SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMIZING ELECTRONIC SERVICES FOR DELIVERY TO A PASSENGER IN AN AIRBORNE WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORK

• US 20080132212A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogo Business Aviation LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aircell LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dunham, Richard C., Lauer, Bryan A., Targosz, Kenneth, Lemond, Eric, Chari, Anand K., Cruz, Joseph M., Sladky, Dennis G., Moffatt, Michael A., Weigman, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

The Customized Electronic Services Delivery System provides customized electronic services to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft by storing data indicative of a plurality of electronic services that are available to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft, as well as data indicative of preferences of passengers for the plurality of electronic services. Once a correspondence is made between the electronic services and an identified passenger, the Customized Electronic Services Delivery System advises the passenger of the availability of the customized services and establishes wireless communications between the passenger'"'"'s electronic device and the selected electronic service. The electronic services include in-flight entertainment services as well as destination-based services which link the passenger'"'"'s existing travel plans with offers for additional services that are available to the passenger at their nominal destination and their planned travel schedule.

Claims

1. A system for providing customized electronic services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

menu means for storing data indicative of electronic services that are available to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising at least one of said class of electronic services including;

multi-media content, destination-based services, and wireless communication services; and

link means, responsive to a passenger located onboard said aircraft and equipped with a wireless electronic device selecting a one of said plurality of electronic services, for establishing wireless communications between said passenger electronic device and said selected one electronic service.

2. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 1 further comprising:

login means, responsive to said passenger activating their wireless electronic device, for confirming authorization of said passenger to access said electronic services.

3. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 1 further comprising:

passenger database means for storing data which indicates the identity of a plurality of passengers who are located onboard said aircraft;

preference means for storing data indicative of preferences of passengers for said plurality of electronic services; and

correlation means for associating at least one passenger preferred electronic service with an identified passenger based on said stored data.

4. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 3 further comprising:

service push means for transmitting data to said identified passenger to offer access via their wireless electronic device to said at least one passenger preferred electronic service.

5. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 3 further comprising:

passenger preference update means responsive to said passenger selecting a one of said plurality of electronic services for updating data stored in said preference means to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said plurality of electronic services.

6. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 3 further comprising:

wherein said passenger database means further includes data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger; and

destination-based service means responsive to said stored data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger for offering said individual passenger a reservation to at least one of destination-based services selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination.

7. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 6 further comprising:

reservation means, responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for transmitting a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

8. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 6 further comprising:

passenger preference update means responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for updating data stored in said preference means to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

9. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 1 further comprising:

communication services means for managing provision of said wireless communications as a function of at least one of media, bandwidth, and class of service.

10. A method of providing customized electronic services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

storing data indicative of electronic services that are available to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising at least one of said class of electronic services including;

multi-media content, destination-based services, and wireless communication services; and

establishing, in response to a passenger located onboard said aircraft and equipped with a wireless electronic device selecting a one of said plurality of electronic services, wireless communications between said passenger electronic device and said selected one electronic service.

11. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 10 further comprising:

confirming, in response to said passenger activating their wireless electronic device, authorization of said passenger to access said electronic services.

12. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 10 further comprising:

storing passenger data in a passenger database which indicates the identity of a plurality of passengers who are located onboard said aircraft;

storing passenger preference data indicative of preferences of passengers for said plurality of electronic services; and

associating at least one passenger preferred electronic service with an identified passenger based on said stored data.

13. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 12 further comprising:

transmitting data to said identified passenger to offer access via their wireless electronic device to said at least one passenger preferred electronic service.

14. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 12 further comprising:

updating, in response to said passenger selecting a one of said plurality of electronic services, passenger preference data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said plurality of electronic services.

15. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 12 further comprising:

storing, in said passenger database, data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger; and

offering, in response to said stored data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger, said individual passenger a reservation to at least one of said destination-based services selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination.

16. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 15 further comprising:

transmitting, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

17. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 16 further comprising:

updating, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

18. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 10 further comprising:

managing provision of said wireless communications as a function of at least one of media, bandwidth, and class of service.

19. A system for providing customized electronic services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

services menu means for storing data indicative of electronic services that are available to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft;

passenger preference means for storing data in a passenger preferences database indicative of preferences of said passengers for said electronic services;

mapping means for associating a plurality of said passengers who are located onboard an aircraft with said electronic services to create a passenger-specific mapping of electronic services for said plurality of passengers;

services offer means for transmitting data to at least one of said passengers indicative of said passenger-specific mapping of electronic services for said at least one passenger; and

link means, responsive to a passenger located onboard said aircraft selecting a one of said electronic services, for establishing wireless communications between said passenger electronic device and said selected one electronic service.

20. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 19 further comprising:

passenger preference update means responsive to said passenger selecting said one electronic service for updating data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said plurality of electronic services.

21. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 19 further comprising:

wherein said passenger preference database further includes data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger; and

destination-based service means responsive to said stored data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger for offering said individual passenger a reservation to at least one of destination-based services selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination.

22. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 21 further comprising:

reservation means, responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for transmitting a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

23. The system for providing customized electronic services of claim 21 further comprising:

passenger preference update means responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for updating data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

24. A method of providing customized electronic services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

storing data indicative of electronic services that are available to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft;

storing data in a passenger preferences database indicative of preferences of said passengers for said electronic services;

associating a plurality of said passengers who are located onboard an aircraft with said electronic services to create a passenger-specific mapping of electronic services for said plurality of passengers;

transmitting data to at least one of said passengers indicative of said passenger-specific mapping of electronic services for said at least one passenger; and

establishing, in response to a passenger located onboard said aircraft selecting a one of said electronic services, wireless communications between said passenger electronic device and said selected one electronic service.

25. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 24 further comprising:

updating, in response to said passenger selecting said one electronic service, data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said plurality of electronic services.

26. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 24 further comprising:

wherein said passenger preference database further includes data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger; and

offering, in response to said stored data indicative of a destination for said individual passenger, said individual passenger a reservation to at least one of destination-based services selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination.

27. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 26 further comprising:

transmitting, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

28. The method of providing customized electronic services of claim 26 further comprising:

updating, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.