Abstract: A communications apparatus comprises of one or more Active Antenna Units (AAUs) collocated in the same sector, and a processor. The processor de-multiplexes a data packet stream into at least two sub-streams, each sub-stream is transmitted on a different medium path. Each medium path is comprised of frequency channels, antenna polarizations and AAUs. A scheduler assigns data packets to different medium paths. The apparatus transmits on at least one frequency band, each frequency band is divided into a set of one or more frequency channels, at least one frequency channel of a frequency band is assigned to at least one AAU. A frequency channel is assigned to only one or to both antenna polarizations of the same AAU. The apparatus determines if an extraneous signal is present on a frequency channel and stops transmitting on the entire or part of the frequency channel where extraneous signal is detected.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for the provision of high data rate and high throughput communications link for drones, in a bandwidth efficient manner. One set of embodiments describe apparatus and methods to mitigate interference from other systems when using the unlicensed radio frequency bands such as the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands. Apparatus and methods are also described to enable association of the drone radio sub-system with an “optimal” cell site, such as when the drone uses a directional antenna beam to maximize system throughput. Configurations of a mechanically steerable directional antenna aperture are also disclosed. Other embodiments describe systems and methods to mitigate excessive amounts of interference, and to provide a reliable communications link for signaling and other mission-critical messages.

Abstract: The User Equipment (UE) initiates initial access by transmitting an uplink reference signal on at least one UE beam. Each Base Station (BS) carries out a spatial search of detected uplink reference signals, estimates the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of the uplink reference signals, forms a dedicated downlink beam toward the UE at the estimated AoA, and sends an acknowledgement for the uplink reference signal on the dedicated downlink beam. The UE carries out a spatial search of the received acknowledgement, and identifies the UE beam angular pointing position, from which receives the acknowledgement with the highest signal quality, as the UE beam boresight toward the BS. The UE sends a connection setup request message to the BS on the identified UE beam boresight. The uplink reference signals and acknowledgements comprise a single preamble, effectively carrying one bit of information, or carry a small payload.

Abstract: A User Equipment (UE) measures the signal quality of a dedicated downlink reference signal transmitted by a Base Station (BS) to the UE. If the signal quality is below a threshold, the UE initiates a measurement procedure to determine a target handover BS. The UE sequentially transmits an uplink reference signal on each of UE's beams. The BSs estimate the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of any received uplink reference signal, form a dedicated downlink beam pointed toward the AoA and transmit an acknowledgment to the UE on the corresponding beam. The UE estimates the signal quality of the received acknowledgements on the different UE beams, and transmits a handover message on the UE beam on which the acknowledgement with the highest signal quality is received The acknowledgement comprises a preamble, spread using a pseudo-noise sequence specific to each BS.

Abstract: In a beamforming system, each User Equipment (UE) transmits an uplink probe. Each Base Station (BS) carries out a spatial search of the uplink probes, estimates an Angle of Arrival (AoA) of the uplink probe received from each UE, and estimates the uplink channel frequency response on an uplink dedicated beam formed toward the UE's AoA. The BS transmits a reference signal to each UE on a downlink dedicated beam formed toward the UE's AoA, from which the UE estimates the downlink frequency response. The UE forms channel impulse response matrices for the uplink and the downlink, using the estimated uplink and downlink channel frequency responses. The BS uses the channel impulse response matrices to form downlink and uplink dedicated beams that put boresight of the beams toward the AoA of one UE and put nulls toward the AoAs of the other UEs.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for the provision of high data rate and high throughput communications link for drones, in a bandwidth efficient manner. One set of embodiments describe apparatus and methods to mitigate interference from other systems when using the unlicensed radio frequency bands such as the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands. Apparatus and methods are also described to enable association of the drone radio sub-system with an “optimal” cell site, such as when the drone uses a directional antenna beam to maximize system throughput. Configurations of a mechanically steerable directional antenna aperture are also disclosed. Other embodiments describe systems and methods to mitigate excessive amounts of interference, and to provide a reliable communications link for signaling and other mission-critical messages.

Abstract: In idle mode, User Equipment (UE) measures the changes in the UE's orientation and position location coordinates using sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers. UE computes a metric of the changes in the UE's orientation and position location, and triggers a beam update process if the magnitude of the metric is above a threshold. UE begins the beam update process by sending a message to the Base Station (BS) with which it is communicating. BS estimates the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of the received message, forms a dedicated downlink beam toward the UE at the estimated AoA, and sends an acknowledgement on the dedicated downlink beam. The UE carries out a spatial search of the received acknowledgement, estimates the UE beam angular pointing position on which the highest signal quality is received, and points its beam toward the BS at the estimated UE beam angular pointing position.

Abstract: A User Equipment (UE) measures the signal quality of a dedicated downlink reference signal transmitted by a Base Station (BS) to the UE. If the signal quality is below a threshold, the UE initiates a measurement procedure to determine a target handover BS. The UE sequentially transmits an uplink reference signal on each of UE's beams. The BSs estimate the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of any received uplink reference signal, form a dedicated downlink beam pointed toward the AoA and transmit an acknowledgment to the UE on the corresponding beam. The UE estimates the signal quality of the received acknowledgements on the different UE beams, and transmits a handover message on the UE beam on which the acknowledgement with the highest signal quality is received. The uplink reference signal may comprise of a single preamble. The acknowledgement may comprise of a preamble, or a preamble followed by a small payload.

Abstract: The User Equipment (UE) initiates initial access by transmitting an uplink reference signal on at least one UE beam. Each Base Station (BS) carries out a spatial search of any detected uplink reference signals, estimates the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of the uplink reference signals, forms a dedicated downlink beam pointed toward the UE at the estimated AoA, and sends an acknowledgement for the uplink reference signal on the dedicated downlink beam. The UE carries out a spatial search of the received acknowledgement, and identifies the UE beam angular pointing position, from which receives the acknowledgement with the highest signal quality, as the UE beam boresight toward the BS. The UE sends a connection setup request message to the BS on the identified UE beam boresight. The uplink reference signals and acknowledgements may comprise of only a single preamble, effectively carrying one bit of information, or carry a small payload.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for a mesh network of Access Points (APs) and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to provide broadband access to premises such as houses or enterprises. Systems and method are described to enable self-configurable CPEs in the sense that the CPEs autonomously find and establish communications with the AP/CPEs from which they receive the strongest signal. Systems and methods are described to enable a self-healing network in the sense that the CPEs autonomously detect low received signal strength or lost connection, and find and establish communications with the AP/CPE from which they receive the strongest signal.

Abstract: In a beamforming system, each User Equipment (UE) transmits an uplink probe. Each Base Station (BS) carries out a spatial search of the uplink probes, estimates an Angle of Arrival (AoA) of the uplink probe received from each UE, and estimates the uplink channel frequency response of the uplink probe received on an uplink dedicated beam formed toward the UE's AoA. The BS transmits a reference signal to each UE on a downlink dedicated beam formed toward the UE's AoA, from which the UE estimates the downlink frequency response. The UE forms channel impulse response matrices for the uplink and the downlink, using the estimated uplink and downlink channel frequency responses between each UE and the BS. The BS uses the channel impulse response matrices to form downlink and uplink dedicated beams that put boresight of the beams toward the AoA of one UE and put nulls toward the AoAs of the other UEs.

Abstract: A terrestrial communications network for providing broadband internet access to aerial platforms is described. One set of embodiments describe assignment of cell site beams to aerial platforms to maximize signal quality in a frequency reuse of 1 network. Another set of embodiments describe time division duplexing and beam forming schemes for minimizing co-channel interference. Systems and methods for establishing links from aerial platforms to cell sites, and mobility management of aerial platforms, to maximize signal quality are described. In another set of embodiments, systems and methods are described to mitigate fading due to ground reflection.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for a mesh network of Access Points (APs) and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to provide broadband access to premises such as houses or enterprises. Systems and method are described to enable self-configurable CPEs in the sense that the CPEs autonomously find and establish communications with the AP/CPEs from which they receive the strongest signal. Systems and methods are described to enable a self-healing network in the sense that the CPEs autonomously detect low received signal strength or lost connection, and find and establish communications with the AP/CPE from which they receive the strongest signal.

Abstract: A terrestrial communications network for providing broadband internet access to aerial platforms is described. In some embodiments, the cell site sector communications equipment comprises of at least two radio modules and two antenna apertures, the cell site transmits data to an aerial platform on only one antenna aperture, but receives from the aerial platform on all antenna apertures. In some embodiments, the cell site communications equipment divides each of the N data packet streams destined to N aerial platforms into multiple data packet sub-streams and sends each data packet sub-stream of an aerial platform on a different antenna aperture using a different frequency channel or antenna polarization, forming N beams from each antenna aperture, one beam toward each aerial platform.

Abstract: An air interface for a terrestrial communications network for providing broadband internet access to aerial platforms is described. In some embodiments, systems and methods are described for efficient retransmission of data packets that are not received correctly. In other embodiments, systems and methods are described for determining the modulation constellation and error correction code rate used in transmitting a data packet to maximize data rates. In another set of embodiments, the retransmission scheme and modulation constellation and error correction code rate determination are jointly optimized to maximize data rates.

Abstract: A communication system is described. The system includes: at least one gateway able to provide broadband connectivity, a set of ground terminals, and a set of high altitude platforms (HAPs), where at least one aerial platform is able to communicate with at least one gateway using radio frequencies, each HAP is able to communicate with ground terminals using radio frequencies, and each HAP is able to communicate with each other HAP using radio frequencies. Ways to handoff a ground terminal/gateway from one HAP beam to another HAP beam are described. Ways to handoff a ground terminal/gateway from one HAP to another HAP are described. Ways that keep the communications payload radios active when there is data traffic and put the radios in sleep mode otherwise, thereby adjusting the communications payload power consumption to the data traffic requirements as a function of time and coverage area, are described.

Abstract: Systems and methods configured to form and manage different types of beams toward target ground terminals to “optimally” communicate with the terminals. In one set of embodiments, the UAV generates a set of beams to cover cells on the ground, the beams are divided into groups, and the UAV communications system deterministically and sequentially turns a subset of the beams on/off to reduce cross-beam interference and increase system throughput. In another embodiment, in order to increase throughput, the UAV communications system determines the highest data rate on the downlink and uplink that are decodable at the receiver given the received signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) while maintaining a low packet error rate. Systems and methods are described to determine the UAV antenna pattern toward different terminals needed for SINR calculation and data rate determination.

Abstract: A communication system is described. The system includes: at least one gateway able to provide broadband connectivity, a set of ground terminals, and a set of aerial platforms, where at least one aerial platform is able to communicate with at least one gateway using radio frequencies, each aerial platform is able to communicate with ground terminals using radio frequencies, and each aerial platform is able to communicate with each other aerial platform using radio frequencies. An automated method for determining a beam direction for communication among UAVs includes: dividing a space around the UAV into multiple sub-regions, and, iteratively: selecting a sub-region from among the multiple sub-regions; pointing a signal toward the sub-region; and determining whether a signal is received from another UAV, until all sub-regions from among the multiple sub-regions have been selected.

Abstract: Systems and methods configured to form and point beams from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) toward target cells in a coverage area on the ground. One embodiment determines and forms the required number of UAV fixed beams needed to cover the target area when UAV is at its highest altitude and highest roll/pitch/yaw angles so that the target coverage area is covered under all UAV altitude and orientation conditions. In another embodiment, UAV determines the beam pointing angles toward different cells on the ground using information on position coordinates and orientation angles of the UAV, and the position coordinates of the cells in the coverage area relative to the center of coverage area. In another embodiment, a reference terminal placed at the center of coverage is used by the UAV to optimally point a beam toward center of the coverage area.

Abstract: Transmitter and receiver units for use in an OFDM communications system and configurable to support multiple types of services. The transmitter unit includes one or more encoders, a symbol mapping element, and a modulator. Each encoder receives and codes a respective channel data stream to generate a corresponding coded data stream. The symbol mapping element receives and maps data from the coded data streams to generate modulation symbol vectors, with each modulation symbol vector including a set of data values used to modulate a set of tones to generate an OFDM symbol. The modulator modulates the modulation symbol vectors to provide a modulated signal suitable for transmission. The data from each coded data stream is mapped to a respective set of one or more “circuits”. Each circuit can be defined to include a number of tones from a number of OFDM symbols, a number of tones from a single OFDM symbol, all tones from one or more OFDM symbols, or some other combination of tones.