps are performed using an optimization process, and wherein the optimization process uses at least one of a maximum bandwidth, a maximum throughput, a minimum distance between the number of aircraft and the number of antennas, and information about the number of aircraft.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the configuring and reconfiguring steps comprise:

positioning the number of antennas; and

tuning the number of antennas to a number of frequencies of the number of aircraft.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the reconfiguring step comprises:

switching the configured antenna in a number of configured antennas from a first frequency for a first aircraft in a number of aircraft to a second frequency for a second aircraft in the number of aircraft.

20. An apparatus comprising:

an aircraft; and

a number of directional antennas associated with the aircraft, wherein the number of directional antennas is capable of being configured to send microwave signals with a source using a number of identified aircraft that form a mobile network in response to a request to exchange information between the source and the aircraft, and wherein the number of identified aircraft in the mobile network are selected based on a location of the aircraft and a location of the source.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the number of identified aircraft are identified from a plurality of aircraft based on the location of the aircraft relative to the plurality of aircraft.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

an updated number of identified aircraft in the plurality of aircraft, wherein the updated number of identified aircraft form a modified mobile network and are used to send the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft at an updated location of the aircraft and an updated location of the source.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

the source; and

a plurality of antennas associated with the source, wherein an antenna in the plurality of antennas is configured to exchange the microwave signals between the source and the aircraft to form a configured antenna.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

the source; and

a plurality of antennas associated with the source, wherein a number of directional antennas in the plurality of antennas is configured to send the microwave signals between the source and a number of aircraft in the plurality of aircraft based on a first number of locations for the number of directional antennas and a second number of locations for the aircraft and a number of aircraft.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the number of antennas is capable of being reconfigured in response to a reduction of at least one of a total bandwidth and a total throughput for the communications below a desired level.

26. A method for exchanging information between a source and a first aircraft, the method comprising:

identifying a number of additional aircraft to send signals between the source and the first aircraft, wherein identifying is based on a location of the aircraft and a location of the source, wherein a number of identified aircraft is formed, and wherein the number of identified aircraft form a mobile network; and

sending the signals between the source and the first aircraft using the mobile network, wherein the information is exchanged between the first aircraft and the source using the signals sent through the mobile network.