Abstract:
A cellular communication network utilizes cellular communication receivers and cellular communication transmitters in a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles that are deployed or flown in a point to point line or mesh like environment enabling a ground to air, air to air and air to ground cellular datalink communications network.

Description:
FIELD 
     This disclosure pertains to a cellular communication network that utilizes cellular communication receivers and cellular communication transmitters in unmanned aerial vehicles. More particularly, this disclosure pertains to a cellular communication network that utilizes cellular communication receivers and cellular communication transmitters in a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles that are deployed or flown in a point to point line or mesh like environment establishing a ground to air, air to air and air to ground cellular datalink communications network. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Communication systems that communicate over the horizon and are not line of sight communication systems typically employ one or more satellites. In a typical satellite communication system a first ground antenna transmits communication signals to a satellite in a geostationary orbit over the earth. The satellite then relays the communication signals to a second ground antenna. Communication systems such as this are employed for transmitting commercial communication signals and military communication signals. Satellite communication systems such as this are expensive to produce and implement. The communication system components are expensive, large and heavy. Furthermore, satellite communication systems used for military communications have the vulnerability that, should the satellite be disabled, the link between the ground antennas is broken. 
     SUMMARY 
     The cellular communication network of this disclosure provides an over the horizon communication network that does not employ a satellite link and is not vulnerable to a break in the communication system due to a satellite being disabled. 
     The cellular communication network employs a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones. Each of the unmanned aerial vehicles is equipped with a cellular communication signal receiver and a cellular communication signal transmitter. 
     The cellular communication network also employs at least one control base that controls at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicles. The control base has a control transmitter that transmits control signals to a first one of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles for controlling a flight of the first unmanned aerial vehicle. Because the control signals are transmitted directly to the first unmanned aerial vehicle, the control signals are transmitted as line of sight signals. The control transmitter transmits the control signals a set distance from the control base. Thus, the control base is only capable of controlling the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle within the set distance from the control base. 
     Additionally, the unmanned aerial vehicles or drones of the cellular communication network can function as a cellular or mobile network mesh where the unmanned aerial vehicles communicate and relay information without control, such as in a mobile ad hoc network. Essentially, all of the unmanned aerial vehicles can be controlled through one master unmanned aerial vehicle or node, with mesh networking of the cellular communication. This essentially makes all of the nodes function as relay nodes that transmit and forward data between the nodes so that the data is received at a desired destination node. 
     Other unmanned aerial vehicles of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles in the communication network have flight control systems that are pre-programmed with control signals. The pre-programmed control signals autonomously control flight of the other unmanned aerial vehicles beyond the set distance from the control base. 
     The cellular communication network also includes a cellular communication base. The cellular communication base has a cellular communication receiver that receives cellular communication signals and a cellular communication transmitter that transmits cellular communication signals. The cellular communication base can be mobile, for example a handheld cellular phone, a cellular communication base provided on an aircraft or a cellular communication base provided on a ship. Additionally, the cellular communication base could be stationary, for example a cell site or cell tower. 
     In use of the cellular communication network, the control base controls a flight of a first of the unmanned aerial vehicles where the flight of the first unmanned aerial vehicle is within the set distance from the control base. The other unmanned aerial vehicles of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles have controlled flights beyond the set distance of the control base. The controlled flights of the other unmanned aerial vehicles are controlled by the flight control systems of the unmanned aerial vehicles. The flight control systems with their pre-programmed control signals autonomously control the flights of the other unmanned aerial vehicles beyond the set distance from the control base. The flights of the other unmanned aerial vehicles can be arranged as points along a line of cellular communication with each of the points being within a line of sight or line of cellular communication with adjacent unmanned aerial vehicles. Additionally, the flights of the other unmanned aerial vehicles could be arranged in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional array of points where each of the points is within a line of sight or line of cellular communication between adjacent unmanned aerial vehicles. 
     Cellular communication signals are transmitted from the cellular communication base to the cellular communication receiver of the first unmanned aerial vehicle. The cellular communication signals are then relayed from the cellular communication signal transmitter of the first unmanned aerial vehicle to one of the other unmanned aerial vehicles in the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles of the network. From the subsequent unmanned aerial vehicle, the cellular communication signals are relayed to a further unmanned aerial vehicle of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles. In this manner, the cellular communication signals are relayed through the cellular communication network to the desired recipient of the cellular communication signals, for example a handheld cellular telephone, a cellular communication base on an aircraft, a cellular communication base on a ship, or a stationary cellular communication base such as a cell site or cell tower. 
     The cellular communication network is thus not dependent on a communications satellite. The network leverages existing cellular infrastructure as well as cellular technology for one-to-one communication between unmanned aerial vehicles to extend a communication link and the transmission of critical data from a source to wherever it is needed. 
     The features, functions, and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various embodiments or may be combined in yet other embodiments further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a representation of an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone that is employed as a link in the cellular communication network of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a representation of the cellular communication network. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The cellular communication network employs a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs such as that represented in  FIG. 1 . The UAV  10  has a conventional construction with a fuselage  12  having about a four foot length and wings  14  having about a ten foot wingspan. A propeller propulsion unit  16  is provided at the rearward end of the fuselage  12 . A sensor turret  18  is provided at the forward end of the fuselage  12 . The sensor turret  18  is conventional and could contain an optic sensor that senses images of objects the UAV  10  flies over. The sensor turret  18  could also include a data transmission sensor that senses foreign communication data transmissions in the area of the UAV  10  flight. The fuselage  12  of the UAV  10  also contains the avionics or flight control system  22  that controls the flight of the UAV  10 . The flight control system  22  includes a control signal receiver that receives control signals transmitted by a control base transmitter. The flight control system  22  controls the flight of the UAV  10  based on the control signals received. 
     The UAV  10  represented in  FIG. 1  differs from conventional UAV&#39;s in that it also has a cellular communication signal receiver  26  in the UAV fuselage  12 . The cellular communication signal receiver  26  receives conventional cellular communication signals. The UAV  10  also differs from conventional UAV&#39;s in that it also has a cellular communication signal transmitter  28  in the UAV fuselage  12 . The cellular communication signal transmitter  28  transmits conventional cellular communication signals. 
     The UAV  10  represented in  FIG. 1  is a first unmanned aerial vehicle  10  of a plurality of like unmanned aerial vehicles that make up the cellular communication network. Each of the plurality of UAVs of the cellular communication network are basically the same. The cellular communication network  32  is represented in  FIG. 2 . As represented in  FIG. 2 , the cellular communication network  32  includes the first UAV  10 , a second UAV  34 , a third UAV  36 , etc. The cellular communication network  32  can be made up of as many UAVs as needed for the intended geographic scope of the network. 
     In addition to the plurality of UAVs, the cellular communication network also employs at least one control base  38 . The control base  38  is a conventional control base that controls at least one of the UAVs of the cellular communication network. The control base  38  is represented schematically in  FIG. 2  and includes a control transmitter  42  that transmits control signals to an UAV, for example the first UAV  10  of  FIG. 1 . The control signals control the flight of the first UAV  10 . The control base  38  is an earth bound base and therefore cannot transmit control signals over the horizon. Therefore, the control base transmitter  42  transmits the control signals a set distance from the control base  38 . Thus, the control base  38  is only capable of controlling the flight of the first UAV  10  within the set distance from the control base  38 . 
     Additionally, the unmanned aerial vehicles or drones of the cellular communication network can function as a cellular or mobile network mesh where the unmanned aerial vehicles communicate and relay information without control, such as in a mobile ad hoc network. Essentially, all of the unmanned aerial vehicles can be controlled through one master unmanned aerial vehicle or node, with mesh networking of the cellular communication. This essentially makes all of the nodes function as relay nodes that transmit and forward data between the nodes so that the data is received at a desired destination node. 
     Unmanned aerial vehicles in the cellular communication network that are not controlled by the control base  38 , for example the second UAV  34  and the third UAV  36  have flight control systems that are pre-programmed with control signals. The pre-programmed control signals autonomously control flight of the UAVs  34 ,  36  beyond the set distance from the control base  38 . 
     The cellular communication network  32  also includes a cellular communication base  52 . The cellular communication base  52  is represented schematically in  FIG. 2 . The cellular communication base  52  has a conventional cellular communication receiver  54  that receives cellular communication signals. The cellular communication base  52  also has a conventional cellular communication transmitter  56  that transmits cellular communication signals. The cellular communication base  52  could be mobile, for example a handheld cellular phone. The cellular communication base  52  could also be provided on an aircraft, on a ship, or some other equivalent type of mobile platform. Additionally, the cellular communication base  52  could be stationary, for example a cell site or cell tower. 
     In the use of the cellular communication network  32  represented in  FIG. 2 , the control base  38  is operated by a user to transmit control signals  72  to the first UAV  10 . The control signals  72  control a flight of the first UAV  10  to and in a desired geographic area or cell  74 . As explained earlier, the flight area or cell  74  of the first UAV  10  is within the set distance from the control base  38 . The UAVs, for example the second UAV  34  and the third UAV  36  are also operated by users to initiate their flights. The second UAV  34  and the third UAV  36  are flown to respective second  76  and third  78  geographic areas or cells that are both beyond the set distance of the control base  38 . The flights to and in the second  76  and third  78  cell areas by the respective second  34  and third  36  UAVs are controlled by their flight control systems. As explained earlier, the flight controlled systems of the second  34  and third  36  UAVs are preprogrammed with control signals. The preprogrammed control signals autonomously control the flights of the second  34  and third  36  UAVs beyond the set distance from the control base  38  to and within their respective cell areas  76 ,  78 . As represented in  FIG. 2 , the flight cells of the first UAV  10 , the second UAV  34  and the third UAV  36 , as well as any other additional UAV&#39;s can be arranged as points along a line of cellular communication with each of the points being within a line of sight or line of cellular communication with adjacent UAV. Additionally, the flights of the second UAV  34 , third UAV  36  and any other additional UAVs can be arranged in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional array of points where each of the points is within a line of sight or line of cellular communication between adjacent UAVs in the network. 
     Cellular communication signals  82  are transmitted from the cellular communication base transmitter  56  to the cellular communication receiver  26  of the first UAV  10  as represented in  FIG. 2 . The cellular communication signals received by the cellular communication signal receiver  26  of the first UAV  10  are then relayed and sent as cellular communication signals  84  from the cellular communication signal transmitter  28  of the first UAV  10  to the cellular communication signal receiver of the second UAV  34 . From the second UAV  34 , a cellular communication signal  86  is relayed and sent to the cellular communication signal receiver of the third UAV  36 . From the third UAV  36  a cellular communication signal  88  can be relayed further on to another UAV  92  of the plurality of UAVs in the cellular communication network. Furthermore, any of the cellular communication signals  84 ,  86 ,  88  could be sent to a cell site or cell tower cellular communication signal receiver and transmitter as a further link in the communication network. 
     As discussed earlier, each of the UAVs in the plurality of UAVs in the cellular communication network could be equipped with a sensor turret  18 .  FIG. 2  represents a sensor turret of the second UAV  34  sensing vehicles  94  on the ground. This sensed information can be communicated through cellular communication signals from the second UAV  34  to the first UAV  10  and further communicated from the first UAV  10  to an aircraft  96 , for example an airborne warning and control system (AWAC) aircraft. This information can be further communicated to a satellite  98  which could then relay the information on to attack aircraft  102  providing the aircraft with information on the vehicles  94  located by the second UAV  34 . 
     Although the cellular communication network  32  has been described herein as transmitting cellular communications signals, in military applications the network could transmit encoded communications signals. For example, the communication signals could be transmitted as encoded by the joint range extension application protocol (JREAP) which enables tactical data to be transmitted over digital media and networks not originally designed for tactical data exchange. 
     Embodiments include unmanned aerial vehicle communications over cellular, including air-to-air, air-to-ground, and ground-to-air. These communications can leverage existing cellular infrastructure as well as cellular technology for one to one communication between UAVs to extend communication link and critical data from source to wherever it&#39;s needed. Unlike conventional Mission Communications systems, which are expensive, heavy and large, embodiments extend a tactical data exchange network (e.g., Link 16 capability) through a low cost solution and provide an alternative to existing control methods, which if down, do not provide a means for cellular guided “smart” GPS. Further, conventional systems to not provide a way of communicating Link 16 military datalinks over small UAVs such as the ScanEagle. 
     As various modifications could be made in the construction of the cellular communication network and its method of operation herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.