Architecture for simultaneous spectrum usage by air-to-ground and terrestrial networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017303137-A1
Application number	US-201715637460-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 19, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A network for providing air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication in various cells may include an in-flight aircraft including an antenna assembly, a plurality of ATG base stations, a plurality of terrestrial base stations. Each of the ATG base stations defines a corresponding radiation pattern, and the ATG base stations are spaced apart from each other to define at least partially overlapping coverage areas to communicate with the antenna assembly in an ATG communication layer defined between a first altitude and a second altitude. The terrestrial base stations are configured to communicate primarily in a ground communication layer below the first altitude. The terrestrial base stations and the ATG base stations are each configured to communicate using the same radio frequency (RF) spectrum in the ground communication layer and ATG communication layer, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for supporting air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication in various cells, the system comprising:
a plurality of ATG base stations, each of which defines a corresponding radiation pattern focusing energy toward the horizon, wherein the base stations are spaced apart from each other to define at least partially overlapping coverage areas to communicate with an antenna assembly of an aircraft in an ATG communication layer defined between a first altitude and a second altitude via an ATG communication network; and a high altitude service craft disposed in a high altitude service layer above the second altitude, wherein the terrestrial base stations and the ATG base stations are each configured to communicate using the same radio frequency (RF) spectrum in the ATG communication layer and the high altitude service layer, respectively.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of terrestrial base stations configured to communicate primarily in a ground communication layer below the first altitude via a terrestrial communication network;
wherein the terrestrial base stations and the ATG base stations are each configured to communicate using the same radio frequency (RF) spectrum in the ground communication layer and ATG communication layer, respectively.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein a serving ATG base station from among the plurality of ATG base stations is in communication with the in-flight aircraft while being geographically located outside a coverage area of each of the terrestrial base stations in a portion of the ground communication layer above which the in-flight aircraft is located.

4 . The system of claim 3 , the high altitude service craft supports wireless communication with at least one asset outside the high altitude service layer.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one asset comprises the in-flight aircraft in the ATG communication layer.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one asset comprises a selected one of the first, second or additional ATG base stations.

7 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the high altitude service craft is disposed above the second altitude to support wireless communication with a satellite.

8 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the high altitude service craft is disposed above the second altitude to form an aircraft link with the in-flight aircraft in the ATG communication layer and a satellite link to a satellite.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the high altitude service craft forms an ATG link with a selected one of the plurality of ATG base stations.

10 . An air-to-ground (ATG) network providing wireless communication to an in-flight aircraft capable of passing through various cells of the ATG network, the ATG network comprising:
a first ATG base station defining a first radiation pattern; a second ATG base station defining a second radiation pattern; and a plurality of additional ATG base stations, each of which defines a corresponding radiation pattern, wherein the first, second and additional ATG base stations are spaced apart from each other to define at least partially overlapping coverage areas to communicate with an antenna assembly on the in-flight aircraft in an ATG communication layer defined between a first altitude and a second altitude via the ATG network, and wherein the antenna assembly further includes one or more antenna elements, and wherein a controller on the in-flight aircraft is configured to switch between the antenna elements of the antenna assembly based on a location of the in-flight aircraft.

11 . The ATG network of claim 10 , wherein a plurality of terrestrial base stations are configured to communicate primarily in a ground communication layer below the first altitude via a terrestrial communication network, and
wherein a serving ATG base station from among the first, second and additional ATG base stations is in communication with the in-flight aircraft while being geographically located outside a coverage area of each of the terrestrial base stations in a portion of the ground communication layer above which the in-flight aircraft is located.

12 . The ATG network of claim 11 , further comprising a high altitude service layer disposed above the second altitude.

13 . The ATG network of claim 10 , wherein the antenna assembly is configured to communicate with a selected one of the ATG base stations based on the selected one of the ATG base stations being in a focus region within the horizon and about 15 degrees below the horizon relative to the in-flight aircraft.

14 . The ATG network of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the antenna assembly is tiltable to maintain the antenna assembly oriented toward the focus region responsive to maneuvering of the in-flight aircraft.

15 . The ATG network of claim 14 , wherein the antenna assembly comprises a panel antenna configured to be tiltable by a steering assembly responsive to instruction from the controller.

16 . The ATG network of claim 15 , wherein the steering assembly mechanically tilts the panel antenna responsive to instruction from the controller.

17 . The ATG network of claim 15 , wherein the steering assembly electrically tilts the panel antenna responsive to instruction from the controller.

18 . The ATG network of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to receive sensor data of the in-flight aircraft and, based on knowledge of ATG base station location and orientation of the in-flight aircraft as indicated by the sensor data, provide a tilt instruction to compensate for the maneuvering of the in-flight aircraft.

19 . The ATG network of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to receive sensor data of the in-flight aircraft and, based on knowledge of ATG base station location and location or orientation of the in-flight aircraft as indicated by the sensor data, provide a switch instruction to switch between antenna elements of the antenna assembly.

20 . The ATG network of claim 10 , further comprising one or more high altitude service craft disposed in a high altitude service layer above the second altitude, wherein the high altitude service craft is configured to communicate using the same radio frequency (RF) spectrum as the ground communication layer and ATG communication layer, using vertical beamsteering to focus energy proximate to the horizon.

Assignees

• Smartsky Networks LLC

Inventors

• Stone Ryan M
• Hyslop Douglas

Classifications

• H04W16/02

  Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning · CPC title

• H04B7/18508

  with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service · CPC title

• H04W16/14 Primary

  Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} · CPC title

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title

• H04W84/005

  Moving wireless networks · CPC title