# US 12,224,948 B2 · Method for enhancing the communications efficiency of a mobile platform > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,948 B2 - Document ID: US12224948B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/851,392 - Filed: 2022-06-28 - Published: 2024-09-26 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-28 - Assignees: WGS Systems, LLC - Applicants: WGS Systems, LLC - Inventors: Robert Wise; Kirk Griffin; Larry Belella; Robert Luke; Martin Dillon; Jesse Bierer; Jason Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224948B2 ## CPC - H04L 47/43: Assembling or disassembling of packets, e.g. segmentation and reassembly [SAR] - H04W 28/0289: {Congestion control (load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12)} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method for increasing the effectiveness of a mobile platform's data communications link includes the steps of: (a) attaching high gain antennas to the platform, (b) providing it with the following: a processor with memory and software, an antenna switching mechanism, an inertial measurement unit, and a GNSS receiver, and wherein the software is configured to: (c) assist in performing antenna switching so that the antennas yield a “pseudo isotropic” energy radiation pattern, (d) classify and prioritize data for transmission based on the nature and criticality of the data, (e) queue the data, based on its classification, during a communication link loss for retransmission when the link is reestablished, and (f) monitor the link to determine its statistical characteristics, and repacketize the data, based on the link's statistical characteristics, to enhance the link's efficiency. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for increasing the effective range and data rates of data packets over the communications link between the radios of mobile platforms, said method comprising the steps of: attaching to said radio of each of said platforms: a plurality of high gain antennas, a processor that has a memory and a plurality of interfaces that are configured to enable connection to each of said plurality of antennas, an antenna switching mechanism that is configured to enable switching of said radio between each of said plurality of antennas, an inertial measurement unit that is configured to assist in determining the orientation information of said platform to which said unit is attached, a GNSS receiver that is configured to assist in determining the navigational information of said platform to which said receiver is attached, providing each of said processors with software that is configured to: execute a control loop algorithm that constantly evaluates the received signal strength of each of said plurality of antennas and said orientation and navigational information of each of said platforms in real-time, perform said antenna switching based upon said received signal strength and said orientation and navigational information for said platforms, determine critical packets of the data packets that are required to be guaranteed for assured delivery, classify and prioritize the critical packets of the data packets for transmission, queue said critical data packets, that are required to be guaranteed for assured delivery based on said data classification, during a communication link loss for retransmission when said communication link is reestablished, monitor said communications link to determine the statistical characteristics of said link, retransmit, based on said link statistical characteristics, the critical packets when the communication link is reestablished utilizing a Guaranteed Link Protocol (GLP), and include the steps of, for said determined critical data packets that are required to be guaranteed for assured delivery, monitoring delivery, maintaining statistics on link quality and data buffers, and performing acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement type feedback on the delivery of said critical packets portion and, when necessary, retrying the sending of said critical packets until delivery is acknowledged. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein: said software is further configured to precondition said data to each of said radios so that enhanced use of the airtime of said radios is achieved. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein: said software is further configured so that said step of queuing data utilizes a preservation buffering scheme. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2, wherein: said software is further configured so that said step of queuing data utilizes a preservation buffering scheme. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein: said software is further configured to employ enhanced network utilization based on the bandwidth availability of said radios of a platform. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein: said software is further configured to employ enhanced network utilization based on the bandwidth availability of said radios of a platform. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein: said software is further configured to employ enhanced network utilization based on the bandwidth availability of said radios of a platform. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method as recited in claim 4, wherein: said software is further configured to employ enhanced network utilization based on the bandwidth availability of said radios of a platform. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein: said software is further configured to assist in performing said antenna switching to yield for said plurality of antennas a “pseudo isotropic,” energy radiation pattern. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2, wherein: said software is further configured to assist in performing said antenna switching to yield for said plurality of antennas a “pseudo isotropic,” energy radiation pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein: said software is further configured to assist in performing said antenna switching to yield for said plurality of antennas a “pseudo isotropic,” energy radiation pattern. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method as recited in claim 5, wherein: said software is further configured to assist in performing said antenna switching to yield for said plurality of antennas a “pseudo isotropic,” energy radiation pattern. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein: said processor is further configured to support third-party software. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2, wherein: said processor is further configured to support third-party software. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein: said processor is further configured to support third-party software. ### Claim 16 (depends on 5) The method as recited in claim 5, wherein: said processor is further configured to support third-party software. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein: said processor is further configured to support third-party software. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein: said software is further configured to monitor the transit output of said radios and ensure that no antenna switching occurs when said radios are transmitting. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2, wherein: said software is further configured to monitor the transit output of said radios and ensure that no antenna switching occurs when said radios are transmitting. ### Claim 20 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein: said software is further configured to monitor the transit output of said radios and ensure that no antenna switching occurs when said radios are transmitting. ### Claim 21 (depends on 5) The method as recited in claim 5, wherein: said software is further configured to monitor the transit output of said radios and ensure that no antenna switching occurs when said radios are transmitting. ### Claim 22 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein: said software is further configured to monitor the transit output of said radios and ensure that no antenna switching occurs when said radios are transmitting. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, wherein: said software is further configured to monitor the transit output of said radios and ensure that no antenna switching occurs when said radios are transmitting. ### Claim 24 A device for increasing the effective range and data rates of data packets over the communications link between the radios of an aerial platform and another aerial platform or ground platform, said device comprising: a plurality of high gain antennas being attached to said radios of each of said platforms, a plurality of processors, one of which is attached to said radios of each of said platforms, each of which has a memory and a plurality of interfaces, and configured to enable connection to each of said plurality of antennas that are connected to said platform to which said processor is attached, a plurality of antenna switching mechanisms, one of which is attached to said radio of each of said platforms, each of which is configured to enable switching of said radio between each of said plurality of antennas that are connected to said platform to which said switching mechanism is attached, a plurality of inertial measurement units that are each configured to assist in determining the orientation information of said platform to which said unit is attached, and with one of said units being attached to said radio of each of said platforms, a plurality of GNSS receivers that are each configured to assist in determining the navigational information of said platform to which said receiver is attached, and with one of said receivers being attached to said radios of each of said platforms, a plurality of pieces of software, one of which resides on each of said processors, each of which is configured to, for the platform to which said processor is attached: execute a control loop algorithm that constantly evaluates the received signal strength of each of said plurality of antennas and said orientation and navigational information of said platform in real-time, perform said antenna switching based upon said received signal strength and orientation and navigational information for said platforms, determine critical packets of the data packets that are required to be guaranteed for assured delivery, classify and prioritize the critical packets of the data packets for transmission, queue said critical data packets, that are required to be guaranteed for assured delivery based on said data classification, during a communication link loss for retransmission when said communication link is reestablished, monitor said communications link to determine the statistical characteristics of said link, retransmit, based on said link statistical characteristics, the critical packets when the communication link is reestablished utilizing a Guaranteed Link Protocol (GLP), and include the steps of, for said determined critical data packets that are required to be guaranteed for assured delivery, monitoring delivery, maintaining statistics on link quality and data buffers, and performing acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement type feedback on the delivery of said critical packets and, when necessary, retrying the sending of said critical packets until delivery is acknowledged. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The device as recited in claim 24, wherein said software is further configured to precondition said data to each of said radios so that enhanced use of the airtime of said radios is achieved. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The device as recited in claim 24, wherein said software is further configured so that said step of queuing data utilizes a preservation buffering scheme. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The device as recited in claim 25, wherein said software is further configured so that said step of queuing data utilizes a preservation buffering scheme. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The device as recited in claim 24, wherein said software is further configured to employ enhanced network utilization based on the bandwidth availability of said radios of a platform. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The device as recited in claim 25, wherein said software is further configured to employ enhanced network utilization based on the bandwidth availability of said radios of a platform. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The device as recited in claim 26, wherein said software is further configured to employ enhanced network utilization based on the bandwidth availability of said radios of a platform.