Granted Patent B2

US 12,537,571 · App. 18/846,431 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Inventors: Wataru Takabatake (Tokyo, JP); Yohei Shibata (Tokyo, JP); Kenji Hoshino (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: SoftBank Corp.

H04B7/0608H04B7/082H04W16/28H04W64/00

Abstract

Claims (75)

1 . A communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type having a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communications of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the communication relay apparatus comprising:

position estimation means for estimating positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

parameter optimization means for dividing the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizing plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses; and

parameter application means for applying, to the antenna for service link, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas,

wherein the parameter optimization means divides the service area into the plural subareas so that an interdependence between the subareas is reduced and

wherein the parameter optimization means optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

2 . The communication relay apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the parameter optimization means:

sets plural groups respectively configured with plural subarea candidates by rotating the entire plural beams forming the plural cells by a predetermined angle;

calculates, for each of the plural groups, an index value of interdependence between the subarea candidates; and

determines, as the plural subareas for optimizing the antenna parameters, plural subarea candidates of the group in which total values of the index values of interdependence between the subarea candidates among the plural groups is minimized.

3 . The communication relay apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the parameter optimization means repeatedly performs the parameter optimization for each subarea plural times (T times).

4 . The communication relay apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the communication relay apparatus performs the position estimation of the plural terminal apparatuses, the optimization of the antenna parameters and the application of the optimal values of the antenna parameters to the antenna for service link, periodically or when an amount of change in distribution of the terminal apparatuses in the service area becomes larger than a predetermined amount of change.

5 . A communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type having a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communication of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the communication relay apparatus comprising:

position estimation means for estimating positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

parameter optimization means for dividing the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizing plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses; and

parameter application means for applying, to the antenna for service link, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas, and

wherein, when performing the optimization of the antenna parameters with any one of the plural subareas as a main target subarea, the parameter optimization means optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

6 . The communication relay apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein, with respect to the other subareas other than the main target subarea, the parameter optimization means determines the granularity when optimizing the antenna parameters, depending on a degree of contribution to an objective function for the entire service area.

7 . The communication relay apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the objective function is a communication quality of the entire service area, and

wherein the degree of contribution to the objective function is a ratio of a number of terminal apparatuses in the other subareas to a number of terminal apparatuses in the entire service area.

8 . The communication relay apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the parameter optimization means repeatedly performs the parameter optimization for each subarea plural times (T times).

9 . The communication relay apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the communication relay apparatus performs the position estimation of the plural terminal apparatuses, the optimization of the antenna parameters and the application of the optimal values of the antenna parameters to the antenna for service link, periodically or when an amount of change in distribution of the terminal apparatuses in the service area becomes larger than a predetermined amount of change.

10 . A remote control apparatus capable of communicating with a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type that has a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communications of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the remote control apparatus comprising:

position estimation means for estimating positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

parameter optimization means for dividing the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizing plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses; and

parameter transmission means for transmitting, to the communication relay apparatus, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) of subareas,

wherein the parameter optimization means divides the service area into the plural subareas so that an interdependence between the subareas is reduced and

wherein the parameter optimization means optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

11 . A system, comprising the remote control apparatus according to claim 10 and the communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type.

12 . A remote control apparatus capable of communicating with a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type that has a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communications of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the remote control apparatus comprising:

position estimation means for estimating positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

parameter optimization means for dividing the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizing plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses; and

parameter transmission means for transmitting, to the communication relay apparatus, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas, and

wherein the parameter optimization means optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

13 . A system, comprising the remote control apparatus according to claim 12 and the communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type.

14 . An area control method for a service area configured with plural (N) of cells formed from a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type toward a ground, the area control method comprising:

estimating positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

dividing the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizing plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of an antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses;

applying, to the antenna for service link, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas;

dividing the service area into the plural subareas so that an interdependence between the subareas is reduced; and

optimizing the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

15 . An area control method for a service area configured with plural (N) cells formed from a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type toward a ground, comprising:

estimating positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

dividing the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizing plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of an antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses;

applying, to the antenna for service link, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas; and

optimizing the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software that is executed by a computer or processor provided in a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type that has a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communications of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the software comprising:

executable code that estimates positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

executable code that divides the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizes plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses;

executable code that applies, to the antenna for service link, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas;

executable code that divides the service area into the plural subareas so that an interdependence between the subareas is reduced; and

executable code that optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software that is executed by a computer or processor provided in a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type that has a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communications of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the software comprising:

executable code that estimates positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

executable code that divides the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizes plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses;

executable code that applies, to the antenna for service link, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas; and

executable code that optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software executed by a computer or processor provided in a remote control apparatus capable of communicating with a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type that has a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communications of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the software comprising:

executable code that estimates positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

executable code that divides the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizes plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses;

executable code that transmits, to the communication relay apparatus, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas;

executable code that divides the service area into the plural subareas so that an interdependence between the subareas is reduced; and

executable code that optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software that is executed by a computer or processor provided in a remote control apparatus capable of communicating with a communication relay apparatus of aerial-staying type that has a relay communication station and an antenna for service link for relaying radio communications of terminal apparatuses positioned in plural (N) cells formed toward a service area on a ground, the software comprising:

executable code that estimates positions of plural terminal apparatuses positioned in the service area;

executable code that divides the service area into plural (M) subareas including plural cells, and optimizes plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters of the antenna for service link for each of the subareas, based on an estimation result of the positions of the plural terminal apparatuses;

executable code that transmits, to the communication relay apparatus, optimal values of the plural (L) kinds of antenna parameters after completing the optimization of each subarea for all of the plural (M) subareas; and

executable code that optimizes the antenna parameters for other subareas other than a main target subarea at a coarser granularity than for the main target subarea, when optimizing the antenna parameters for any one of the plural subareas as the main target subarea.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (21)