公开(公告)号：US09973261B1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-15

申请号：US15392629

申请日：2016-12-28

Applicant: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.

Inventor： Chris Hardy ,  Paul Bellotti

IPC: H04Q7/20 ,  H04B7/185 ,  H04W4/06 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G05D1/10 ,  G01S5/04 ,  H04N7/18 ,  G06K9/00 ,  H04W84/00

CPC classification number: H04B7/18504 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/024 ,  B64C2201/122 ,  G01S5/04 ,  G05D1/104 ,  G06K9/0063 ,  H04B7/18523 ,  H04N7/181 ,  H04N7/188 ,  H04W4/06 ,  H04W84/005

Abstract: Drone-based wireless communications systems are provided, as are methods carried-out by such wireless communications systems. In one embodiment, the wireless communications system includes a Satellite Signal Transformation (SST) unit and a plurality of aerial network drones, which can be deployed over a designated geographical area to form a multi-drone network thereover. During operation, the SST unit transmits a network source signal, which contains content extracted from a satellite signal. The multi-drone network receives the network source signal, disseminates drone relay signals containing the content through the multi-drone network, and broadcastings user device signals containing the content over the designated geographical area. In embodiments, the multi-drone network may broadcast multiple different types of user device signals for reception by various different types of user devices located within the designated geographical area, such as an area containing communication infrastructure disabled by a natural disaster, a hostile attack, or other catastrophic event.