# US 2018/0026718 A1 · Systems and methods for using drones for determining line-of-sight conditions in wireless networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0026718 A1 - Document ID: US20180026718A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/721,919 - Filed: 2017-10-01 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-07 - Assignees: Siklu Communication Ltd. - Applicants: Siklu Communication Ltd. - Inventors: Yigal Leiba; Shimon Hochbaum - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180026718A1 ## CPC - H04B 10/1129: {Arrangements for outdoor wireless networking of information} - G01S 5/0258: {by combining or switching between measurements derived from different systems} - G01S 19/42: Determining position - G08G 1/07: Controlling traffic signals - H04W 16/18: Network planning tools - H04W 16/28: using beam steering - H04W 24/06: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using simulated traffic - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - H04W 84/005: {Moving wireless networks} - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - 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}) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract Systems and methods for: suggesting network topologies for a wireless communication network such as a millimeter-wave network; using drones for determining a line-of-sight condition between pairs of geospatial locations where communication nodes in the network are to be placed; and wirelessly interconnecting pairs of nodes in the network according to the a line-of-sight conditions previously determined using the drones. The drones may test for a line-of-sight condition using any number of methods, including laser range-finding, signaling between two of the drones, and pattern matching of visual imagery. A network planning tool may be used to suggest the network topologies, communicate and control the drones, and come to a final conclusion regarding the actual network topology selected, the placement of the communication nodes, and the specific wireless links to be used in interconnecting the nodes in the final network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining the existence of line-of-sight between pairs of geospatial locations, comprising: receiving, in a drone, a plurality of geospatial coordinates comprising a first set of geospatial coordinates and a second set of geospatial coordinates; flying, by the drone, to a first geospatial location corresponding to the first set of geospatial coordinates; performing, by the drone, an optical test for an existence of a line-of-sight between the drone currently located at the first geospatial location and a second geospatial location corresponding to the second set of geospatial coordinates; and logging or reporting a result of the optical test. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the optical test comprises: aiming, by the drone, a laser range-finding device, to the second geospatial location; and measuring, using the laser range-finding device, a distance of clearance between the drone and the second geospatial location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: comparing said distance of clearance measured and a calculated distance between the first geospatial location and the second geospatial location; and determining the existence of line-of-sight in a case that said comparison is concluded with the distance of clearance being greater than the calculated distance, or determining the absence of line-of-sight is a case that said comparison is concluded with the distance of clearance being shorter than the calculated distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the optical test comprises cooperating by the drone with a second drone, in which said cooperation comprises: flying, by the second drone, to the second geospatial location; and checking for optical clearance between the drone and the second drone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein said checking for optical clearance is done by observing, using a detector such as a camera, the second drone from the drone, or the drone from the second drone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein said checking for optical clearance comprises: generating light flashes by one of the drones; and detecting the light flashes by the other drone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein said checking for optical clearance comprises: generating millimeter-wave signals by one of the drones; and detecting the millimeter-wave signals by the other drone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein: said detection of the millimeter-wave signals by the other drone indicates that a line-of-sight exists. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein: said detection of the millimeter-wave signals by the other drone indicates that there is a multipath, and thereby concluding that a line-of-sight does not necessarily exists, but also concluding that one of the paths in the multipath may be used for a non-line-of-sight transmission. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein said checking for optical clearance comprises: generating laser signals by one of the drones; and detecting the laser signals by the other drone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the optical test comprises: searching, by the drone, for a known image pattern in the direction of the geospatial location, in which finding said known pattern indicates the existence of a line-of-sight. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating or receiving, in a network-planning tool, a requirement for placement of at least a first millimeter-wave communication node and a second millimeter-wave communication node respectively at the first set of geospatial coordinates and the second set of geospatial coordinates; sending the plurality of geospatial coordinates to the drone; receiving said result of the optical test from the drone; and based on said result received that indicates the existence of a line-of-sight, suggesting, by the network-planning tool, that a millimeter-wave communication link is to be established between the two millimeter-wave communication nodes to be placed respectively at the first set of geospatial coordinates and the second set of geospatial coordinates. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of geospatial coordinates further comprises additional sets of geospatial coordinates; and the method further comprises: flying, by the drone, to another geospatial location corresponding to one of the other sets of geospatial coordinates; performing, by the drone, additional optical tests for the existence of additional lines-of-sight between the drone currently located at the another geospatial location and respectively the rest of the geospatial location corresponding to the rest of the sets of geospatial coordinates; and logging or reporting results of the additional optical tests. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the drone is a an autonomous or semi-autonomous helicopter, such as a quadcopter, in which the drone is operative to hover exactly at the first set of geospatial coordinates during the optical test. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first set of geospatial coordinates are three-dimensional (3D), thereby corresponding to both location and height. ### Claim 16 A system operative to determine the existence of line-of-sight between pairs of geospatial locations, comprising: a network-planning tool operative to plan a millimeter-wave network comprising a plurality of millimeter-wave communication nodes to be placed respectively at a plurality of geospatial locations associated respectively with a plurality of sets of geospatial coordinates; and at least a first drone operative to perform optical tests, in which each of the optical tests is operative to determine an existence of a line-of-sight between a particular two of the geospatial locations; wherein: the network-planning tool is configured to suggest a first network topology having a suggested and particular set of millimeter-wave communication links, in which each of the millimeter-wave communication links is suggested to interconnect a different two of the plurality of millimeter-wave communication nodes; the network-planning tool is further configured to instruct the at least first drone to perform the optical test in conjunction with each of at least some of the millimeter-wave communication links suggested and the respective two geospatial locations associated therewith; and the at least first drone is configured to follow said instruction, perform the optical tests, and report results back to the network-planning tool, thereby allowing the network-planning tool to determine whether the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are feasible. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the results reported back are such as to indicate the existence of a line-of-sight in conjunction with each of the millimeter-wave communication links that have been suggested and tested; and the network-planning tool is further configured to determine that the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are feasible. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the results reported back are such as to indicate a lack of existence of a line-of-sight in conjunction with at least one of the millimeter-wave communication links suggested; and the network-planning tool is further configured to determine that the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are not feasible. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein as a result of the determination that the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are not feasible, the network-planning tool is further configured to: suggest a second network topology having a second suggested and specific set of millimeter-wave communication links, in which said second set does not include the millimeter-wave communication links for which the lack of existence of a line-of-sight was reported; the network-planning tool is further configured to re-instruct the at least first drone to perform the optical test again in conjunction with at least each of the millimeter-wave communication links in the second set that were not present in the particular set; and the at least first drone is configured to follow said re-instruction, perform the optical tests again, and report the results back to the network-planning tool, thereby allowing the network-planning tool to determine whether the second network topology and the associated second set of millimeter-wave communication links are feasible. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein each of the geospatial locations is a location on a map in conjunction with a specific height, thereby corresponding to a three-dimensional (3D) set of coordinates. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the specific height is affected by a pole on which the respective millimeter-wave communication node is to be placed.