PHASED ARRAY RADIO FREQUENCY NETWORK FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION

• US 20180020440A1
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Published: 01/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stuck, Gary D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,375,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/34 Modification of an existing route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams

Abstract

Systems and methods according to one or more embodiments are provided for routing wireless mobile communication signals using a phased array communication network. In one example, a system includes a plurality of phased array antennas configured to receive an RF modulated data packet. The RF modulated data packet includes a header and payload data. A demodulator circuit is provided to demodulate the header to identify route information while maintaining the payload data in RF modulated format. The phased array antennas are configured to transmit a high bandwidth narrow antenna beam comprising the RF modulated data packet in accordance with the route information. Maintaining the payload data in RF modulated format during the route provides for high bandwidth and high data rate transmission required of today'"'"'s wireless mobile communication networks.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving (1305, 1405), by a first phased array antenna beam (134B) at an access node (130B) of a phased array communication network (100), a radio frequency “

RF”

modulated data packet (800) comprising a header (802) and payload data (804);

demodulating (1310, 1410) the header while maintaining the payload data in RF modulated format;

identifying (1310, 1410) route information (802K) within the demodulated header; and

transmitting (1320, 1423, 1430), by a second phased array antenna beam (134C) from the access node in accordance with the route information, the RF modulated data packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the route information comprises a route path (140A-140B) identifying a plurality of access nodes (130A-C); and

the transmitting comprises transmitting the RF modulated data packet to one of the access nodes (130B) identified by the route path.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

reconfiguring (1422) the route information to identify at least one different access node (130H) to reduce a transmission delay (802L) associated with the access nodes identified by the route path; and

wherein the transmitting is performed in accordance with the reconfigured route information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

at least the first antenna beam comprises an RF modulated control channel (235) comprising transmission delay information (806H) provided by a control server (150); and

the reconfiguring is performed using the transmission delay information.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising RE modulating (1422) the reconfigured route information to update the RF modulated data packet prior to the transmitting.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises electronically steering the second phased array antenna beam toward one of the access nodes identified by the route information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting (1320), based on the route information, one of a plurality of phased array antennas of the access node; and

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the second phased array antenna beam from the selected phased array antenna (132B).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the antenna beams (134A-D) comprises a plurality of RF modulated communication channels (235); and

each of the RE modulated communication channels comprises a plurality of the RF modulated data packets passed between a corresponding source device (140A) and a corresponding destination device (140B) in accordance with the route information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the headers of the RF modulated data packets identify the corresponding source device and the corresponding destination device associated with each of the RF modulated communication channels.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the route information comprises a location associated with a destination device (140B).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the RF modulated data packet for a pre-defined duration and bandwidth.

12. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising remodulating (1315) the header to provide the RF modulated data packet for transmission from the access node.

13. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving (1305), by the first phased array antenna beam at the access node, a plurality of the RF modulated data packets;

demodulating (1310) the header of only a selected subset of the RF modulated data packets; and

transmitting (1320), by the second phased array antenna beam from the access node, the RF modulated data packets.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first phased array antenna beam and the second phased array antenna beam operate at RF carrier frequencies in a range from approximately sixty-five gigahertz “

GHz”

to approximately one hundred ten GHz.

15. A system comprising:

a first antenna (132A) configured to receive a first phased array antenna beam (134B) comprising a radio frequency “

RF”

modulated data packet (800), wherein the RF modulated data packet comprises a header (802) and payload data (804);

a demodulator circuit (335) configured to demodulate the header of the RF modulated data packet, while maintaining the payload data in RF modulated format, to identify route information (802K); and

a second antenna (132B) configured to transmit a second phased array antenna beam (134C) comprising the RF modulated data packet in accordance with the route information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the route information comprises a route path (140A-D) identifying a plurality of access nodes (130A-C); and

the RF modulated data packet is transmitted by the second phased array antenna beam to one of the access nodes (130B) identified by the route path.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a memory (320) configured to store a plurality of executable instructions;

a processor (310) configured to execute the instructions to;

reconfigure the route information to identify at least one different access node (130H) to reduce a transmission delay (802L) associated with the access nodes identified by the route path; and

the second antenna is configured to transmit the second phased array antenna beam in accordance with the reconfigured route information.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an RF modulated control channel (235), wherein:

at least the first phased array antenna beam comprises the RF modulated control channel;

the RF modulated control channel comprises transmission delay information (806H) provided by a control server; and

the route information is reconfigured using the transmission delay information.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a modulator circuit (337), wherein the reconfigured route information is RF modulated by the modulator circuit prior to transmission of the second phased array antenna beam.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a beam steering circuit (316) configured to electronically steer the second phased array antenna beam toward one of the access nodes identified by the route information, wherein the processor is configured to provide a steering control signal (318) to the beam steering circuit (316).

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising an RF array switch matrix (339), wherein the RF array switch matrix is configured to select one of a plurality of antennas (132A-D) to transmit the second phased array antenna beam from the selected antenna.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein:

each of the antenna beams comprises a plurality of RF modulated communication channels (233); and

each of the RF modulated communication channels comprises a plurality of the RF modulated data packets passed between a corresponding source device (140A) and a corresponding destination device (140B) in accordance with the route information.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the headers of the RF modulated data packets identify the corresponding source device and the corresponding destination device associated with each of the RF modulated communication channels.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the route information comprises a location associated with a destination device (140B).

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the RF modulated data packet is transmitted for a pre-defined duration and bandwidth.

26. The system of claim 15, further comprising a modulator circuit (337), wherein the header is remodulated by the modulator circuit prior to transmission from the second antenna.

27. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

the first phased array antenna beam comprises a plurality of RF modulated data packets (800);

the header (802) of only a selected subset of the RF modulated data packets is demodulated; and

the RF modulated data packets are transmitted by the second phased array antenna beam.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein the first phased array antenna beam and the second phased array antenna beam operate at RF carrier frequencies in a range from approximately sixty-five gigahertz “

GHz”

to approximately one hundred ten GHz.

29. A method comprising:

generating (1015), by a source device (140A), a data packet (800) comprising a header (802) and payload data (804), wherein the header identifies the source device and a destination device (140B), wherein the payload data comprises data to be transmitted from the source device to the destination device over a phased array communication network (100);

modulating (1015), by the source device, the data packet to provide a radio frequency “

RF”

modulated data packet; and

transmitting (1015), by the source device, a phased array antenna beam (134A) comprising the RF modulated data packet to an access node (130A) of the phased array communication network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the phased array antenna beam is a first phased array antenna beam, wherein the RF modulated data packet is a first RF modulated data packet, wherein the payload data is first payload data, the method further comprising:

receiving (1020), by a second phased array antenna beam (136A) from the access node, a second RF modulated data packet over one of a plurality of RF modulated communication channels (233) provided by the second phased array antenna beam, wherein the second RE modulated data packet comprises second payload data provided by the destination device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second phased array antenna beams provide bi-directional real time communication between the source device and the destination device through the access node.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second payload data comprises voice data.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the phased array antenna beam comprises a request to access (802F) the phased array communication network;

the phased array antenna beam is a first phased array antenna beam; and

the method further comprises receiving (1010), by a second phased array antenna beam (136A) from the access node, a response (806I) to the request for access, wherein the response identifies a communication channel (233) associated with the destination device.

34. A device comprising:

a memory (420) configured to store a plurality of executable instructions;

a processor (410) configured to execute the instructions to generate a data packet (800) comprising a header (802) and payload data (804), wherein the header identifies the device (140A) and a destination device (140B), wherein the payload data comprises data to be transmitted from the device to the destination device over a phased array communication network (100);

a modulator circuit (480) configured to radio frequency “

RF”

modulate the data packet; and

an antenna (460) configured to transmit a phased array antenna beam (134A) comprising the RF modulated data packet to an access node (130A) of the phased array communication network.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the phased array antenna beam is a first phased array antenna beam, wherein the RF modulated data packet is a first RF modulated data packet, wherein the payload data is first payload data, the device further comprises:

a second phased array antenna beam (136A) received from the access node at the phased array antenna of the device, the second phased array antenna beam comprises a plurality of RF modulated communication channels (233), wherein a second RF modulated data packet is received over one of the plurality of RF modulated communication channels, wherein the second RF modulated data packet comprises second payload data provided by the destination device.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the first and second phased array antenna beams provide bi-directional real time communication between the device and the destination device through the access node.

37. The device of claim 35, wherein the first and second payload data comprises voice data.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein:

the phased array antenna beam comprises a request to access (802F) the phased array communication network;

the antenna is a first antenna;

the phased array antenna beam is a first phased array antenna beam; and

the device further comprises a second antenna configured to receive a second phased array antenna beam (136A) from the access node, wherein the second phased array antenna beam comprises a response (806I) to the request for access, wherein the response identifies a communication channel (233) associated with the destination device.

39. A method comprising:

receiving (1005), at a control server (150), a request to access (802F) a phased array communication network (100);

allocating (1010), by the control server, a communication channel (233);

identifying (1010), by the control server, route information (806F) associated with the communication channel; and

transmitting (1010), by the control server to an access node (130) of the phased array communication network, a response (806I) to the request, wherein the response identifies the communication channel and the route information.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the transmitting comprises passing (1010), by a control channel (235) provided by the control server, the response.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

updating (1422), by the control server, the route information by identifying at least one different access node (130) to reduce a transmission delay associated with the access nodes identified by the route information; and

transmitting (1422), by the control channel, the updated route information.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the route information comprises identifying a plurality of access nodes (130) providing the communication channel between a source (140A) and a destination device (140B).

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the communication channel is associated with a source device (140A) and a destination device (140B) in communication with the phased array communication network.

44. A control server comprising:

a memory (520) configured to store a plurality of executable instructions; and

a processor (510) configured to execute the instructions to;

process a request to access (802F) a phased array communication network (100);

allocate a communication channel (233);

identify route information (806F) associated with the communication channel; and

transmit to an access node (130) of the phased array communication network, a response (806I) to the request, wherein the response identifies the communication channel and the route information.

45. The control server of claim 44, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to provide a control channel (235) and transmit the response by the control channel.

46. The control server of claim 45, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to:

identify at least one different access node (130) to reduce a transmission delay associated with the access nodes identified by the route information;

update the route information based on the identified at least one different access node; and

transmit, by the control channel, the updated route information.

47. The control server of claim 46, wherein the route information comprises a plurality of access nodes from a source (140A) device to a destination device (140B).

48. The control server of claim 44, wherein the communication channel is associated with a source device (140A) and a destination device (140B) in communication with the phased array communication network.