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GoogleGranted patentNetworks & wirelessInterest 6/10

Google patents high-altitude drones that steer signals using smart surfaces

This patent describes a system where a high-altitude platform station (HAPS), such as a drone or balloon, communicates with your phone by bouncing signals off an adaptive phase-changing device (APD) on the ground. The HAPS sends specific instructions to the APD to adjust its surface, effectively steering the wireless signal to ensure a stable connection.

Why it mattersThis technology could help extend reliable internet coverage to remote areas or during disasters by using high-altitude platforms to relay signals more efficiently.

In the filing’s own words

In aspects, a high altitude platform station, HAPS, communicating with a user equipment, UE, using an adaptive phase-changing device, APD. The HAPS receives characteristics of the APD and selects the APD for inclusion in a wireless communication path with the UE based at least in part on the characteristics. The HAPS transmits a resource grant to the APD that includes an indication of air interface resources for an APD-Physical Downlink Control Channel, APD-PDCCH, between the HAPS and the APD, transmits, to the APD, an indication of phase vectors and timing information for a surface of the APD using the APD-PDCCH, and communicates with the UE using wireless transmissions that travel along the wireless communication path that includes the surface of the APD.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method performed by a high altitude platform station (HAPS) for communicating with a user equipment (UE), using an adaptive phase-changing device (APD), the method comprising: receiving characteristics of the APD; wherein the characteristics include one or more of: a minimum time for setting a new Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS), configuration of the APD; an incident angular range of the APD; a reflective angular range of the APD; an ability to subdivide a RIS panel; or how much the RIS panel can be subdivided; selecting the APD for inclusion in a wireless communication path with the UE based at least in part on the characteristics of the APD; transmitting a resource grant to the APD, the resource grant including an indication of air interface resources for an APD-Physical Downlink Control Channel (APD-PDCCH) between the HAPS and the APD; transmitting, to the APD, an indication of phase vectors and timing information for a surface of the APD using the APD-PDCCH; and communicating with the UE using wireless transmissions that travel along the wireless communication path that includes the surface of the APD.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
Adaptive phase-changing devices for non-terrestrial networks
Patent number
US12756453B2
Application number
18572599
Filed
Jul 26, 2022
Granted
Oct 6, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

H04B 7/18504 Electricity & electronicsH04B 7/18515 Electricity & electronicsH04L 5/0048 Electricity & electronicsH04W 72/1273 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.