Aircraft data communication system and method
First Claim
1. An aircraft data communications system, comprising:
- a communications device located in an aircraft;
an avionics information storage device located in the aircraft and in communication with the communications device and a cellular infrastructure and;
a computer remotely located from the aircraft and in communication with the cellular infrastructure;
wherein, at least one of the communications device and the computer is used for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and the computer and initiating a data exchange therebetween.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft avionics software and database upload transmission/reception system using a cellular data transmission/reception system. An aircraft data communications system and method including a communications device located in an aircraft; an avionics information storage device located in the aircraft in communication with the communications device; a cellular infrastructure in communication with the communications device; and a computer remotely located from the aircraft in communication with the cellular infrastructure. The communications device and the computer establish a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and the computer and initiate a data exchange therebetween.
58 Citations
104 Claims
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1. An aircraft data communications system, comprising:
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a communications device located in an aircraft;
an avionics information storage device located in the aircraft and in communication with the communications device and a cellular infrastructure and;
a computer remotely located from the aircraft and in communication with the cellular infrastructure;
wherein, at least one of the communications device and the computer is used for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and the computer and initiating a data exchange therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An aircraft data management system, comprising:
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a communications device located in an aircraft and in communication with a cellular infrastructure for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and a remotely located computer; and
an avionics information storage device located in the aircraft and in communication with the communications device, the avionics information storage device including a line replaceable unit;
wherein the communications device is used for receiving avionics information from the remotely located computer and transmitting data associated with the aircraft to the remotely located computer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An aircraft data management system, comprising:
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a communications device located remotely from an aircraft and in communication with a cellular infrastructure for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and the remote aircraft; and
a computer in communication with the communications device;
wherein the communications device is used for transmitting avionics information from the computer to the remote aircraft and receiving data associated with the aircraft from the remote aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An aircraft, comprising:
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a communications device; and
an avionics information storage device in communication with the communications device;
wherein, the communications device is used for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and a computer remotely located from the aircraft and initiating a data exchange therebetween; and
wherein the communications device is used for receiving avionics information from the remotely located computer and transmitting data associated with the aircraft to the remotely located computer. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A network, comprising:
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a cellular infrastructure for bi-directionally communicating information associated with an aircraft between a communications device located on the aircraft and a computer located remotely from the aircraft;
wherein the communications device and the computer are configured for communicating via the cellular infrastructure. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. An aircraft data communications system, comprising:
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means for communicating information located in an aircraft;
means for storing avionics information associated with the aircraft in communication with the means for communicating and in communication with a cellular infrastructure; and
means for processing remotely located from the aircraft in communication with the cellular infrastructure;
wherein, at least one of the means for communicating and the means for processing is used for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the means for communicating and the means for processing and is used for initiating a data exchange therebetween.
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65. An aircraft data management system, comprising:
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means for communicating located in an aircraft for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via a cellular infrastructure between the means for communicating and a remotely located means for processing, wherein the cellular infrastructure is in communication with the means for communicating; and
means for storing avionics information associated with the aircraft in communication with the means for communicating, the means for storing including a line replaceable device.
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66. An aircraft data management system, comprising:
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means for communications located remotely from an aircraft in communication with a cellular infrastructure for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and the remote aircraft; and
means for processing avionics information associated with an aircraft in communication with the communications device.
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67. An aircraft, comprising:
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means for communicating;
means for storing avionics information associated with the aircraft in communication with the means for communicating and in communication with a cellular infrastructure; and
wherein, the means for communicating is used for establishing a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the means for communicating and a means for processing remotely located from the aircraft and is used for initiating a data exchange therebetween.
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68. A method of updating digital files in an aircraft, comprising:
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transmitting a request for a file from an aircraft to a remotely located computer via a cellular infrastructure;
receiving the file transmitted by the remotely located computer via the cellular infrastructure in the form of a plurality of packets; and
processing the plurality of packets to restore the file transmitted by the remotely located computer. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A method of updating digital files in an aircraft, comprising:
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receiving a request for a file from an aircraft at a remotely located computer via a cellular infrastructure;
processing the requested file into a plurality of packets; and
transmitting the plurality of packets by the remotely located computer to the requesting aircraft via the cellular infrastructure. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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94. A method of receiving a file in an aircraft, comprising:
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receiving an event signal by an aircraft;
initiating a connection request with a computer remotely located from the aircraft for uploading a file;
starting an initial primary data thread for making an initial call for a connection request to the remotely located computer;
initiating a PPP connection for the primary data thread via at least one of a plurality of cellular channels;
determining if a cellular channel was successfully opened;
if a cellular channel was successfully opened;
sending a connection request packet to the remotely located computer;
determining whether the remotely located computer contains the requested file;
if the remotely located computer contains the requested file;
opening secondary data threads;
receiving the file from the remotely located computer in the form of packets;
determining whether any packets have not been received;
loading the file to an avionics information storage device; and
if the cellular channel was not successfully opened;
initiating a PPP connection for a subsequent data thread. - View Dependent Claims (95, 96, 97, 98)
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99. A method of transmitting a file to an aircraft, comprising:
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creating a socket upon receiving a request for a file;
receiving a connection message from a network;
determining whether there is a file available for uploading to an aircraft based on the request;
if a file is available for uploading;
sending an upload request message to the aircraft;
sending an acknowledgement for the request to the aircraft;
retrieving the file to be uploaded to the aircraft from a storage device;
processing the file;
transmitting the packets via the cellular infrastructure over the network to the aircraft;
when no packets remain to be sent, receiving an acknowledgement message from the aircraft; and
closing the socket. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104)
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Specification