UAV Phased Array Beam Sweeping for PTMP Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication systems face challenges in providing efficient and cost-effective Internet connectivity to underserved areas due to difficulties in deploying infrastructure, such as fiber-optic cables, satellite systems, and 3G/4G cell towers, especially in regions with difficult geography and inclement weather.
Innovation Solution
A high-altitude platform Internet link (HAPiLink) system using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that communicate with multiple ground stations, employing phased antenna arrays and synchronized access points to achieve low-cost, high-bandwidth wireless communications by concentrating transmit energy and improving receive sensitivity through directional beams and synchronized timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fiber-optic cables, satellite systems, and 3G/4G cell towers are deployed to provide Internet connectivity, then connectivity coverage is improved, but deployment difficulty and cost increase due to difficult geography and inclement weather
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical infrastructure deployment (fiber-optic cables, cell towers) with an aerial wireless communication system using UAVs and phased antenna arrays. This substitution eliminates the need for physical ground-based infrastructure in difficult terrains, allowing Internet connectivity to be provided without deploying cables or towers in geographically challenging areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from ground-based two-dimensional infrastructure deployment to three-dimensional aerial positioning. By deploying communication apertures in the air space above the service area, the system overcomes ground-based deployment limitations caused by difficult geography and provides connectivity to underserved areas without physical ground infrastructure.
2Reliability
If point to point (PTP) links are used for aerial station communication, then dedicated transmission capacity is provided, but resource utilization efficiency decreases when serving a large number of ground stations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beamforming and signal routing capabilities that allow the aerial station to adaptively serve multiple ground stations. The system can dynamically adjust beam directions, allocate time slots, and route signals to different ground stations, transforming a static dedicated link into a dynamic multi-access system that maintains reliability while improving resource utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the transmission channel into multiple access points and time slots, allowing different ground stations to communicate with the aerial station during different time periods. This segmentation enables the system to provide dedicated transmission capacity to each ground station while efficiently utilizing the shared aerial station resources.
3Area of stationary object
If conventional aerial stations are deployed to provide Internet connectivity, then service coverage is extended, but signal transmission quality deteriorates due to energy dispersion and reduced receive sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phased antenna arrays that can concentrate transmit energy and improve receive sensitivity in specific directional beams toward individual ground stations. By adjusting the phase and amplitude of signals from different antenna elements, the system creates focused beams that maintain high signal quality while covering a broad service area, resolving the contradiction between coverage extent and signal quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The HAPiLink system provides reliable and efficient Internet connectivity to multiple ground stations with throughputs of up to 10 Gbps, overcoming geographical and weather-related deployment challenges by using UAVs and phased antenna arrays to concentrate energy and synchronize signal transmission.
Implementation Method 1
employing phased antenna arrays and synchronized access points to achieve low-cost, high-bandwidth wireless communications by concentrating transmit energy and improving receive sensitivity through directional beams
Implementation Method 2
employing phased antenna arrays and synchronized access points to achieve low-cost, high-bandwidth wireless communications by concentrating transmit energy and improving receive sensitivity through directional beams and synchronized timing
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for communicating in a point to multipoint (PTMP) network that includes an aerial station and a plurality of ground stations. The method includes the aerial station receiving positional information of a ground station of the plurality of the ground stations, selecting antenna elements on a phased antenna array for generating a directional beam based on the positional information, sweeping the directional beam to cover the plurality of ground stations, determining that the directional beam has a beam width sufficient to cover the plurality of ground stations and a transmit power sufficient to provide signals to the ground stations based on the sweeping of the directional beam; and establishing a radio link between the aerial station and the ground station in the plurality of ground stations.