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US 6,628,941 B2Granted
Airborne constellation of communications platforms and method
AssigneeSpace Data Corporation
InventorsGerald M. Knoblach, Eric A. Frische
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An airborne constellation is disclosed with a plurality of individual lighter-than-air platforms spaced apart above a contiguous geographic area within a predetermined altitude range so that ubiquitous line of sight coverage of the geographic area is provided. Each of the plurality of platforms include an enclosure holding a regulated volume of low density gas for buoyancy of the platforms. Each of the plurality of platforms further includes a signal transmitting device attached to the enclosure by which signals from the platform may be transmitted to the contiguous geographic area.
Claims73
A free floating constellation communications system comprising:
- a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform;
- said first and second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control;
- and
- a plurality of communications devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of said communications devices having communications capability with said communications signal transceivers;
- wherein said at least one of said communications devices is capable of handing off communication with said first platform to said second platform as said first platform moves out of a communication range of said at least one of said communications devices, and
- wherein said free floating constellation communications system provides a line-of-sight coverage of wireless data to a population on a contiguous landmass and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are launched in a manner such that when in an operating range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.
3 more elements
A free floating constellation communications system comprising:
- a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform, each of said first and second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control;
- and
- a plurality of communications devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of said communications devices having communications capability with said communications signal transceivers;
- wherein said at least one of said communications devices is capable of receiving communications from said communications signal transceiver of said first platform and said communications signal tranceiver of said second platform, but hearing communications from only one communications signal transceiver and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are launched in a manner such that when in an operating range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-air-platforms.
1 more element
A free floating constellation communications system comprising:
- a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform, each of said first and second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control;
- and
- a plurality of communications devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of said communications devices having communications capability with said communications signal transceivers;
- wherein said first and second platforms dynamically assign new frames in which to transmit communication signal from said communications signal transceiver as the platforms drift such that a comunications device receives communications signals from only one communications signal transceiver in a particular frame and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are launched in a manner such that when in an operating range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.
1 more element
A method of communicating using a free floating constellation communication system comprising:
- providing a communication device for communicating wit lighter-than-air platforms;
- communicating with a first lighter-than-air platform when the communication device is in a communication range of the first-lighter-than-air platform,
- communicating with a second lighter-than-air platform when the communication device moves out of the communication range of the first lighter-than-air platform, wherein the first and second lighter-than-air platforms each comprise an altitude regulator device and a communications signal transceiver and wherein the first and second lighter-than-air platforms are free floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are launched in a manner such that when in an operating range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.
A method of communicating using a free floating constellation communications system comprising:
- providing a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform, each of said first and second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control;
- and
- communicating with a communication device having communications capability with said communications signal transceiver, wherein said first and second platforms dynamically assign new frames in which to transmit communication signals from said communications signal transceivers as the platforms drift such that a communication device receives communications signals from only one communications signal transceiver in a particular frame and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are launched in a manner such that when in an operating range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-than-air platform.
A method for providing communication service comprising:
- providing a first lighter-than-air platform;
- providing a second lighter-than-air platform wherein the first and second lighter-than-air platforms each comprise an altitude regulator device and a communications signal transceiver and wherein the first and second sight-than-air platforms are free floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control;
- providing a plurality of communications devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of said communications devices having communications capability with said communications signal transceiver, wherein said at least one of said communications devices is capable of handing off communication with said the platform to said second platform as said first platform moves out of a communication range of said at least one of said communications devices and wherein said free floating constellation communications system provides a line-of-sight wireless data coverage to a population on a contiguous landmass and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are launched in a manner such that when in an operating range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.