Air-To-Ground Broadband Link System for Aircraft Data Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air-To-Ground cellular communications networks face limitations in call handling capacity, availability, and reliability due to bandwidth constraints, especially when serving multiple aircraft with high-bandwidth data communication needs, such as multimedia content transmission.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Broadband Link System that utilizes multiple radio frequencies to distribute call traffic across multiple terrestrial cells or sectors, combined with a separate high-speed Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel, which can be uni- or bi-directional, to enhance data communication capacity and reliability by routing data through the most efficient medium based on Quality of Service and service subscription levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional bidirectional communication channels are used to serve aircraft, then the system structure is simple, but the call handling capacity is limited and represents a single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is segmented into two independent channels: a traditional bidirectional Air-To-Ground cellular channel for control and voice, and a separate unidirectional Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel for high-speed data. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure by distributing functionality across independent channels, thereby improving reliability without requiring complete system restructuring
Solution Approach 2:
The Air-To-Ground cellular communication system is enhanced to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it maintains traditional voice and control communications while also supporting high-speed data services through the integrated Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle diverse traffic types (voice, data, multimedia) through a unified architecture, improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity
2Productivity
If multiple radio frequencies are used to distribute call traffic across multiple terrestrial cells, then the call handling capacity increases, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional terrestrial cellular network to a three-dimensional architecture by adding the vertical Air-To-Ground and Ground-To-Air communication dimensions. This allows call traffic to be distributed across multiple terrestrial cells horizontally while simultaneously utilizing separate frequency bands and communication directions vertically, thereby increasing call handling capacity without proportionally increasing network architecture complexity
3Quantity of substance
If bandwidth constrained wireless networks are used, then the system is simple to implement, but the data communication capacity is insufficient for high-bandwidth applications
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges two previously separate communication concepts: the traditional Air-To-Ground cellular communication system and the Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel system. By combining these systems into a unified architecture where the cellular network provides control, voice, and signaling while the broadband channel provides high-speed data, the system achieves high data communication capacity without requiring complete system redesign, thereby limiting the increase in implementation complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
The present Broadband Link System supplements the existing Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency communications link with an additional, separate high speed Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel to provide additional data communication capacity for aircraft. This Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel is typically a uni-directional (Ground-To-Air) link directed via a focused beam to selected aircraft which are operational in the coverage area of the Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel. The routing of the various data transmissions on both the Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency communications link and the Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel are managed in a unified manner to maximize the utilization of the two transmission facilities.