US 12,273,783 B2
Neighbor list and beam management for ATG systems
Heinz A. Miranda, Cary, IL (US); Michael H. Baker, Elmhurst, IL (US); James P. Michels, Lake Zurich, IL (US); and Yong Liu, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to GOGO BUSINESS AVIATION LLC, Broomfield, CO (US)
Filed by GOGO BUSINESS AVIATION LLC, Broomfield, CO (US)
Filed on May 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/741,918.
Prior Publication US 2023/0370935 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. H04W 36/32 (2009.01); H04W 36/00 (2009.01); H04W 36/30 (2009.01); H04W 84/06 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 36/32 (2013.01) [H04W 36/00835 (2018.08); H04W 36/305 (2018.08); H04W 84/06 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method performed via one or more processors of a user equipment unit (UE) aboard an aircraft in-flight, the method comprising:
obtaining a location of the UE;
obtaining, from a sitemap stored at a memory of the UE, respective locations, cell orientations and cell identifiers of a plurality of network cells in a ground-based communication network, each of the network cells respectively being implemented by a corresponding one of a plurality of terrestrial base stations each having a corresponding base station antenna;
generating a filtered list of candidate cells for establishing an air-to-ground (ATG) communication link with an antenna of the aircraft, the list of candidate cells being selected from among the plurality of network cells based at least upon the UE location and the respective locations and cell orientations of the plurality of network cells;
determining a value of a link loss metric for each respective candidate cell in the list of candidate cells, a link loss metric value indicative of a likelihood of the aircraft antenna at the UE location successfully forming an ATG communication link to the respective candidate cell, the link loss metric being based on at least one of (1) an antenna gain metric of the respective candidate cell in a direction of the aircraft antenna, the antenna gain metric being indicated by an antenna gain pattern table based upon the direction of the aircraft antenna, or (2) a gain metric of the aircraft antenna in a direction of the respective candidate cell, the gain metric of the aircraft antenna being indicated by the antenna gain pattern table based upon the direction of the respective candidate cell;
selecting a first candidate cell from among the list of candidate cells, based upon determining that the first candidate cell has at least one of (1) a highest likelihood from among the list of candidate cells of successfully establishing the ATG communication link with the aircraft antenna, or (2) at least a predetermined threshold likelihood of successfully establishing the ATG communication link; and
causing the aircraft antenna to attempt to establish the ATG communication link with the first candidate cell.