Airborne broadband communication network
US6018659A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 24, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 24, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B7/18508
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A deployed group of airborne vehicles (AV) provide relay communication service among mobile and airborne customers by using a directed phased array antenna (PAA). The PAAs provide broadband communication with mobile customers. Each AV has a wireless link to one or more neighboring AVs forming an airborne inter-networked mesh constellation for routing traffic between mobile customers. The AV constellation includes gateway members that maintain high capacity point-to-point satellite or terrestrial base station links for communication connectivity outside the aggregate coverage area of the AV constellation. A constellation is managed by an operations control center whose duties include positioning and scheduling replacement of the constellation AVs and routine network management functions, to implement the rapidly deployable, broadband, mobile, wireless communication network.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.