Communication system and method for an air control center

• US 10,347,137 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CS Systemes D'Information (CS Communication & Systã¨Mes)
• Original Assignee: CS Systemes D'Information (CS Communication & Systã¨Mes)
• Inventors: Berment, Vincent, Thebault, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinle, Courtney D
• Application Number:
  US15/526,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20170337823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4028 the transportation system being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication system for an air control center, comprising a first public communication channel, a second secure communication channel, at least one voice communication device for exchanging voice data on each of the two communication channels, at least one management station comprising a control interface and a display interface and designed to manage the voice data exchanges and to control the branching of the voice data into each of the two communication channels, a first stand-alone processing module and a second stand-alone processing module for generating a display in a secure manner on said display interface.

Claims

1. A communication system for an air control centre comprising:

a first public communication channel,

a second secure communication channel,

at least one voice communication device for exchanging voice data on each of the two communication channels,

at least one management station, comprising a control interface and a display interface, designed to manage the voice data exchanges and control the branching of the voice data into each of the two communication channels,

system characterised by the fact that the management station comprises;

a first stand-alone processing module, belonging to the first public communication channel, designed to (1) receive a control message from the control interface following a physical control from an operator and (2) emit a primary message according to the control message received;

a second stand-alone processing module, belonging to the second secure communication channel, that is designed to (1) receive the primary message from said first stand-alone processing module and (2) generate a display according to the primary message received on the display interface for the attention of the operator; and

means for transferring the primary message from the first stand-alone processing module to the second stand-alone processing module.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the control interface is a touchscreen.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the control interface and the display interface are superimposed.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the means for transferring are unidirectional.

5. The communication system according to claim 4, wherein the means for transferring comprise at least one diode.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second stand-alone processing module is located in a secure zone.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the control interface is connected to the first stand-alone processing module by an optical fibre.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein, the first stand-alone processing module comprises means for processing designed to emit a functional control, according to the control message received, to a device of the first public communication channel.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein, the first stand-alone processing module and the second stand-alone processing module comprise respectively means for generating a public display and a secure display, the second stand-alone processing module comprises a means of synthesis to form a display combining the public display and the secure display.

10. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the secure zone comprises a room protected by a Faraday cage.

11. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first stand-alone processing module emits the primary message via the first public network switch to the second stand-alone processing module.

12. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second stand-alone processing module transmits the generated display via the second secure network switch to the display device.

13. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first stand-along processing module has a first power supply and the second stand-alone processing module has a second power supply different from the first power supply.

14. A method of communication for an air control centre comprising:

generating a control message from a control interface of a management interface to a first stand-alone processing module belonging to a first public network switch that exchanges voice data with a voice communication device, following a physical control from an operator;

emitting a primary message from the first stand-alone processing module, according to the control message received, to a second stand-alone processing module belonging to a second secure network switch that exchanges voice data with the voice communication device and a display device,

generating a display by the second stand-alone processing module according to the primary message received; and

displaying the display on the display interface for the attention of an operator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of emitting the primary message from the first stand-alone processing module comprises emitting the primary message via the first public network switch.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of generating the display comprises transmitting the primary message to the display via the second secure network switch.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting the control message to the first stand-along processing module via the first public network switch.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a management station comprises the display interface and the control interface.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising superimposing the control interface and the display interface.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising disposing the second stand-alone processing module within a secure zone comprising a Faraday cage.