Three-dimensionalization of fifth generation communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10651922-B2
Application number	US-201816491345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2018
Priority date	Mar 21, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A communication system capable of realizing a three-dimensional network of the fifth generation mobile communication with low propagation delay in a radio communication is provided. The communication system comprises a radio relay station that relays a radio communication with the terminal apparatus. The radio relay station is provided in a floating object that is controlled so as to be located in a floating airspace with an altitude of 100 [km] or less by an autonomous control or an external control. When the floating object is located in the floating airspace, the radio relay station forms a three-dimensional cell in a predetermined cell-formation target airspace between the floating object and a ground level or a sea level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication system comprising:
a radio relay station for relaying a radio communication with a terminal apparatus,
wherein the radio relay station is provided in each of a plurality of floating objects controlled so as to be located in a floating airspace with an altitude less than or equal to 100 [km] by an autonomous control or an external control,
wherein the radio relay station forms a three-dimensional cell in a predetermined cell-formation target airspace between a floating object and a ground level or a sea level, when the floating object is located in the floating airspace,
wherein each of a plurality of radio relay stations forms a beam for performing a radio communication with the terminal apparatus toward the ground level or the sea level,
wherein the communication system comprises means for controlling at least one of distances between the plurality of floating objects, an altitude of each of the floating objects and an angle of an outer edge of the beam with respect to a virtual vertical line passing through each of the radio relay stations of the floating objects, so that a plurality of beams adjacent to each other in the predetermined cell-formation target airspace partially overlap with each other and the plurality of beams of the radio relay stations cover an overall upper end surface of the predetermined cell-formation target airspace,
wherein the plurality of floating objects includes a first floating object and a second floating object,
wherein each beam of the radio relay stations of the first floating object and the second floating objects is formed in a conical shape, and
wherein when a divergence angle of the beam of the radio relay station of the first floating object is defined as θ1 [rad], a divergence angle of the beam of the radio relay station of the second floating object is defined as θ2 [rad], an altitude of the radio relay station of the first floating object is defined as Hrs1 [m], an altitude of the radio relay station of the second floating object is defined as Hrs2 [m], a horizontal interval between the radio relay station of the first floating object and the radio relay station of the second floating object is defined as Drs [m] and an altitude of the overall upper end surface of the predetermined cell-formation target airspace is defined as Hcu [m], a following expression (3) is satisfied:
( Hrs 1− Hcu )×tan(θ1)+( Hrs 2− Hcu )×tan(θ2)≥ Drs   (3).

2. The communication system according to claim 1 ,
wherein when an altitude of a lower end of the predetermined cell-formation target airspace is defined as Hcl [m], and a maximum reachable distance of a radio signal between each of the radio relay stations of the first floating object and the second floating object and the terminal apparatus is defined as Lmax [m], following expressions (4) and (5) are satisfied:
( Hrs 1− Hcl )/cos(θ1)≤ L max  (4)

(( Hrs 2− Hcl )/cos(θ2)≤ L max  (5).

3. The communication system according to claim 1 , comprising a radio relay station on a ground or on a sea for forming a beam for a radio communication with the terminal apparatus toward the predetermined cell-formation target airspace.

4. The communication system according to claim 1 , comprising a feeder station on a ground or on a sea for performing a radio communication with the radio relay station of the floating object directly or via an artificial satellite.

5. The communication system according to claim 1 , comprising a remote control apparatus for remotely controlling at least one of the floating object and the radio relay station,
wherein the remote control apparatus transmits control information for controlling a floating movement of the floating object or a process in the radio relay station, to the floating object, and
wherein the floating object performs a first control to receive the control information from the remote control apparatus and to control the floating movement of the floating object or the process in the radio relay station, or a second control to obtain current position information of the floating object, pre-memorized position control information and position information of another neighboring floating object and to control autonomously the floating movement of the floating object or the process in the radio relay station.

6. The communication system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the communication system performs a control for adjusting at least one of an altitude of the first floating object and a direction and a divergence angle of the beam formed by the radio relay station of the floating object so that an altitude of the three-dimensional cell in the predetermined cell-formation target airspace relative to the ground level is maintained at a predetermined altitude, based on a geographical data of the ground level below the floating object.

7. The communication system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of floating objects is switched and used based on a power supply capability of a power source for supplying a power to the radio relay station in the floating object and a latitude of the floating airspace in which the floating object is located and used.

8. The communication system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of floating objects includes a low-latitude-support floating object with a power source for supplying a power to the radio relay station and a high-latitude-support floating object with a power source for supplying a power to the radio relay station by a power supply capability higher than that of the low-latitude-support floating object,
wherein the low-latitude-support floating object and the high-latitude-support floating object are switched and used in accordance with seasons with different sunshine time in an intermediate latitude area,
wherein each of the power source of the low-latitude-support floating object and the power source of the high-latitude-support floating object comprises a photovoltaic power generation section and a battery, and
wherein a power supplied by at least one of the photovoltaic power generation section and the battery of the power source of the high-latitude-support floating object is higher than that of the power source of the low-latitude-support floating object.

9. The communication system according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply apparatus located on the ground or on the sea, the power supply apparatus supplying a power by transmitting an energy beam to the floating object including the radio relay station,
wherein a power source of the floating object comprises a remote energy-beam power receiving section for receiving the energy beam from outside and generating a power.

10. The communication system according to claim 1 , further comprising a power-supply floating object controlled to be located in the floating airspace by the autonomous control or the external control, the power-supply floating object supplying a power by transmitting an energy beam to the floating object including the radio relay station,
wherein a power source of the floating object comprises a remote energy-beam power receiving section for receiving the energy beam from outside and generating a power.

11. A remote control apparatus for remotely controlling at least one of the radio relay stations and a floating movement of the floating object in the communication system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the remote control apparatus transmits control information for controlling the floating movement of the floating object or a process in the radio relay station, to the floating object, and
wherein the remote control apparatus controls at least one of an altitude of the first floating o

Assignees

• Softbank Corp

Inventors

• Miyakawa Junichi
• Kimura Kiyoshi

Classifications

• H04B7/18504 Primary

  Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform · CPC title

• H04W84/042

  Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems · CPC title

• H04W84/06

  Airborne or Satellite Networks (space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185) · CPC title

• H04W16/28

  using beam steering · CPC title

• H04W16/26 Primary

  Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow · CPC title