High-Flying Aircraft Relays Satellite Internet to Ground Users
This patent describes a communication system that uses satellites, high-altitude aircraft, and ground stations to send data, specifically using lasers for space links and cloud-penetrating radio waves for ground links.
Original patent title: “Adaptive communication system”
This patent describes a communication system that uses satellites, high-altitude aircraft, and ground stations to send data, specifically using lasers for space links and cloud-penetrating radio waves for ground links. Granted to Space Systems Loral in 2020 with 23 claims and 12 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The system connects ground users to satellites using a special relay aircraft. This aircraft flies above the clouds and has two main parts: a laser communications module and a Radio Frequency (RF) communications module. When data comes from a satellite via laser, the aircraft's laser module receives it, and its RF module converts that data into cloud-penetrating RF signals to send to ground terminals (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). Conversely, data from ground terminals arrives as RF, gets converted by the aircraft into laser signals, and is then sent up to the satellite (Claim 1). Ground terminals can even pick the fastest path, either directly to the satellite with lasers or through the aircraft and then the satellite (Claim 1). For example, if a ground terminal needs to send data to another ground terminal, it could send an RF signal to the aircraft, which converts it to laser for the satellite, and the satellite then relays it to the destination.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Communication systems where satellites use traditional RF communication for all links, as the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → emphasize laser communication for satellite links (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, 6).
- Relay systems where the aircraft operates below cloud level, as it's specified to fly "at altitudes above clouds" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Systems where the ground terminal cannot select between a direct laser path to the satellite and a relayed path through the aircraft (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Systems where the relay aircraft does not convert between laser and RF signals, but simply repeats one type of signal (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Systems where the satellite demodulates the received laser communication before relaying it (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in combining laser satellite links with cloud-penetrating RF ground links via a high-altitude aircraft, allowing ground terminals to dynamically choose the optimal communication path based on speed, effectively bypassing weather-related optical interference.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Satellite internet services (e.g., Starlink, Project Kuiper) when paired with high-altitude platforms
High-altitude platform stations (HAPS) for telecommunications
Disaster relief communication networks
Military or government secure communication links
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses challenges in satellite communication, especially for areas with frequent cloud cover that can block laser signals to the ground. By introducing a high-altitude aircraft as an intermediary, it creates a flexible and robust network. This approach could improve internet access in remote regions or provide resilient communication during emergencies.
Filed
September 20, 2017
Granted
July 7, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Airbus (with its Zephyr HAPS) and various defense contractors explore high-altitude platforms for communication. Major satellite internet providers like SpaceX (Starlink) and Amazon (Project Kuiper) are building extensive LEO constellations, and while they primarily use RF, the concept of hybrid relays is relevant for extending reach and resilience.
Market impact
This patent supports the development of more resilient and high-bandwidth communication networks, especially for areas lacking traditional infrastructure or where direct satellite-to-ground laser links are unreliable due to weather. It enables a more flexible architecture for internet service providers and defense applications, potentially lowering latency and increasing availability in challenging environments.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The system connects ground users to satellites using a special relay aircraft. This aircraft flies above the clouds and has two main parts: a laser communications module and a Radio Frequency (RF) communications module. When data comes from a satellite via laser, the aircraft's laser module receives it, and its RF module converts that data into cloud-penetrating RF signals to send to ground terminals (Claim 1). Conversely, data from ground terminals arrives as RF, gets converted by the aircraft into laser signals, and is then sent up to the satellite (Claim 1). Ground terminals can even pick the fastest path, either directly to the satellite with lasers or through the aircraft and then the satellite (Claim 1). For example, if a ground terminal needs to send data to another ground terminal, it could send an RF signal to the aircraft, which converts it to laser for the satellite, and the satellite then relays it to the destination.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in combining laser satellite links with cloud-penetrating RF ground links via a high-altitude aircraft, allowing ground terminals to dynamically choose the optimal communication path based on speed, effectively bypassing weather-related optical interference.
What it does not cover
- Communication systems where satellites use traditional RF communication for all links, as the claims emphasize laser communication for satellite links (Claim 1, 6).
- Relay systems where the aircraft operates below cloud level, as it's specified to fly "at altitudes above clouds" (Claim 1).
- Systems where the ground terminal cannot select between a direct laser path to the satellite and a relayed path through the aircraft (Claim 1).
- Systems where the relay aircraft does not convert between laser and RF signals, but simply repeats one type of signal (Claim 1).
- Systems where the satellite demodulates the received laser communication before relaying it (Claim 1).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
22/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$109K – $349K
Midpoint $218K · 11.1 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Turner, A. E., & Burr, D. (2020). High-Flying Aircraft Relays Satellite Internet to Ground Users (U.S. Patent No. 10,707,961). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10707961/adaptive-communication-system
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does High-Flying Aircraft Relays Satellite Internet to Ground Users cover?
This patent describes a communication system that uses satellites, high-altitude aircraft, and ground stations to send data, specifically using lasers for space links and cloud-penetrating radio waves for ground links.
Who owns patent US 10707961?
Space Systems Loral owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 20, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10707961 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 12 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses challenges in satellite communication, especially for areas with frequent cloud cover that can block laser signals to the ground. By introducing a high-altitude aircraft as an intermediary, it creates a flexible and robust network. This approach could improve internet access in remote regions or provide resilient communication during emergencies.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Communication systems where satellites use traditional RF communication for all links, as the claims emphasize laser communication for satellite links (Claim 1, 6).
Same assignee
More from Space Systems Loral
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