Patent ID: 7505736

Claim:
A method of moving broadband data in a communication link extending across a free-space region between a ground station at an altitude substantially below that of rain clouds and an airborne vehicle at an altitude substantially above that of rain clouds via a satellite in earth orbit or in outer space, comprising the steps of: communicating broadband data between the airborne vehicle and the satellite in a radio wave at frequencies substantially above 17 Ghz; communicating broadband data between to ground station and the satellite in a radio wave at frequencies below 17 Ghz and so low that any rain attenuation is small enough for the communication link to close; converting the radio wave at frequencies substantially above 17 Ghz that communicates broadband data from the airborne vehicle to the satellite into to radio wave at frequencies below 17 Ghz and so low that any rain attenuation is small enough for the communication link to close that communicates broadband data from the satellite to the ground station; and converting the radio wave at frequencies below 17 Ghz and so low that any rain attenuation is small enough for the communication link to close that communicates broadband data from the ground station to the satellite into the radio wave at frequencies substantially above 17 Ghz that communicates broadband data from the satellite to the airborne vehicle.