IP Library Granted Patent US 10,958,528
Granted Patent B2
US 10,958,528 · App. 16/717,519 · Granted Mar 23, 2021

Hybrid LEO/HAPS constellation for fixed broadband

Inventors: Brian Barritt (San Jose, CA); Mauro Goncalves Filho (Los Gatos, CA)
Assignee: Loon LLC
H04L41/12H04B10/11H04B10/118H04B10/1129H04L43/0882H04L43/16H04W8/22H04W24/02H04W40/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,958,528
App. No.
16/717,519
Granted
Mar 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure provides for a system that includes a network controller configured to determine a network configuration of a network and cause the network to implement the network configuration. The network controller may be configured to determine that an overall link bandwidth for a particular geographic area is less than a set bandwidth amount based on link bandwidth information for possible links directly connected to the particular geographic area. Based on a difference between the overall link bandwidth and the set bandwidth amount, the network controller may be configured to determine additional links to connect to the particular geographic area in a given network configuration of the network. The network controller may then send instructions to the plurality of nodes of the network to cause the plurality of nodes to implement the given network configuration and transmit client data at the given point in time.

Claims (31)

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing a network configuration in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, link bandwidth information for possible routing paths in the network to or from nodes in a particular geographic area from one or more nodes of the network;

determining, by the one or more processors, one or more additional links to form in a given network configuration of the network based on a difference between an overall link bandwidth and a set bandwidth amount;

identifying, by the one or more processors, at least one node based on the determined one or more additional links; and sending, by the one or more processors, flight termination instructions to the at least one node of the network to cause the at least one node to terminate a flight of the at least one node.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors, a landing location based on whether the at least one node can land and be retrieved, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one node to land in the landing location.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the landing location enables the at least one node to provide network services within the particular geographic area.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors, a landing location within the particular geographic area, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one node to land in the landing location.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors, a landing location based on proximity to the particular geographic area, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one node to land in the landing location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the at least one node is further based on one or more components in the at least one node that are usable in an additional node after landing.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one node is a high-altitude platform, and the additional node is a ground station.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the additional node requires at least components for forming an additional link of the one more additional links.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one node includes a balloon.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting a second node of the network based on the determined one or more additional links; and

sending, by the one or more processors, flight termination instructions to the selected second node to cause the second node to terminate a flight of the second node.

11. A system comprising a network controller in communication with a plurality of nodes of a network, the network controller being configured to:

receive link bandwidth information for possible routing paths in the network to or from nodes in a particular geographic area from one or more nodes of the network;

determine one or more additional links to form in a given network configuration of the network based on a difference between an overall link bandwidth and a set bandwidth amount;

identify at least one node based on the determined one or more additional links; and

send flight termination instructions to the at least one node of the network to cause the at least one node to terminate a flight of the at least one node.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network controller is further configured to determine a landing location based on whether the at least one node can land and be retrieved, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one node to land in the landing location.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the landing location enables the at least one node to provide network services within the particular geographic area.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network controller is further configured to determine a landing location within the particular geographic area, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one node to land in the landing location.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network controller is further configured to determine a landing location based on proximity to the particular geographic area, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one node to land in the landing location.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network controller is further configured to identify the at least one node further based on one or more components in the at least one node that are usable in an additional node after landing.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising the at least one node and wherein the at least one node is a high-altitude platform, and the additional node is a ground station.

18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising the at least one node and wherein the additional node requires at least components for forming an additional link of the one more additional links.

19. The system of claim 11 , further comprising the at least one node and wherein the at least one node includes a balloon.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network controller is further configured to:

select a second node of the network based on the determined one or more additional links; and

send flight termination instructions to the selected second node to cause the second node to terminate a flight of the second node.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2022
From: GOOGLE LLC
To: AALYRIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059475/0540 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2021
From: LOON LLC
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 057355/0972 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2021
From: FILHO, MAURO GONCALVES
To: LOON LLC
Reel/Frame 055072/0905 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2020
From: BARRITT, BRIAN
To: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 051408/0268 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2020
From: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
To: LOON LLC
Reel/Frame 051463/0256 →