Virtual private network for cellular communications

• US 20020013150A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogo LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aircell LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: McKenna, Daniel B., Kemppainen, Tommy Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 6,885,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/430
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

The virtual private network for cellular communications implements a secure local area voice and data network for use by members of an organization, such as a corporate customer. The virtual private network is implemented in the existing non-terrestrial cellular communications network in the form of software and routing tables that isolate the calls in the virtual private network from the existing cellular communications network infrastructure. This isolation can be effected, for example, by assigning fictitious station identifiers, such as telephone numbers, to the cellular subscriber stations served by the virtual private network. These fictitious numbers are identified by the gateway cellular switch that serves a customer'"'"'s facility as subscribers served by the virtual private network.

Claims

1. A virtual private network for providing cellular radio communication with mobile subscriber stations located in aircraft in flight, where said mobile subscriber stations engage in calls via said virtual private network, comprising:

customer facility means for providing telecommunication services to a plurality of subscriber stations connected to said customer facility means;

a plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations for enabling a subscriber who is equipped with a one of said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations to access said telecommunications services provided by said customer facility means;

gateway cellular switch means for communicating with said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations;

dedicated link means for interconnecting said customer facility means and said gateway cellular switch means to enable communications there between; and

virtual network control means for establishing secure communication connections between said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations and said customer facility means.

2. The virtual private network of claim 1 wherein said customer facility means comprises:

local communication network means for establishing communication connections between selected ones of said plurality of subscriber stations and said dedicated link means.

3. The virtual private network of claim 1 wherein said gateway cellular switch means comprises:

location register means for maintaining location data relating to at least one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

4. The virtual private network of claim 3 wherein said gateway cellular switch means further comprises:

means, responsive to an incoming call connection received from said customer facility means via said dedicated link means and identifying a selected one of said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, for retrieving location data relating to said selected private virtual network cellular subscriber station from said location register means; and

means for extending said incoming call connection to a visited cell site serving said selected private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

5. The virtual private network of claim 1 wherein said virtual network control means comprises:

subscriber station identification means for maintaining a plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

6. The virtual private network of claim 1 wherein said virtual network control means comprises:

fictitious number means for maintaining a plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, said data including an invalid numbering plan area and a unique station identification number.

7. The virtual private network of claim 6 wherein said virtual network control means further comprises:

virtual private network membership means for maintaining data that indicates a correspondence between s aid plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, and a corresponding customer facility means with which said private virtual network cellular subscriber station is authorized to communicate.

10. The method of operating a virtual private network of claim 1 wherein said step of operating a gateway cellular switch comprises:

maintaining location data relating to at least one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

11. The method of operating a virtual private network of claim 3 wherein said step of operating a gateway cellular switch further comprises:

retrieving, in response to an incoming call connection received from said customer facility via said dedicated links and identifying a selected one of said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, location data relating to said selected private virtual network cellular subscriber station from said location register; and

extending said incoming call connection to a visited cell site serving said selected private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

12. The method of operating a virtual private network of claim 1 wherein said step of establishing secure communication connections comprises:

maintaining a plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

13. The method of operating a virtual private network of claim 1 wherein said step of establishing secure communication connections comprises:

maintaining a plurality of fictitious number data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, said data including an invalid numbering plan area and a unique station identification number.

14. The method of operating a virtual private network of claim 6 wherein said step of establishing secure communication connections further comprises:

maintaining data that indicates a correspondence between said plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, and a corresponding customer facility with which said private virtual network cellular subscriber station is authorized to communicate.

8. A method of operating a virtual private network for providing cellular radio communication with a plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations located in aircraft in flight, where said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations engage in calls via said virtual private network, comprising:

providing telecommunication services to a plurality of subscriber stations connected to a customer facility;

operating a gateway cellular switch for communicating with said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations;

interconnecting said customer facility and said gateway cellular switch via dedicated links to enable communications there between; and

establishing secure communication connections between said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations and said customer facility.

9. The method of operating a virtual private network of claim 8 wherein said step of providing telecommunication services comprises:

establishing communication connections between selected ones of said plurality of subscriber stations and said dedicated links.

15. A virtual private network for providing cellular radio communication with mobile subscriber stations located in aircraft in flight, where said mobile subscriber stations engage in calls via said virtual private network, comprising:

means for providing telecommunication services to a plurality of subscriber stations connected to said customer facility means;

a plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations for enabling a subscriber who is equipped with a one of said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations to access said telecommunications services provided by said customer facility means;

means for communicating with said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations;

dedicated link means for interconnecting said customer facility means and said gateway cellular switch means to enable communications there between; and

means for establishing secure communication connections between said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations and said customer facility means.

16. The virtual private network of claim 15 wherein said means for providing telecommunication services comprises:

means for establishing communication connections between selected ones of said plurality of subscriber stations and said dedicated link means.

17. The virtual private network of claim 15 wherein said means for communicating comprises:

means for maintaining location data relating to at least one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

18. The virtual private network of claim 17 wherein said means for communicating further comprises:

means, responsive to an incoming call connection received from said customer facility means via said dedicated link means and identifying a selected one of said private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, for retrieving location data relating to said selected private virtual network cellular subscriber station from said location register means; and

means for extending said incoming call connection to a visited cell site serving said selected private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

19. The virtual private network of claim 15 wherein said means for establishing secure communication connections comprises:

means for maintaining a plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations.

20. The virtual private network of claim 15 wherein said means for establishing secure communication connections comprises:

means for maintaining a plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, said data including an invalid numbering plan area and a unique station identification number.

21. The virtual private network of claim 20 wherein said means for establishing secure communication connections further comprises:

means for maintaining data that indicates a correspondence between said plurality of data, each representative of a unique identification of a corresponding one of said plurality of private virtual network cellular subscriber stations, and a corresponding customer facility means with which said private virtual network cellular subscriber station is authorized to communicate.