SYSTEM FOR MANAGING AN AIRCRAFT-ORIENTED EMERGENCY SERVICES CALL IN AN AIRBORNE WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORK

• US 20080305762A1
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogo Business Aviation LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aircell LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: Malosh, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The Aircraft Emergency Services Call Management System enables the unique identification of each passenger wireless device in use in an aircraft and the corresponding identification of the passenger associated with the passenger wireless device. This passenger wireless device registration data is stored as database entries in a ground-based Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database which associates each aircraft with its registered passenger wireless devices. The origination of an emergency services call by any registered passenger wireless device results in the call being routed to a serving Public Safety Access Point (PSAP) where the passenger is connected to an emergency services operator. Since the aircraft flight crew and cabin crew are the only personnel on site that can be relied upon to provide some sort of emergency services response, they are included in the emergency services call.

Claims

1. A system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft, comprising:

aircraft network means, located in said aircraft, for exchanging communication signals with a communication device of an occupant of said aircraft;

ground-based Access Network means for exchanging communication signals with a Public Safety Access Point;

air-to-ground network means for carrying said communication signals between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network means; and

emergency services communication means, responsive to origination of an emergency services call from said communication device of an occupant of said aircraft, for automatically interconnecting said communication device of an occupant of said aircraft with at least one of;

said at least one aircraft crew member located in said aircraft via said aircraft network means, said Public Safety Access Point via said air-to-ground network means, and said ground-based Access Network means.

2. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 1 wherein said emergency services communication means comprises:

calling party identification means, responsive to a passenger initiating said emergency services call, for identifying said passenger and said aircraft.

3. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 2 wherein said emergency services communication means further comprises:

conference means for linking said passenger with both of said at least one aircraft crew member located in said aircraft via said aircraft network means, said Public Safety Access Point via said air-to-ground network means, and said ground-based Access Network means.

4. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 3 wherein said emergency services communication means further comprises:

alert generation means, responsive to an operator at said Public Safety Access Point generating an emergency event alert, for forwarding said generated emergency event alert to emergency services personnel at a destination to which said aircraft is routed.

5. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 3 wherein said emergency services communication means further comprises:

referral means for interconnecting an operator at said Public Safety Access Point with a government security agency.

6. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 1 wherein said emergency services communication means comprises:

calling party identification means, responsive to a crew member initiating said emergency services call, for identifying said crew member and said aircraft; and

wherein said emergency services communication means automatically interconnects said communication device of said crew member of said aircraft with said Public Safety Access Point via said air-to-ground network means and said ground-based Access Network means.

7. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 6 wherein said emergency services communication means further comprises:

alert generation means, responsive to an operator at said Public Safety Access Point generating an emergency event alert, for forwarding said generated emergency event alert to emergency services personnel at a destination to which said aircraft is routed.

8. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 6 wherein said emergency services communication means further comprises:

referral means for interconnecting an operator at said Public Safety Access Point with a government security agency.

9. A method of providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft, comprising:

exchanging, via an aircraft network located in said aircraft, communication signals with a communication device of an occupant of said aircraft;

exchanging, via a ground-based Access Network, communication signals with a Public Safety Access Point;

carrying, via an air-to-ground network, said communication signals between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network; and

automatically interconnecting, in response to origination of an emergency services call from said communication device of an occupant of said aircraft, said communication device of an occupant of said aircraft with at least one of;

said at least one aircraft crew member located in said aircraft via said aircraft network, said Public Safety Access Point via said air-to-ground network, and said ground-based Access Network.

10. The method of providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 9 wherein said step of automatically interconnecting comprises:

identifying, in response to a passenger initiating said emergency services call, said passenger.

11. The method of providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 10 wherein said step of automatically interconnecting further comprises:

linking said passenger with both of said at least one aircraft crew member located in said aircraft via said aircraft network, said Public Safety Access Point via said air-to-ground network, and said ground-based Access Network.

12. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 11 wherein said step of automatically interconnecting further comprises:

forwarding, in response to an operator at said Public Safety Access Point generating an emergency event alert, said generated emergency event alert to emergency services personnel at a destination to which said aircraft is routed.

13. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 11 wherein said step of automatically interconnecting further comprises:

interconnecting an operator at said Public Safety Access Point with a government security agency.

14. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 9 wherein said step of automatically interconnecting comprises:

identifying, in response to a crew member initiating said emergency services call, said crew member; and

wherein said step of automatically interconnecting interconnects said communication device of said crew member of said aircraft with said Public Safety Access Point via said air-to-ground network and said ground-based Access Network.

15. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 14 wherein said step of automatically interconnecting further comprises:

forwarding, in response to an operator at said Public Safety Access Point generating an emergency event alert, said generated emergency event alert to emergency services personnel at a destination to which said aircraft is routed.

16. The system for providing emergency services communications onboard an aircraft of claim 14 wherein said step of automatically interconnecting further comprises:

interconnecting an operator at said Public Safety Access Point with a government security agency.