Balloon clumping to provide bandwidth requested in advance
AssigneeWaymo LLC
InventorsEric Teller, William Graham Patrick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems disclosed herein relate to determining a projected change in bandwidth demand in a specified area during a specified future time period, repositioning one or more balloons in a high-altitude balloon network based on the projected change in bandwidth demand, and providing, using the one or more balloons, at least a portion of the bandwidth demanded in the specified area during the specified future time period.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- based at least on an advance request for bandwidth in a specified area at a specified future time period having a beginning and a finite duration, projecting a future bandwidth demand in the specified area;
- before the specified future time period begins and based on the projected future bandwidth demand, causing one or more balloons in a high-altitude balloon network to move into airspace over the specified area;
- determining a priority level related to the future bandwidth demand;
- and
- providing, using the one or more balloons in the high-altitude balloon network, bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period, wherein providing bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period comprises providing bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period based on the priority level.
A system comprising:
- a plurality of balloons in a high-altitude balloon network;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- based at least on an advance request for bandwidth in a specified area at a specified future time period having a beginning and a finite duration, project a future bandwidth demand in the specified area;
- before the specified future time period begins and based on the projected future bandwidth demand, cause one or more of the plurality of balloons in the high-altitude balloon network to move into airspace over the specified area;
- determine a priority level related to the future bandwidth demand;
- and
- cause the one or more balloons in the high-altitude balloon network to provide bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period, wherein providing bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period comprises providing bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period based on the priority level.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a controller to perform functions, the functions comprising:
- based at least on an advance request for bandwidth in a specified area at a specified future time period having a beginning and a finite duration, projecting a future bandwidth demand in the specified area;
- before the specified future time period begins and based on the projected future bandwidth demand, causing one or more balloons in a high-altitude balloon network to move into airspace over the specified area;
- determining a priority level related to the future bandwidth demand;
- and
- providing, using the one or more balloons in the high-altitude balloon network, bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period, wherein providing bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period comprises providing bandwidth in the specified area during the specified future time period based on the priority level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.