Adjusting Beam Width of Air-to-Ground Communications Based on Distance to Neighbor Balloon(s) in Order to Maintain Contiguous Service

摘要

Example methods and systems for adjusting the beam width of radio frequency (RF) signals for purposes of balloon-to-ground communication are described. One example method includes determining, based on respective locations of a plurality of balloons and areas covered by respective ground-facing communication beams of the balloons, a contiguous ground coverage area served by the plurality of balloons, where the communication beam of a balloon defines a corresponding individual coverage area within the ground coverage area, determining a change in position of at least one of the balloons, based on the change in position of the at least one balloon, determining an adjustment to a first of the individual coverage areas in an effort to maintain the contiguous ground coverage area after the change in position of at least one of the balloons, and adjusting a width of the ground-facing communication beam of the balloon corresponding to the first individual coverage area in order to make the determined adjustment to the first individual coverage area.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining, based on respective locations of a plurality of balloons and areas covered by respective ground-facing communication beams of the balloons, a contiguous ground coverage area served by the plurality of balloons, wherein the communication beam of a balloon defines a corresponding individual coverage area within the ground coverage area; determining a change in position of at least one of the balloons; based on the change in position of the at least one balloon, determining an adjustment to a first of the individual coverage areas in an effort to maintain the contiguous ground coverage area after the change in position of at least one of the balloons; and adjusting a width of the ground-facing communication beam of the balloon corresponding to the first individual coverage area in order to make the determined adjustment to the first individual coverage area.