Stratospheric Flight Object Replacement Control for Battery-Aware Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a demand for a technique that enables flight objects in the stratosphere to provide wireless communication services efficiently, particularly in managing battery life, weather conditions, and communication traffic, while minimizing electrical power consumption and ensuring continuous service coverage.

Innovation Solution

A control device that selects and replaces active flight objects with standby ones, optimizing flight paths and altitudes to reduce power consumption, and determines replacement times based on battery conditions, weather, and communication traffic, ensuring seamless service coverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If flight objects continuously provide wireless communication service in the stratosphere, then communication coverage is maintained, but battery power is depleted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational life of flight objectVSAvoidelectrical power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control device predicts future battery power levels of flight objects in advance and proactively replaces flight objects before their battery is completely depleted. This preliminary action ensures continuous communication coverage while preventing power exhaustion, as the system schedules replacements based on predicted power levels rather than waiting for actual power depletion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational status parameter of flight objects from active to standby or to ground-based storage based on predicted battery power levels. By dynamically adjusting the operational state parameter, the system extends the effective operational life of flight objects while managing power consumption, allowing flight objects to be reused after ground-based recharging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Duration of action of stationary object

If flight objects are replaced frequently to maintain battery life, then operational sustainability is improved, but service continuity may be disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational sustainabilityVSAvoidservice continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device performs preliminary replacement of flight objects before their battery power is depleted, rather than replacing them after failure. This proactive approach ensures that communication coverage is maintained without interruption, as standby flight objects with sufficient power are already positioned to take over immediately when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains standby flight objects with sufficient battery power as a cushion against power depletion of active flight objects. This beforehand cushioning ensures that there is always a ready replacement available, preventing service disruption and maintaining reliability during the transition from active to standby status.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Use of energy by moving object

If standby flight objects fly at higher altitudes to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but replacement positioning time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidreplacement positioning time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control device dynamically adjusts the altitude of standby flight objects based on real-time conditions. Standby flight objects are positioned at higher altitudes during periods when active flight objects are providing service, and are moved to lower altitudes and closer to their replacement positions when replacement is anticipated. This dynamic positioning optimizes power consumption during standby while minimizing replacement positioning time when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary positioning of standby flight objects to locations where they can efficiently replace active flight objects. By calculating optimal replacement positions in advance and having standby objects move to these positions before replacement is needed, the system reduces the time required for actual replacement while maintaining energy-efficient higher altitude positioning during the standby period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3826425B1Control device, program, and control method

Publication Date: 2023.07.12 SOFTBANK CORPORATION

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AI summary

There is provided a control device, configured to control a plurality of flight objects having a solar panel, a battery for storing an electrical power generated by the solar panel, and an antenna for forming a communication area on a ground with the electrical power stored in the battery and providing a wireless communication service for a user terminal within the communication area, the control device comprising: a flight object selecting unit configured to select a to-be-replaced active flight object among a plurality of active flight objects, which are flight objects each flying while covering a target area with the communication area; and a replacement controlling unit configured to replace the to-be-replaced active flight object with a standby flight object, which is a flight object flying without forming the communication area.