Broadband access to mobile platforms using drone/uav

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing broadband internet access to mobile platforms such as vehicles, aircraft, and portable devices, using a network of one or more entities such as drones/unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In one embodiment, the drone communication system comprises an antenna sub-system, a radio sub-system and a data switching sub-system. The mobile platforms comprise antenna and radio sub-systems to communicate with the drones, detect changes in the mobile platforms azimuth and elevation changes, and adjust the mobile platform's antenna beam to compensate for the orientation changes to optimally point toward the drones. The exemplary mobile platform further comprises methods to detect the need for handoff to a different drone and to carry out the handoff. A mechanism to improve coverage to mobile platforms that may see obstruction on their path to the drone network is also disclosed, as are apparatus and methods for cost efficiently providing reliable internet access to portable devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A drone apparatus configured to provision broadband access to mobile platforms, the drone apparatus comprising:
 at least one antenna fixture configured to electrically form at least one antenna beam;   at least one radio sub-system comprising a receiver configured to demodulate and decode first data received from a mobile platform, and a transmitter configured to modulate a second data and transmit the modulated second data via the electrically formed at least one antenna beam; and   a switching sub-system configured to route decoded first data to an internet gateway; and   responsive to reception of a handoff request:
 cause another drone to prepare to handoff a communication session with the mobile platform; and 
 handoff the communication session with the mobile platform to the another drone. 
   
     
     
         23 . The drone apparatus of  claim 22 , where a network route to the internet gateway comprises one or more intermediary drone apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . The drone apparatus of  claim 22 , where the first data comprises data associated with at least one user of a plurality of users associated with the mobile platform. 
     
     
         25 . The drone apparatus of  claim 22 , where the mobile platform comprises a vehicle. 
     
     
         26 . The drone apparatus of  claim 22 , where the switching sub-system is further configured to transmit a first handoff preparation message to the another drone to cause the another drone to prepare for the handoff. 
     
     
         27 . The drone apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the first handoff preparation message indicates a time that the drone apparatus will end communication with the mobile platform. 
     
     
         28 . The drone apparatus of  claim 26 , where the switching sub-system is further configured to send a second handoff preparation message to the internet gateway. 
     
     
         29 . The drone apparatus of  claim 26 , where the switching sub-system is further configured to send a handoff acknowledgment message to the mobile platform. 
     
     
         30 . A system for providing broadband access to mobile platforms using a network of drones, each drone comprising:
 at least one radio sub-system configured to demodulate and decode first signals received from mobile platforms;   where the at least one radio sub-system is further configured to modulate and transmit second signals to the mobile platforms; and   a drone switching sub-system configured to perform a handoff procedure to another drone of the network of drones, where the drone switching sub-system comprises logic configured to:
 send a first handoff message to the another drone of the network of drones, wherein the first handoff message identifies a handoff time and the mobile platforms to handoff; 
 send a second handoff message to a gateway associated with the drone switching sub-system; and 
 wherein the another drone of the network of drones sends a third handoff message to another gateway associated with the another drone of the network of drones; and 
 complete the handoff of the mobile platforms to the another drone of the network of drones at the identified handoff time. 
   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising logic configured to receive pilot strength measurements from the mobile platforms; and
 initiate the handoff procedure based on the received pilot strength measurements.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising logic configured to receive a handoff request from at least one of the mobile platforms; and
 initiate the handoff procedure based on the received handoff request.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising logic configured to send an acknowledgement back to the at least one of the mobile platforms to acknowledge the handoff request. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising logic configured to route the first signals to the gateway via intermediary drones; and
 receive the second signals via the intermediary drones.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein a selection of the another drone of the network of drones is based on signal strength measurements of pilot signals associated with the network of drones. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one radio sub-system is further configured to transmit a pilot signal to enable signal strength measurements. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the handoff procedure occurs concurrently with an ongoing data session of the mobile platforms. 
     
     
         38 . A method for performing handoff of mobile platforms within a network of drones, the method comprising:
 establishing a communication session with an internet gateway via one or more intermediary drones;   measuring pilot signals of one or more other drones of the drone network;   selecting a drone handoff candidate, based on the measured pilot signals;   sending a handoff request message to at least one drone of the one or more intermediary drones of the network of drones;   receiving a handoff message, wherein a first handoff message identifies a handoff time; and   handing off to the drone handoff candidate at the identified handoff time.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the measuring pilot signals of one or more other drones comprises periodically measuring pilot signals from a list of neighboring drones. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising receiving the list of neighboring drones from the internet gateway. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising receiving the list of neighboring drones from the at least one drone of the one or more intermediary drones. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising handing over the communication session to another internet gateway.