IP Library Granted Patent US 12672031
Granted Patent B2
US 12672031 · App. 18/122,413 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

5G terrestrial network zones

Inventors: Stephen T. Palermo (Chandler, AZ); Valerie J. Parker (Portland, OR); Jason K. Smith (Lake Oswego, OR)
Assignee: Intel Corporation
H04W28/18H04W16/28H04W64/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12672031
App. No.
18/122,413
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various approaches for the deployment and coordination of terrestrial cellular (e.g., 5G) network exclusion or mitigation zone, for the dynamic deployment of radio frequency blocking for in-motion aerial devices are described. Approaches are also described for a space-based non-terrestrial network exclusion or mitigation zone, including for maintenance or multi-constellation/multi-orbit coordination. The calculation, distribution, deployment and use of exclusion and inclusion zones are described for coordination with such a terrestrial cellular network or non-terrestrial satellite network.

Claims (49)

1 . An edge virtual radio access network (vRAN) server comprising:

processing circuitry to configure the edge vRAN server to:

determine whether a user equipment (UE) in an aerial object is within a zone of a predetermined geographical area, the zone provided from a group of zones that includes an inclusion zone, a mitigation zone, and an exclusion zone, wherein an elevation of the UE is controllable; and

in response to a determination that the UE is in the zone and the zone is the exclusion or mitigation zone, adjust at least one communication parameter of at least one cell to limit at least one of uplink or downlink terrestrial communication with the UE, adjustment of the at least one communication parameter including physical adjustment of at least one phased array antenna controlled by the edge vRAN server; and

a memory configured to store characteristics of the zone.

2 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein adjustment of the at least one communication parameter includes deactivation of at least one predetermined frequency band while frequency bands other than the at least one predetermined frequency band remain active.

3 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein adjustment of the at least one communication parameter includes reduction of a power of communications of at least one frequency.

4 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein adjustment of the at least one communication parameter includes adjustment of transmission angles of at least one predetermined frequency band.

5 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein the physical adjustment is limited to tilting the at least one phased array antenna downwards.

6 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry further configures the edge vRAN server to adjust the at least one communication parameter dependent on weather proximate to the UE.

7 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein:

the UE comprises an aircraft or drone, and

adjustment of the at least one communication parameter is dependent on flight data of the UE.

8 . The edge vRAN server of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry further configures the edge vRAN server to receive real-time updates to the flight data, adjustment of the at least one communication parameter dependent on the real-time updates.

9 . The edge vRAN server of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry further configures the edge vRAN server to:

store data of the at least one cell in the memory, the data including active frequencies and timing of when the active frequencies are deactivated, and

report the data to a governmental agency.

10 . The edge vRAN server of claim 7 , wherein the flight data includes ground location latitude, longitude, altitude, and ground speed of the aircraft.

11 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein:

the UE comprises an aircraft, and

the processing circuitry further configures the edge vRAN server to determine whether an altimeter is in use based on weather proximate to the UE and adjust the at least one communication parameter in response to a determination that the altimeter is in use.

12 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry further configures the edge vRAN server to determine inclusion zones, exclusion zones, and mitigation zones set by different governmental agencies and having definitions propagated to multiple airports.

13 . The edge vRAN server of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry further configures the edge vRAN server to determine an inclusion zone within an exclusion or mitigation zone to adjust the at least one communication parameter of the at least one cell to permit uplink and downlink terrestrial communication with the UE.

14 . A computing system, comprising:

an open radio access network (O-RAN) comprising:

a virtual radio access network (vRAN) central unit (vRAN-CU);

a vRAN distributed unit (vRAN-DU) coupled to the vRAN-CU;

a remote radio unit (RRU) coupled to the vRAN-DU;

a phased array antenna controlled by the RRU; and

a memory device including instructions embodied thereon, wherein the instructions, which when executed by processing circuitry of the O-RAN, configure the processing circuitry to perform operations that:

determine that an aerial device is within a terrestrial network exclusion or mitigation zone of a predetermined geographical area served by a cell; and

adjust at least one characteristic of the cell to limit uplink terrestrial communication with the aerial device, the at least one characteristic provided from a group of characteristics that include a frequency band, transmission power on the frequency band, and mechanical adjustment of the phased array antenna.

15 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the vRAN-CU, vRAN-DU, and RRU are disposed on ground.

16 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the vRAN-CU is disposed on ground, and at least one of the vRAN-DU or RRU are disposed on the aerial device.

17 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the memory device is configured to store a definition of the exclusion or mitigation zone and operation times of use of the exclusion or mitigation zone.

18 . A method for implementing a terrestrial network exclusion zone, performed by processing circuitry of a computing device, the method comprising:

determining that an aerial device is within a terrestrial network exclusion or mitigation zone of a predetermined geographical area served by a phased array antenna of a cell; and

in response to determining that the aerial device is within the exclusion or mitigation zone, adjust at least one characteristic to limit uplink terrestrial communication with the aerial device, the at least one characteristic provided from a group of characteristics that include a frequency band, transmission power on the frequency band, and mechanical adjustment of the phased array antenna.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

store a definition of the exclusion or mitigation zone and operation times of use of the exclusion or mitigation zone; and

report the operation times of use of the exclusion or mitigation zone to at least one governmental agency.

20 . An edge virtual radio access network (vRAN) server comprising:

processing circuitry to configure the edge vRAN server to:

determine whether a user equipment (UE) in an aerial object is within a zone of a predetermined geographical area, the zone provided from a group of zones that includes an inclusion zone, a mitigation zone, and an exclusion zone, wherein an elevation of the UE is controllable;

in response to a determination that the UE is in the zone and the zone is the exclusion or mitigation zone, adjust at least one communication parameter of at least one cell to limit at least one of uplink or downlink terrestrial communication with the UE;

determine whether a first inclusion zone is disposed within the exclusion or mitigation zone; and

in response to a determination that the UE is in the first inclusion zone, further adjust the at least one communication parameter of the at least one cell to permit uplink and downlink terrestrial communication with the UE; and

a memory configured to store characteristics of the zone.

21 . The edge vRAN server of claim 20 , wherein the processing circuitry further configures the edge vRAN server to dynamically override the exclusion or mitigation zone to institute the first inclusion zone, the override performed in real time based on emergency or broadcast purposes.