Wireless local area network communications between airborne and ground devices

A method for receiving one of a data packet and a management packet transmitted from a Wi-Fi ground-based access point to a Wi-Fi airborne station, the method comprising:

• setting a power save (PS) bit in a Frame Control field in all packets transmitted by the Wi-Fi airborne station;
• prior to receiving the one of the data packet and the management packet transmitted from the Wi-Fi ground-based access point to the Wi-Fi airborne station:
• transmitting by the Wi-Fi airborne station a series of at least three control packets separated in time and containing in their duration/ID fields, time values that extend beyond the time required to transmit a further control trigger frame by the Wi-Fi airborne station and the subsequent transmission by the Wi-Fi ground-based access point of the one of the data packet and the management packet that is triggered by the control trigger frame;
• and
• transmitting by the Wi-Fi airborne station a control trigger packet addressed to the Wi-Fi ground-based access point;
• receiving at the Wi-Fi airborne station the one of the data packet and the management packet transmitted by the Wi-Fi ground-based access point;
• and
• transmitting by the Wi-Fi airborne station an acknowledgement control packet in response to the data or management packet transmitted by the Wi-Fi ground-based access point.

A Wi-Fi airborne station for transmitting one of a data packet and a management packet to a Wi-Fi ground-based access point, the Wi-Fi airborne station comprising:

• a memory configured to store the one of the data packet and the management packet;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• prior to transmitting the one of the data packet and the management packet from the Wi-Fi airborne station to the Wi-Fi ground-based access point, transmit by the Wi-Fi airborne station a series of at least three control packets separated in time and containing in their duration/ID fields, time values that extend beyond a time required to start transmission of the one of the data packet and the management packet;
• transmit by the Wi-Fi airborne station the one of the data packet and the management packet to the Wi-Fi ground-based access point;
• and
• receive at the Wi-Fi airborne station an acknowledgment control packet transmitted by the Wi-Fi ground-based access point in response to the one of the data packet and the management packet.