Patent · US Active

Virtual pooling of local resources in a balloon network

US8996024B1 · kind B1 · utility

37Cited by
4References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 23, 2012
Grant dateMar 31, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W84/06
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments relate to virtual pooling of a local resource in a balloon network. In an example, a balloon network has geographic zones, including at least a first and a second geographic zone. Further, each balloon has a sustainable utilization rate for a local resource. Each balloon utilizes the local resource according to a respective first utilization rate when located in the first geographic zone and utilizes the local resource according to a second utilization rate when located in the second geographic zone. For one or more of the balloons, the sustainable utilization rate is less than the respective first utilization rate and greater than the respective second utilization rate. However, the balloons are operable to move between the geographic zones such that the first utilization rate is substantially continuous in first geographic zone.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.