Multiple antenna system and method for mobile platforms
AssigneeGogo LLC
InventorSean Scott Cordone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system facilitate communication between a constellation of satellites and a mobile platform-mounted mobile communicator. The method and system may include the use of a first antenna suited for operation using a first frequency band in a first geographic region and a second antenna suited for operation using either the first or a second frequency band in a second geographic region. The method and system may use a controller to determine which antenna to activate based on one or more of a geographic indicator or a signal indicator. The system used by the method to facilitate the communication may have one or more enclosures over the antennas and controller for mounting to a mobile platform.
Claims15
A mobile platform-mounted mobile communicator for communicating with a constellation of satellites comprising:
- a first antenna optimized for operation using a first frequency band in a first geographic region;
- a second antenna optimized for operation using a second frequency band in a second geographic region;
- a controller configured to determine which antenna to activate based on a geographic indicator;
- and
- a radome enclosure for the platform-mounted mobile communicator configured to enclose the first antenna, the second antenna or both the first and second antennas.
A method of communicating with a constellation of satellites using a mobile platform comprising:
- communicating with the constellation of satellites on a first frequency band using a first antenna, wherein the first antenna is optimized for operation using the first frequency band in a first geographic location;
- determining, with a processor, to terminate communication via the first antenna and begin communication via a second antenna based on a geographic indicator;
- wherein the second antenna is optimized for operation using a second frequency band in a second geographic location;
- and
- communicating with the constellation of satellites on the second frequency band using the second antenna.
A method of communicating with a mobile communicator mounted to a mobile platform comprising:
- configuring a first antenna of the mobile communicator to establish communication with a first satellite, the first antenna being optimized for operation using a first frequency band in a first geographic region;
- communicating data packets with the first satellite via the first antenna using the first frequency band;
- receiving the geographic indicator;
- based on a geographic indicator, determining, by a processor, to terminate communication via the first antenna and begin communication via a second antenna of the mobile communicator, the second antenna being optimized for operation using a second frequency band in a second geographic region;
- terminating communication via the first antenna;
- configuring the second antenna to establish communication with one of the first satellite or a second satellite;
- and
- communicating data packets with one of the first satellite or the second satellite via the second antenna using the second frequency band.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.