BROADBAND ACCESS TO MOBILE PLATFORMS USING DRONE/UAV BACKGROUND

摘要

Systems and methods for providing broadband internet access to mobile platforms such as vehicles, aircraft, and portable devices, using a network of one or more entities such as drones/unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In one embodiment, the drone communication system comprises an antenna sub-system, a radio sub-system and a data switching sub-system. The mobile platforms comprise antenna and radio sub-systems to communicate with the drones, detect changes in the mobile platforms azimuth and elevation changes, and adjust the mobile platform's antenna beam to compensate for the orientation changes to optimally point toward the drones. The exemplary mobile platform further comprises methods to detect the need for handoff to a different drone and to carry out the handoff. A mechanism to improve coverage to mobile platforms that may see obstruction on their path to the drone network is also disclosed, as are apparatus and methods for cost efficiently providing reliable internet access to portable devices.

主权项

1. A system for providing broadband access to mobile platforms using a network of drones, comprising:
one or more drones, each drone comprising:
at least one antenna fixture configured to provide coverage to one or more mobile platforms;at least one radio sub-system configured to demodulate and decode one or more first signals received from the one or more mobile platforms;where the at least one radio sub-system is further configured to modulate and transmit one or more second signals to the one or more mobile platforms; anda drone switching sub-system configured to switch data received at the each drone to another receiving unit selected from the group comprising: the one or more mobile platforms and the one or more drones; and one or more mobile platforms, each mobile platform configured to:
demodulate and decode the one or more second signals received from at least one of the one or more drones corresponding thereto; andmodulate and transmit the one or more first signals to the at least one of the one or more drones.