Geographically-distributed electronically-steered array antenna system for ground-based uplink communications

A system for wireless communication, comprising:

• a plurality of teleports,
• wherein each teleport comprises an antenna element and a processor,
• wherein at least one of the plurality of teleports is a redundant teleport,
• wherein the processor is configured to convert a first digital signal of a plurality of first digital signals into a first analog signal of a plurality of first analog signals, wherein each of the plurality of first analog signals has a corresponding phase shift, and wherein the antenna element is configured to transmit the first analog signal;
• and
• a remote processing node, which is located in a location that is remote from the plurality of teleports, configured to determine a corresponding delay in a second digital signal of a plurality of second digital signals from the corresponding phase shift,
• wherein the plurality of second digital signals corresponds to a plurality of second analog signals received by the plurality of teleports,
• wherein the remote processing node is further configured to (a) adaptively select or deselect at least one of the plurality of teleports in response to one or more failure or weather events and (b) adaptably select one or more of a plurality of third analog signals based on information from an external source,
• wherein the corresponding delay is determined based on coherently combining a plurality of adaptably selected third analog signals, and
• wherein each of the plurality of adaptably selected third analog signals is generated by converting a corresponding second digital signal of a plurality of adaptively selected second digital signals.

A method of configuring a telecommunications system, comprising:

• converting, at each teleport of a plurality of teleports, one first digital signal of a plurality of first digital signals into a corresponding first analog signal of a plurality of first analog signals, wherein each of the plurality of first analog signals has a corresponding phase shift, wherein at least one of the plurality of teleports is a redundant teleport, and wherein a remote processing node is configured to adaptively select or deselect at least one of the plurality of teleports in response to one or more failure or weather events;
• and
• transmitting, by each adaptively selected teleport, the corresponding first analog signal,
• wherein the remote processing node, which is located in a location that is remote from the plurality of teleports, is further configured to (a) determine a corresponding delay in a second digital signal of a plurality of second digital signals from the corresponding phase shift and (b) adaptably select one or more of a plurality of third analog signals based on information from an external source,
• wherein the plurality of second digital signals corresponds to a plurality of second analog signals received by the plurality of teleports,
• wherein the corresponding delay is determined based on coherently combining a plurality of adaptably selected third analog signals, and
• wherein each of the plurality of adaptably selected third analog signals is generated by converting a corresponding second digital signal of a plurality of adaptively selected second digital signals.