Aerial Coverage Detection Using Beam Tilt Data for UAV Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless networks, particularly LTE and 5G, face challenges in providing reliable aerial coverage to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) due to down-tilted antennas that primarily serve terrestrial users, resulting in limited coverage and potential cell drops.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of advanced networking equipment that uses beam sweeping techniques and provides down tilt angle data associated with each energy beam, allowing UAVs to detect and react to available aerial coverage by determining the maximum altitude they can reach while maintaining connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If down-tilted antennas are used to serve terrestrial users, then terrestrial coverage is improved, but aerial coverage for UAVs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the antenna coverage into different spatial zones by implementing separate up-tilted and down-tilted antenna arrays. Each antenna array is dedicated to serving specific UAV altitude ranges, with up-tilted antennas covering higher altitudes and down-tilted antennas covering lower altitudes. This segmentation allows the system to provide reliable aerial coverage without compromising terrestrial service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vertical dimensionality to the antenna coverage problem by deploying antennas at different tilt angles and heights. The system uses three-dimensional spatial positioning to match UAVs with appropriate antenna arrays based on altitude, transforming the traditional two-dimensional terrestrial coverage problem into a three-dimensional coverage solution that simultaneously serves both terrestrial and aerial users.
2Reliability
If beam sweeping techniques are implemented to provide aerial coverage data, then UAV connectivity is improved, but network equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the gNB perform beam sweeping and generate aerial coverage maps before UAVs need to utilize them. The system pre-calculates and stores coverage information including maximum altitude data, beam identifiers, and down-tilt angle information in advance. When a UAV enters the coverage area, it can directly access this pre-prepared information through standard signaling procedures, avoiding the need for complex real-time calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary aerial coverage map data structure that mediates between the complex beam sweeping operations and the simple UAV reception requirements. This intermediary layer processes and structures the beam sweeping results into standardized format, including maximum altitude indicators and beam identification data, making the complex network operations transparent to UAVs while maintaining simple receiver design.
3Reliability
If maximum altitude determination is provided to UAVs, then flight safety is improved, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential maximum altitude information from the complete beam sweeping data set and transmits it to UAVs through efficient signaling mechanisms. Instead of providing all raw beam measurement data, the system extracts and communicates only the critical maximum altitude indicator for each beam, significantly reducing the information processing load on UAVs while maintaining flight safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms complex beam coverage data into simplified parameter representations suitable for UAV processing. The system converts detailed signal strength and beam direction data into compact maximum altitude parameters and beam identifier indices. This parameter transformation maintains the essential safety information while reducing the computational burden on UAV systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An architecture related to advanced networking equipment providing aerial coverage data to unmanned aerial vehicles. A method can comprise based on object data, determining a number value associated with a group of beams configured to be emitted by serving cell equipment, based on down tilt data, determining a beam of the group of beams, and based on the object data and the down tilt data, determining that the serving cell equipment is capable of servicing an unmanned aerial vehicle.