Granted Patent B2

US 12,267,755 · App. 17/625,485 · Granted Apr 1, 2025

Inventors: Bruce J. Holmes (Williamsburg, VA); Elbert Stanford Eskridge, Jr. (Chapel Hill, NC); James Evans Ladd, Jr. (Hillsborough, NC)

Assignee: SMARTSKY NETWORKS LLC

H04W4/42G08G5/0013G08G5/0095

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A system comprising:

a backbone network comprising an air-to-ground (ATG) network configured to provide backhaul services and network control to operably couple one or more base stations of the backbone network to the Internet, the backbone network operating using first assigned radio frequency (RF) spectrum transmitted from the one or more base stations to communicate with distant aircraft within a first range defined by a communication range of the one or more base stations;

an antenna assembly disposed at a remote airport to define an airport cell extending beyond the remote airport by a second range defined by a communication range of the antenna assembly that is less than the first range, the antenna assembly being configured to communicate wirelessly with an aircraft located in the airport cell via second assigned RF spectrum that is different than the first assigned RF spectrum, the antenna assembly being operably coupled to the backbone network for backhaul to the Internet by ATG backhaul and network control components common to both the backbone network and the antenna assembly; and

a remote services module accessible by the aircraft both in flight and on the ground within the airport cell via the antenna assembly, the remote services module being operably coupled to the ATG backhaul and network control components via the Internet,

wherein the remote services module comprises processing circuitry configuring the remote services module to provide the aircraft or communication devices thereon with access to obtain airside or landside services associated with the remote airport.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ATG network is configured to track and communicate with the aircraft while the aircraft is in-flight, and

wherein the ATG network communicates position information of the aircraft to the remote services module and to other aircraft for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) functions.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein a handover of communication between the ATG network and the airport cell is conducted at a boundary of the airport cell.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote airport is an unattended airport, and

wherein the remote services module enables a remotely located operator, relative to the unattended airport, to provide tower services to the aircraft via the airport cell.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote airport is an unattended airport, and

wherein the remote services module enables a remotely located operator, relative to the unattended airport, to provide instructions to the aircraft for accessing ground based services of the unattended aircraft via the airport cell.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote services module is operably coupled to a sensor network of the remote airport to provide information obtained by the sensor network to the aircraft via the airport cell.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the information obtained by the sensor network includes weather information, traffic information, parking information, or wake vortex information associated with the remote airport.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote services module is operably coupled to a virtual airport module comprising images, video or models of the remote airport to provide the images, video or models to the aircraft via the airport cell prior to or during takeoff or landing of the aircraft.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the virtual airport module is accessible via the Internet or an intranet independent of the airport cell, and

wherein a pilot of the aircraft is enabled to access the virtual airport module in advance of travel via the Internet independent of the airport cell.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the virtual airport module is configured to provide an augmented reality view of the remote airport in real time based on position information of the aircraft via the airport cell.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote services module is operably coupled to a scheduling module, and

wherein the scheduling module is configured to enable scheduling of an arrival to or departure from the remote airport.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote services module is operably coupled to a scheduling module, and

wherein the scheduling module is configured to enable scheduling of services for the aircraft at the remote airport.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote services module is operably coupled to a scheduling module, and

wherein the scheduling module is configured to enable scheduling of an operational mode of the remote services module.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operational mode is an automated mode via which the remote services module employs programmed rules to interface with the aircraft or communication devices associated therewith.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operational mode is an operator controlled mode via which an operator located remotely relative to the remote airport utilizes the remote services module to interface with the aircraft or communication devices associated therewith.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote services module is operably coupled to an external feed module configured to feel data associated with the aircraft to an external entity.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote services module is operably coupled to a plurality of antenna assemblies of a respective plurality of remote airports.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein a plurality of instances of the remote services module are employed to interface with groups of airport cells based on traffic volume criteria.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein a plurality of instances of the remote services module are employed to interface with groups of airport cells based on geographic criteria.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (112)