SMARTSKY NETWORKS LLC

A method of obtaining qualitative information regarding network capabilities includes determining network identification information for an access network of a user responsive to receipt of a request from a user device to detect the access network of the user, determining network parameters for the access network, performing one or more additional network tests specific to categories of services or applications to obtain a qualitative assessment of the access network's capabilities relative to different categories of services or applications, and/or providing a graphical display of the qualitative assessment on the user device.

A network for providing air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication in various cells may include an in-flight aircraft including an antenna assembly, a plurality of ATG base stations, a plurality of terrestrial base stations. Each of the ATG base stations defines a corresponding radiation pattern, and the ATG base stations are spaced apart from each other to define at least partially overlapping coverage areas to communicate with the antenna assembly in an ATG communication layer defined between a first altitude and a second altitude. The terrestrial base stations are configured to communicate primarily in a ground communication layer below the first altitude. The terrestrial base stations and the ATG base stations are each configured to communicate using the same radio frequency (RF) spectrum in the ground communication layer and ATG communication layer, respectively.

An air to ground (ATG) communication system testing platform may be configured to operably couple a base station to an aircraft base radio in a lab environment. The testing platform may include a position simulator and a channel simulator. The position simulator may be configured to generate simulated aircraft position information and communicate the simulated aircraft position information to an aircraft base radio and a base band unit of the base station. The channel simulator may operably couple a remote radio head of the base station to the aircraft base radio, and may be configured to emulate channel conditions with respect to transmission of signaling generated by the remote radio head for communication to the aircraft base radio based on the emulated channel conditions.

A method of obtaining qualitative information regarding network capabilities includes determining network identification information for an access network of a user responsive to receipt of a request from a user device to detect the access network of the user, determining network parameters for the access network, performing one or more additional network tests specific to categories of services or applications to obtain a qualitative assessment of the access network's capabilities relative to different categories of services or applications, and/or providing a graphical display of the qualitative assessment on the user device.

A network for providing air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication in various cells may include an in-flight aircraft including an antenna assembly, a plurality of ATG base stations, a plurality of terrestrial base stations. Each of the ATG base stations defines a corresponding radiation pattern, and the ATG base stations are spaced apart from each other to define at least partially overlapping coverage areas to communicate with the antenna assembly in an ATG communication layer defined between a first altitude and a second altitude. The terrestrial base stations are configured to communicate primarily in a ground communication layer below the first altitude. The terrestrial base stations and the ATG base stations are each configured to communicate using the same radio frequency (RF) spectrum in the ground communication layer and ATG communication layer, respectively.

An air to ground (ATG) communication system testing platform may be configured to operably couple a base station to an aircraft base radio in a lab environment. The testing platform may include a position simulator and a channel simulator. The position simulator may be configured to generate simulated aircraft position information and communicate the simulated aircraft position information to an aircraft base radio and a base band unit of the base station. The channel simulator may operably couple a remote radio head of the base station to the aircraft base radio, and may be configured to emulate channel conditions with respect to transmission of signaling generated by the remote radio head for communication to the aircraft base radio based on the emulated channel conditions.

An aviation advisory module may include processing circuitry configured to receive data indicative of internal factors and external factors related to route optimization of an aircraft. At least some of the external factors may include dynamic parameters that are changeable while the aircraft is in-flight. The processing circuitry may also be configured to receive updates to the dynamic parameters via a wireless communication network that includes a high bandwidth return link from the aircraft while the aircraft is in-flight, update trajectory deconfliction of a trajectory of the aircraft and trajectories of one or more other aircraft, and generate a guidance output associated with a route of the aircraft based on integration of the dynamic parameters, the trajectory deconfliction and the internal factors.

An aerospace commerce exchange system may include a network, a plurality of clients operably coupled to the network, and an aerospace commerce exchange platform operably coupled to the network to provide exchange services to the clients. At least one of the clients may be operably coupled to the aerospace commerce exchange platform via an air-to-ground wireless communication link or satellite link (or other links with which an aircraft may be associated) to provide or receive data associated with at least one of the exchange services.

An inter-network communication controller may include processing circuitry. The processing circuitry may be configured to receive location information associated with an in-flight aircraft being tracked and provided with air-to-ground (ATG) wireless communication services by a first ATG network. The first ATG network may employ beamforming directed to the aircraft to provide the communication services. The processing circuitry may also be configured to provide the location information to a second ATG network to enable the second ATG network to utilize the location information for employing beamforming to establish wireless communication with the aircraft. The first ATG network and the second ATG network may each operate over different ranges of radio frequency (RF) spectrum.

A global positioning system (GPS) receiver may include an antenna configured to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites, a radio frequency (RF) front end configured to pre-process signals received by the antenna, a demodulator/converter configured to perform demodulation and analog-to-digital conversion of output signals received from the RF front end, a clock configured to provide a consistent clock signal, and a digital signal processor configured to receive the clock signal and make time and code measurements associated with determining a location of the GPS receiver based on the signals received by the antenna. The GPS receiver may be configured to eliminate reflected or indirect signals from the time and code measurements.