4. High-altitude platform stations
WEF Emerging Technology 2024
Using aircraft, blimps and balloons, these systems can extend mobile network access to remote regions, helping bridge the digital divide for over 2.6 billion people worldwide.
Competitive Environment in high-altitude platform stations
Companies and universities with conceptually close patents to the technology definition
Countries in technology
(number of active patents in technology in 2024 country by inventor address)
Development of patent publications
(publications per year)
EconSight comment and short analysis
High Altitude Platforms is an alternative approach to satellite technology in supplying modern communication to larger areas of the world, particular non-urban areas. Many solutions can be found, from balloons, to drones, zeppelins or other self-steered lower orbit flight systems. The technology has been explored already several years, and players such as Google/X Dev have already left the area unsuccessfully. Others such as Softbank have taken over some of the Google patents, combining them to smaller players portfolios, such as Hapsmobile and Loon and creating a remarkable patent impact. While Softbank focusses not only on the HAPS itself but also to the ground communication, we can see major aviation players, mainly from Europe such as Airbus and Thales already positioning themselves quite successfully with new flying platform solutions. Beside these device manufacturers, we can also see larger communication players such as Nokia, Ericsson or Huawei targeting the technology more seriously. In addition to these major players, there is also an active field of smaller players who are ‘flying’ the general wave of new space communication technology quite successfully, even in a ‘lower orbit’.
Background
- Textual concepts are generated for each WEF technology.
- The concepts are applied to our full-text AI-RAG (retrieval augmented generation system) which is optimised for highest precision patent analysis to identify the semantically close patents for each technology.
- A competitive environment with the most relevant companies and research institutions is developed where the relevance is calculated as the similarity of their patents compared to the technology concept. The closer to the technology core, the higher the similarity. Large corporates, small specialists and research institutions are shown separately.
This invention relates to a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) system that utilizes unmanned aircraft to provide mobile network coverage in remote and underserved regions. The system includes a fleet of solar-powered aircraft that operate at stratospheric altitudes, each equipped with advanced communication equipment to relay signals between terrestrial mobile networks and remote users. The HAPS system is designed to extend coverage over vast areas, enabling access to mobile networks for communities that are traditionally out of reach. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce the digital divide by providing reliable and cost-effective connectivity.
The present invention describes a balloon-based high-altitude platform station (HAPS) designed to deliver mobile network access to remote and isolated regions. The system utilizes helium-filled balloons equipped with long-range communication transceivers that float at altitudes of around 20 kilometers. These balloons are strategically deployed to create a network of airborne stations that relay signals between ground-based infrastructure and end-users. The system is capable of maintaining continuous coverage even in challenging environments and can be rapidly deployed in response to emergencies or natural disasters, making it a versatile solution for bridging the digital divide.
This invention presents a hybrid high-altitude platform station (HAPS) network that combines the use of aircraft, blimps, and balloons to deliver mobile network access to remote and underserved areas. The system coordinates multiple types of high-altitude platforms to optimize coverage and signal strength based on geographic and atmospheric conditions. By integrating different platforms, the system can adapt to varying demands and provide resilient, high-capacity mobile networks across vast and diverse regions. This hybrid approach enables scalable and flexible deployment, making it an effective solution for extending global connectivity.
The invention describes a solar-powered blimp designed to serve as a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) for providing mobile network access to remote regions. The blimp is equipped with solar panels that power the onboard communication systems and propulsion units, enabling it to stay aloft for extended periods. The blimp operates in the stratosphere, where it can provide wide-area coverage by relaying signals between ground-based stations and users in remote locations. The design allows for continuous operation with minimal maintenance, offering a sustainable and cost-effective solution for extending mobile network access to underserved areas.
This patent describes an autonomous high-altitude platform station (HAPS) system designed for rapid deployment in disaster relief scenarios to restore mobile network access. The system consists of a fleet of unmanned aircraft that can be quickly deployed to disaster-affected regions, where they establish temporary mobile networks at stratospheric altitudes. Each aircraft is equipped with advanced communication technology capable of providing voice, data, and emergency services to isolated communities. The autonomous operation and quick deployment capabilities of the HAPS make it an ideal solution for restoring connectivity in areas where traditional infrastructure has been compromised.
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