# US 11,452,034 B2 · Distance-based serving cell selection for communications between an aerial vehicle and a cellular radio access network

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- Number: US 11,452,034 B2
- Document ID: US11452034B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/833,064
- Filed: 2020-03-27
- Published: 2021-09-30
- Granted: 2022-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-27
- Assignees: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
- Applicants: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
- Inventors: Kyle Lashbrook
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452034B2

## CPC

- H04W 48/20: Selecting an access point
- B64C 1/36: adapted to receive antennas or radomes
- B64D 41/00: Power installations for auxiliary purposes
- B64U 10/13: Flying platforms
- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- G08G 5/53: for cruising
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- H01Q 1/28: Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
- H01Q 3/08: for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
- H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
- B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- H01Q 3/30: varying the {relative} phase {between the radiating elements of an array (H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence)}
- H04W 88/02: Terminal devices
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

A method of communicating between an aerial vehicle and a cellular radio access network is described. In some cases, the method includes determining a current location of the aerial vehicle; determining, in response to the current location, a location of a nearest cell of the cellular radio access network; and processing communications between the aerial vehicle and the cellular radio access network, using the nearest cell as a serving cell. When the method is performed on-board an aerial vehicle, the method further includes orienting a directional antenna of the aerial vehicle toward the location of the nearest cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aerial vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a directional antenna;
a modem configured to communicate with a cellular radio access network using the directional antenna;
a motor attached to the directional antenna and the frame; and
a processor configured to:
determine the aerial vehicle has ascended to a predetermined altitude;
switch from using a signal strength-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network to a distance-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network, the switch made at least partly in response to determining the aerial vehicle has ascended to the predetermined altitude, and the distance-based serving cell selection process excluding signal strength as a factor in selecting a serving cell; and
perform the distance-based serving cell selection process by,
determining a current location of the aerial vehicle;
determining, at least partly in response to the current location, a location of a nearest cell of the cellular radio access network; and
operating the motor to move the directional antenna with respect to the frame and direct an antenna lobe or beam of the directional antenna toward the location of the nearest cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the processor is configured to:
establish communications with the cellular radio access network, using the nearest cell as a serving cell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the processor is configured to:
cause a query including the current location to be wirelessly transmitted to a remote server; and
wirelessly receive the location of the nearest cell from the remote server.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the processor is configured to:
cause a query including the current location to be wirelessly transmitted to a remote server;
wirelessly receive, from the remote server, a set of locations for a set of cells;
determine a set of distances from the current location of the aerial vehicle to the set of locations for the set of cells; and
determine, from the set of cells and in response to a shortest distance in the set of distances, the location of the nearest cell.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The aerial vehicle of claim 4, wherein:
the processor is configured to:
determine an updated current location of the aerial vehicle;
determine an updated set of distances from the updated current location of the aerial vehicle to the set of locations for the set of cells;
determine, from the set of cells and in response to a shortest distance in the updated set of distances, a location of an updated nearest cell; and
operate the motor to direct the antenna lobe or beam of the directional antenna toward the location of the updated nearest cell.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
a memory; wherein:
the processor is configured to:
retrieve, from the memory, a set of locations for a set of cells;
determine a set of distances from the current location of the aerial vehicle to the set of locations for the set of cells; and
select, from the set of cells and in response to a shortest distance in the set of distances, the nearest cell.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
a global positioning system; wherein,
the processor is configured to determine the current location of the aerial vehicle using information received from the global positioning system.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the processor is configured to:
cause a query including the current location to be wirelessly transmitted to a remote server using the modem and the directional antenna.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
a wireless communications interface separate from the modem and the directional antenna; wherein,
the processor is configured to:
cause a query including the current location to be wirelessly transmitted to a remote server using the wireless communications interface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a servo motor.

### Claim 11

An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
an antenna;
a modem configured to communicate with a cellular radio access network using the antenna; and
a processor configured to:
determine that a set of one or more conditions is met, the set of one or more conditions including a condition that the unmanned aerial vehicle has ascended to a predetermined altitude; and
switch from using a signal strength-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network to a distance-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network, the switch made at least partly in response to determining the set of one or more conditions, including the condition that the unmanned aerial vehicle has ascended to the predetermined altitude, is met, and the distance-based serving cell selection process excluding signal strength as a factor in selecting a serving cell.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein the antenna comprises a directional antenna.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein:
the set of one or more conditions is a first set of one or more conditions; and
the processor is configured to:
determine that a second set of one or more conditions is met; and
switch from using the distance-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network to the signal strength-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network, at least partly in response to determining the second set of one or more conditions is met.

### Claim 14

A method of communicating between an aerial vehicle and a cellular radio access network, comprising:
determining the aerial vehicle has ascended to a predetermined altitude;
switching from using a signal strength-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network to a distance-based serving cell selection process for the cellular radio access network, the switch made at least partly in response to determining the aerial vehicle has ascended to the predetermined altitude, and the distance-based serving cell selection process excluding signal strength as a factor in selecting a serving cell; and
perform the distance-based serving cell selection process by,
determining a current location of the aerial vehicle;
determining, at least partly in response to the current location, a location of a nearest cell of the cellular radio access network; and
processing communications between the aerial vehicle and the cellular radio access network, using the nearest cell as a serving cell.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
orienting a directional antenna of the aerial vehicle toward the location of the nearest cell.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed on-board the aerial vehicle, the method further comprising:
receiving the location of the nearest cell via the cellular radio access network.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed on-board the aerial vehicle, the method further comprising:
receiving, via the cellular radio access network, a set of locations for a set of cells;
determining a set of distances from the current location of the aerial vehicle to the set of locations for the set of cells; and
selecting, from the set of cells and in response to a shortest distance in the set of distances, the nearest cell.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed by at least one of the cellular radio access network or a core network connected to the cellular radio access network, the method further comprising:
transmitting the location of the nearest cell from the cellular radio access network to the aerial vehicle.