Systems and applications of lighter-than-air (lta) platforms

Abstract

Innovative new methods in connection with lighter-than-air (LTA) free floating platforms, of facilitating legal transmitter operation, platform flight termination when appropriate, environmentally acceptable landing, and recovery of these devices are provided. The new systems and methods relate to rise rate control, geo-location from a LTA platform including landed payload and ground-based vehicle locations, and steerable recovery systems.

1 . A free-floating constellation communications system comprising:
 a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform; said first platform and second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free-floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control; and   a plurality of communication devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of said communications devices having communications capability with the said communications signal transceivers;   wherein said at least one of said communications devices is capable of handing off communication with said first platform to said second platform as said first platform moves out of a communication range of said at least one of the said communications devices, and wherein said free-floating constellation communications system is configured to provide a line-of-sight coverage of wireless data to a population on a contiguous landmass and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are configured to operate in a range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.   
     
     
         2 . The free-floating constellation communications system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an altitude regulator device; plurality of geographically spaced-apart platform launching sites from which the said plurality of platforms can be launched;   a plurality of the ground terminals; and a network of communications links interconnecting at least some of the said ground terminals to one another.   
     
     
         3 . The free-floating constellation communications system of  claim 2 , wherein the said regulator is configured to regulate the floating of the said platform within a predetermined altitude range and comprises a quantity of contained gas having a density less than the density of air within said predetermined altitude range and a controllable vent by which a portion of said quantity of contained gas can be released to reduce the buoyancy of the said platform. 
     
     
         4 . The free-floating constellation communications system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an attitude sensor onboard at least on one of the said plurality of platforms; and a steerable antenna coupled to at least one of the said communications signal transceivers and attached to at least one of the said plurality of platforms, said steerable antenna having stabilization controls for stabilizing said steerable antenna in a direction from the said platform is configured to provide consistent ground coverage over said geographic area.   
     
     
         5 . The free-floating constellation communications system of  claim 4 , further comprising an aim control operatively associated with the said steerable antenna and the said altitude sensor for selectively changing the position of the coverage area of the said antenna to facilitate filling gaps of coverage over the said geographic area. 
     
     
         6 . The free-floating constellation communications system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the said platforms comprise: an unmanned free balloon; and a payload box having a total weight less than six pounds and exterior surfaces with a predetermined areas and that has a weight to size ratio of no more than three ounces per square inch on any surface of the package, determined by dividing the total weight in ounces of the payload box by an area in square inches of its smallest exterior surface. 
     
     
         7 . A free-floating constellation communications system comprising:
 a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform, each of the said first platform and the second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free-floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control; and   a plurality of communications devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of the said communications devices having communications capability with the said communications signal transceivers; wherein said at least one of the said communications devices is capable of receiving communications from said communications signal transceiver of the said first platform and said communications signal transceiver of the said second platform, but hearing communications from only one communications signal transceiver and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are configured to operate in a range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between the said plurality of lighter-air-platforms.   
     
     
         8 . A free-floating constellation communications system comprising:
 a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform, each of said first platform and the second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free-floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control; and   a plurality of communications devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of said communications devices having communications capability with said communications signal transceivers; wherein the said first platform and the second platforms dynamically assign new frames in which to transmit communication signal from said communications signal transceiver as the platforms drift such that a communications device receives communications signals from only one communications signal transceiver in a particular frame and said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are configured to operate in a range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.   
     
     
         9 . A method of communicating using a free-floating constellation communication system comprising:
 providing a communication device for communicating with a lighter-than-air platforms;   communicating with a first lighter-than-air platform when the communication device is in a communication range of the first-lighter-than-air platform, communicating with a second lighter-than-air platform when the communication device moves out of the communication range of the first lighter-than-air platform, wherein the first lighter-than-air platform and second lighter-than-air platforms each comprise an altitude regulator device and a communications signal transceiver and wherein the first lighter-than-air platform and the second lighter-than-air platform are configured to free float without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control and the said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are configured to operate in a range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between the said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the said altitude regulator device is configured to regulate the altitude of the said platform to within a predetermined altitude range of between about 60,000 feet and about 140,000 feet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the said altitude regulator is configured to regulate the floating of the said platform within a predetermined altitude range and comprises a quantity of contained gas having a density less than the density of air within said predetermined altitude range and a controllable vent by which a portion of said quantity of contained gas can be released to reduce the buoyancy of the said platform. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the said altitude regulator comprises a quantity of high density material carried onboard said platform and a release device by which a portion of the said high density matter can be released to increase buoyancy of the said platform. 
     
     
         13 . A method of communicating using a free-floating constellation communications system comprising:
 providing a plurality of lighter-than-air platforms comprising at least a first platform and a second platform, each of the said first platform and the second platforms comprising a communications signal transceiver and being free-floating without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control; and   communicating with a communication device having communications capability with the said communications signal transceiver, wherein said first platform and second platforms dynamically assign new frames in which to transmit communication signals from said communications signal transceivers as the platforms drift such that a communication device receives communications signals from only one communications signal transceiver in a particular frame and the said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are configured to operate in a range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between the said plurality of lighter-than-air platform.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the said altitude regulator is configured to regulate the floating of the said platform within a predetermined altitude range and comprises a quantity of contained gas having a density less than the density of air within said predetermined altitude range and a controllable vent by which a portion of said quantity of contained gas can be released to reduce the buoyancy of the said platform. 
     
     
         15 . A method for providing communication service comprising:
 providing a first lighter-than-air platform; providing a second lighter-than-air platform wherein the first lighter-than-air platform and second lighter-than-air platform each comprise an altitude regulator device and a communications signal transceiver and wherein the first lighter-than-air platform and the second lighter-than-air platform are configured to free float without any longitudinal and latitudinal position control;   providing a plurality of communications devices within a contiguous geographic area, at least one of the said communications devices having communications capability with said communications signal transceiver, wherein said at least one of said communications devices is capable of handing off communication with said the platform to said second platform as said first platform moves out of a communication range of said at least one of said communications devices and wherein the said free-floating constellation communications system is configured to provide a line-of-sight wireless data coverage to a population on a contiguous landmass and the said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms are configured to operate range of 60,000 to 140,000 feet there is substantially a relative distance between the said plurality of lighter-than-air platforms.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the said altitude regulator is configured to regulate the floating of the said platform within a predetermined altitude range and comprises a quantity of contained gas having a density less than the density of air within said predetermined altitude range and a controllable vent by which a portion of said quantity of contained gas can be released to reduce the buoyancy of the said platform. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the said altitude regulator comprises a quantity of high density material carried onboard the said platform and a release device by which a portion of the said high density matter can be released to increase buoyancy of the said platform.