UAV Signal Retransmission for Obstructed Terrain Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication technologies face challenges in providing reliable signal reception in remote or difficult terrain areas due to terrestrial and atmospheric interference, such as hills, trees, and buildings, which hinder effective communication between remote transmitters and receivers.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is used to retransmit signals from remote transmitters to receivers, processing and amplifying signals to overcome interference and extend coverage, allowing for cost-effective and reliable wireless communication over longer distances or challenging terrains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terrestrial transmitters are used for wireless communication, then signal coverage can be provided in urban environments, but signal reception deteriorates in remote or difficult terrain areas due to obstacles and interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deploys aerial vehicles (drones, balloons, airships) to operate in the three-dimensional airspace above the terrestrial environment. This dimensional transition allows the communication system to bypass ground-based obstacles such as hills, buildings, and terrain features that block line-of-sight propagation. The aerial platform establishes a direct atmospheric path between transmitter and receiver, eliminating diffraction and ground reflection effects that plague terrestrial communication in difficult terrain.
Solution Approach 2:
The aerial vehicle serves as an intermediary platform that receives signals from remote transmitters and retransmits them to ground-based receivers. This intermediate aerial node improves signal quality by capturing the signal in the atmosphere where it has not been degraded by ground-based multipath propagation, diffraction over obstacles, or absorption by the ground plane. The aerial intermediary then delivers a cleaner signal to the receiver.
2Area of stationary object
If signals are transmitted over long distances or difficult terrains, then coverage area is extended, but signal quality deteriorates due to diffraction and multipath propagation
Solution Approach 1:
By elevating the communication platform into the atmosphere, the system extends coverage to remote and difficult terrain areas while maintaining signal quality. The aerial position provides unobstructed line-of-sight paths that avoid ground-based diffraction over hills and buildings, as well as multipath propagation from ground reflections. This dimensional change enables both extended coverage and reliable signal transmission simultaneously.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional wireless communication is used in remote areas, then infrastructure costs are reduced, but communication reliability deteriorates due to lack of transmitters
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs mobile aerial vehicles that can dynamically reposition themselves to provide communication services in remote areas without requiring fixed terrestrial infrastructure. These airborne platforms can be deployed on-demand to locations where communication is needed, eliminating the need for expensive transmitter construction in difficult terrain. The dynamic positioning capability allows the system to maintain reliable communication while keeping infrastructure costs low.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus and method for retransmission of signals using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) is disclosed. The electronic apparatus includes a controller to control a movement of a UAV to a location within a signal coverage area associated with a remote transmitter. The electronic apparatus further includes receiver circuitry disposed on the UAV to receive a first signal from the remote transmitter. The first signal corresponds to a first wireless communication standard. The electronic apparatus further includes a signal processor to process the first signal to obtain a second signal and transmission circuitry to control one or more antennas disposed on the UAV to transmit a beam of the second signal to an electronic device that includes one or more receivers. The second signal corresponds to a second wireless communication standard which is same as or different from the first wireless communication standard.