Patent Application

App. No. 15/350,209

Abstract

Claims (50)

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining that a first balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area, wherein a balloon network provides service in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein an area profile identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from the legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the first balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data;

determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

responsively removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon prior to the first balloon leaving the legally-defined geographic area.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the area profile further requires that the geographically-restricted data be saved in at least one location in the legally-defined geographic area, the method further comprising:

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area, transferring the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a device that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, before removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the device receiving the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon is a second balloon located in the legally-defined geographic area.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the device receiving the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon is a ground-based station located in the legally-defined geographic area.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a RF air-interface.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a free-space optical link.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the area profile further requires that the geographically-restricted data be saved in at least one location in the legally-defined geographic area, the method further comprising:

determining if a second balloon located in the legally-defined geographic area contains the geographically-restricted data;

responsive to the determination that the second balloon does not include the geographically-restricted data, transferring the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a device that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, before removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area comprises:

determining a direction in which the first balloon is travelling;

based on the direction in which the first balloon is travelling, determining a probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

determining that the probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area is greater than a threshold probability.

9 . A method operable by a first balloon in a balloon network, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of geographically-restricted data when the first balloon enters a legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the legally-defined geographic area has an area profile that identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from the legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

responsively removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon prior to the first balloon leaving the legally-defined geographic area.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the area profile further requires that the geographically-restricted data be saved in at least one location in the legally-defined geographic area, the method further comprising:

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area, transferring the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a device that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, before removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the device receiving the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon is a second balloon located in the legally-defined geographic area.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the device receiving the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon is a ground-based station located in the legally-defined geographic area.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a RF air-interface.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a free-space optical link.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the area profile further requires that the geographically-restricted data be saved in at least one location in the legally-defined geographic area, the method further comprising:

determining if a second balloon located in the legally-defined geographic area contains the geographically-restricted data;

responsive to the determination that the second balloon does not include the geographically-restricted data, transferring the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a device that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, before removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area comprises:

determining a direction in which the first balloon is travelling;

based on the direction in which the first balloon is travelling, determining a probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

determining that the probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area is greater than a threshold probability.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors in a computing device, cause that computing device to perform functions, the functions comprising:

determining that a first balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area, wherein a balloon network provides service in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein an area profile identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from the legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the first balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data;

determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

responsively removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon prior to the first balloon leaving the legally-defined geographic area.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the area profile further requires that the geographically-restricted data be saved in at least one location in the legally-defined geographic area, the functions further comprising:

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area, transferring the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a device that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, before removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the area profile further requires that the geographically-restricted data be saved in at least one location in the legally-defined geographic area, the functions further comprising:

determining if a second balloon located in the legally-defined geographic area contains the geographically-restricted data;

responsive to the determination that the second balloon does not contain the geographically-restricted data, transferring the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a device that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, before removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of 17 , wherein determining the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area comprises the functions of:

determining a direction in which the first balloon is travelling;

based on the direction in which the first balloon is travelling, determining a probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

determining that the probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area is greater than a threshold probability.

Assignments (8)