Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating the effects of atmospheric conditions such as rain, fog, cloud in a broadband access system using drone/UAVs. In one embodiment, terminal and drone radio and transmission medium fixture sub-systems comprise multiple transmission media. In one embodiment, in response to changes in atmospheric conditions the drone radio sub-system switches transmission medium to reduce the effects of atmospheric conditions. In another embodiment, the terminal and drone radio sub-systems equalize the data rates among terminals in response to changes in atmospheric conditions observed by different terminals. In another embodiment, the drone radio sub-system adjusts the transmit power on the downlink to different terminal according to fading due to atmospheric conditions on each link.

Abstract: A system for broadband access to airborne platforms is described. The system includes: a ground station with a number of antenna panels, each antenna panel having two polarizations; the ground station having multiple modems connected to the different antenna panels and a processor controlling the modems; and the aircraft equipment comprising of a modem attached to an antenna with two polarizations.

Abstract: An air to ground (ATG) broadband access system is described. The system includes: a plurality of cell sites that together form a service coverage area, each cell site adapted to generate a local coverage area, each sell site including: multiple antenna fixtures situated at a lower corner of the local coverage area, where the local coverage area includes multiple sectors and each antenna fixture is associated with a different sector than each other antenna fixture; and a radio sub-system connected to each antenna fixture, the radio sub-system including a transmitter capable of modulating and transmitting signals through the antenna fixture and a receiver capable of demodulating and decoding signals received through the antenna fixture; and at least one aerial platform including: at least one antenna fixture capable of forming beams toward the cell site; and a radio sub-system capable of modulating and transmitting signals and demodulating and decoding signals.

Abstract: Ways to determine position or proximity of elements such as tags or mobile devices within a wireless local area network such as an IEEE 802.11 network that includes multiple beacons using time of arrival (TOA) of messages are described. System and methods are described for invoking TOA measurements at the beacons, the systems and methods being compatible with IEEE 802.11 protocols and signaling. Systems and methods are described to estimate the clock offset among beacons in an asynchronous network of IEEE 802.11 enabled Beacons, and to compensate for the clock timing offsets of the measured TOA values when triangulating the TOA values to estimate tag and/or mobile device positionlocation.

Abstract: A low profile conformal high gain multi-beam aircraft antenna includes antenna elements supported by a ground plane to create the low profile conformal high gain multi-beam aircraft antenna. Some of the antenna elements include a feeding waveguide flared in at least one of an h-plane and a v-plane. The antenna elements cooperate to create a gain pattern near a plane of the antenna.

Abstract: A system for computing accurate position location coordinates of tags used for tracking assets and people include a first network of access points to help compute a first approximation of the tag position location, a second network of access points underlying the first network for fine position location determination, and a position location server for controlling the second network of access points and computing position location based on round trip delay measurements between tags and the access points.

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.

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: 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 are described that use the downlink and uplink frequency bands of the fixed satellite service (FSS) and direct broadcast service (DBS) systems to provide broadband access to aerial platforms including aircraft, drones, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as balloons. The secondary service aerial platform transmitters are configured to avoid interference into the primary satellite service receivers. The aerial platform may be able to detect and connect to the cell site with the strongest signal. The aerial platform may be able to handoff from one cell site to another. Systems and methods are described that provide broadband access to ground terminal via aerial platforms such as drones and UAVs such as balloons.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes the system and methods for providing broadband internet access to homes and enterprises using a network of drones/UAVs. The drone communication system is composed of an antenna sub-system, a radio sub-system and a data switching sub-system. Drones form and point beams toward ground terminals in different areas in a space division multiple access scheme. Ground terminals are composed of an antenna sub-system and a radio sub-system. Ground terminals search for the drone from which they receive the strongest signals. Drone and ground terminals comprise of methods and systems to calibrate receive and transmit antenna elements. Drone radio sub-system keeps track of the drone's position and orientation changes and adjust drone's antenna beam accordingly to point to the same location on the ground as the drone moves.

Abstract: Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods, apparatuses, and/or articles of manufacture for use in and/or with an electronic device that is operable in a plurality of selectable power modes, including at least a “higher power mode” and a “lower power mode”. In an example implementation, with an electronic device operating in a higher power mode may selectively transition to a lower power mode based, at least in part, on at least phase value obtained from a signal acquired from a ground-based transmitter. Further techniques are provided which may be implemented to allow electronic device to selectively transition from a lower power mode to one or more other selectable power modes, e.g., including various “medium power modes”, and various “higher power modes”.

Abstract: A method of determining a position location of an asset tag within an indoor position location system includes filtering a history of locations of an asset tag within the indoor position location system. Such a method further includes computing, based on the history, a likelihood that the asset tag is in a predetermined room of the indoor position location system.

Abstract: A method in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes receiving a first ranging signal from an asset tag. The method also includes receiving a second ranging signal that was transmitted a known delay after the first ranging signal. The second ranging signal is from another device. Such a method further includes computing a pseudo-range between a point of reception and the asset tag based at least in part on a time difference between the first ranging signal and the second ranging signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents a method and an apparatus for communications in a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite network. For example, the method may include receiving data, at a relay node, from a first NGSO satellite of the NGSO satellite network, wherein the relay node is located at a boundary or a common beam area associated with the first satellite and a second satellite of the NGSO satellite network, and wherein the data is received at the relay node in response to identifying by the first NGSO satellite that an internet point of presence (IPP) is not available in at least one of a plurality of beams associated with the first NGSO satellite, and relaying the data from the relay node to a second NGSO satellite of the NGSO satellite network, wherein an IPP is available in at least one of a plurality of beams associated with the second NGSO satellite. As such, communications in a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite network may be achieved.

Abstract: An indoor position location system. The indoor position location system may include a narrowband messaging link. The narrowband messaging link may enable synchronization and ranging initialization between asset tags and access points of the indoor position location system. The indoor position location system may also include a wideband ranging link. The wideband ranging link may enable a ranging operation between the asset tags, the access points and a position location server of the indoor position location system. The position location server may determine a location of at least one of the asset tags according to the ranging operation.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing wireless communications in a machine-to-machine (M2M) wireless Wide Area Network (WAN). A physical layer frame is generated. The frame being used for wireless M2M communications on a forward link in the M2M wireless WAN. The frame including no more than three channels. The physical layer frame including a first channel including paging channel, a second channel including a traffic channel, and a third channel including an acknowledgment (ACK) channel. A time division multiplexing (TDM) operation is performed on pilot symbols and data symbols to obtain a TDM pilot burst. At least one TDM pilot burst is inserted into each channel of the physical layer frame. The physical layer frame is transmitted on the forward link at a low data rate.

Abstract: A ground station antenna including a torus shaped reflector having multiple feed points along a focal arc in front of the reflector. The ground station antenna includes transceiver feeds having their electrical phase centers located on the focal arc and supported by a rotating feed platform. The transceiver feeds are configured to simultaneously track rising and falling satellites when the platform rotates. The ground station antenna further includes a wireless power receiver coupled to the transceiver feeds to power the transceiver feeds. The ground station antenna further includes a wireless signal interface coupled to the transceiver feeds to communicate signals with a base unit to perform subsequent processing.

Abstract: A position location method includes receiving, over a messaging link, a request from an access point of a position location system to perform a ranging operation between a first asset tag and a second asset tag. The method also includes transmitting, by the first asset tag, a first ranging pilot signal on a ranging link to enable the ranging operation between the first asset tag and the second asset tag. The method further includes receiving, by the first asset tag, a second ranging pilot signal on the ranging link from the second asset tag.

Abstract: A high gain multi-beam aircraft blade antenna of an air-to-ground antenna systems includes multiple columnar matrix antenna elements housed within a blade. The elements are arranged to create independently steerable directed beams. A first independently steerable beam is used to provide communication. A second independently steerable beam is used to simultaneously search other signals.