Transmission power control based on position of moving platform and prevailing emission restrictions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10263689-B2
Application number	US-201615747782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2016
Priority date	Aug 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

Apparatus for communications management in respect of a moving platform having a dynamic planner (40) configured to generate a communications plan utilising one or more of a plurality of communications planning strategies, at least one platform application (14, 16, 18, 20, FIG. 1), and a communications system (42) configured to effect wireless data communication of data received from a platform application by means of one or more supported communications links in accordance with said communications plan, wherein said apparatus comprises an interface function between said dynamic planner (40) and said communications system (42), said interface function including a communications executive module (141) and a communications management module (41), said communications executive module (141) being configured to receive, from said communications system (42), condition data representative of a prevailing situational and/or environmental condition affecting a current communications plan during mission execution, generate re-plan request data and transmit said re-plan request data to said communications management module (41); said communications management module (41) being configured to generate plan request data in response to said re-plan request data and transmit said plan request data to said dynamic planner (40), said plan request data being configured to cause said dynamic planner (40) to generate a revised communications plan and transmit said revised communications plan to said communications system (42), wherein said plan request data is generated by said communications management module (41) by selecting a strategy from said plurality of communications planning strategies, based at least on said condition data, and generating said plan request data including data representative of said selected strategy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for communications management in respect of a moving platform having:
a dynamic planner configured to generate a communications plan utilising one or more of a plurality of communications planning strategies;
at least one platform application; and
a communications system configured to effect wireless data communication of data received from a platform application by means of one or more supported communications links in accordance with said communications plan;
wherein said apparatus comprises:
an interface function between said dynamic planner and said communications system, said interface function including:
a communications executive module; and
a communications management module;
said communications executive module being configured to receive, from said communications system, condition data representative of a prevailing situational and/or environmental condition affecting a current communications plan during mission execution, generate re-plan request data and transmit said re-plan request data to said communications management module;
said communications management module being configured to generate plan request data in response to said re-plan request data and transmit said plan request data to said dynamic planner, said plan request data being configured to cause said dynamic planner to generate a revised communications plan and transmit said revised communications plan to said communications system;
wherein said plan request data is generated by said communications management module by selecting a strategy from said plurality of communications planning strategies, based at least on said condition data, and generating said plan request data including data representative of said selected strategy; and
wherein said communications management module is configured to transmit said plan request data to an authorisation module for assessment and, in response to a positive assessment of said plan request data, the communications management module is configured to transmit a re-plan request to said dynamic planner.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said communications planning strategies include two or more of platform manoeuvre, antenna and/or link selection, power transmission selection and/or antenna beam selection.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said communications management module is configured to include, in said plan request data, said condition data, or data representative thereof, for use by said dynamic planner in generating said revised communications plan.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said condition data includes data representative of a platform manoeuvre that may affect a current or future communications link, and wherein said apparatus is configured to transmit said condition data, or data representative thereof, to said dynamic planner for use thereby in generating said revised communications plan.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said condition data comprises data representative of a change of emissions control conditions in respect of said moving platform and/or an adversary node, and wherein said communications management module is configured to transmit said condition data to said dynamic planner for use thereby in generating a revised communications plan.

6. The apparatus according claim 1 , wherein said condition data comprises data representative of detected interference and/or jamming in respect of a communications link for said moving platform, the communications management module being configured to transmit said condition data to said dynamic planner for use thereby in generating a revised communications plan.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said condition data comprises data indicative that a current wireless communications link has failed or a quality of a communications link has changed, wherein said communications management module is configured, in response thereto, to generate said plan request data, the apparatus being further configured to transmit said plan request data to said dynamic planner to cause said dynamic planner to generate a revised communications plan.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said condition data comprises data representative of a current operational mode of said moving platform.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said dynamic planner is configured to transmit said revised communications plan to said communications management module, and said communications management module is configured to transmit said revised communications plan, or data representative thereof, to said communications system.

10. A management system for a moving platform comprising:
at least one platform application, the management system comprising:
a dynamic planner configured to generate a communications plan incorporating one or more of a plurality of communications planning strategies;
a communications system configured to effect wireless data communication of data received from a platform application by means of one or more supported communications links in accordance with said communications plan; and
an interface function between said dynamic planner and said communications system, said interface function including:
a communications executive module; and
a communications management module;
said communications executive module being configured to receive, from said communications system, condition data representative of a prevailing situational and/or environmental condition affecting a current communications plan during mission execution, generate re-plan request data and transmit said re-plan request data to said communications management module;
said communications management module being configured to generate plan request data in response to said re-plan request data and transmit said plan request data to said dynamic planner, said plan request data being configured to cause said dynamic planner to generate a revised communications plan and transmit said revised communications plan to said communications system;
wherein said plan request data is generated by said communications management module by selecting a strategy from said plurality of communications planning strategies, based at least on said condition data, and generating said plan request data including data representative of said selected strategy; and
wherein said communications management module is configured to transmit said plan request data to an authorisation module for assessment and, in response to a positive assessment of said plan request data, the communications management module is configured to transmit a re-plan request to said dynamic planner.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said communications executive module is configured to receive further condition data from other systems and/or functions of said moving platform and transmit said further condition data to said dynamic planner in generating said revised communications plan.

12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said communications planning strategies include a revised route plan and/or obstacle avoidance/manoeuvre plan.

13. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said strategies include an antenna, link and/or off-board transmission power plan, designed to maintain optimal communications in respect of said one or more communications links.

14. A method for communications management in respect of a moving platform having a dynamic planner configured for:
generating a communications plan incorporating one or more of a plurality of communications strategies;
at least one platform application;

Assignees

• Bae Systems Plc

Inventors

• Hudson Peter Noble
• Eissa Rania Hamdi

Classifications

• H04B7/185

  Space-based or airborne stations; {Stations for satellite systems}(H04B7/204 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04B7/18506 Primary

  Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service · CPC title

• H04W52/285

  taking into account the mobility of the user · CPC title