METHOD FOR MAINTAINING DATALINK NETWORK THROUGHPUT BY DELAYING LOWER PRIORITY MESSAGES

• US 20090117895A1
• Filed: 11/01/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: McGuffin, Thomas F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/29 using a combination of thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method of maintaining datalink network throughput in a communications channel by delaying lower priority messages is provided. The method comprises receiving periodic channel occupancy data from a radio, and updating channel occupancy status from the channel occupancy data. A determination is then made whether the channel occupancy has reached a first predetermined occupancy threshold. If the first predetermined occupancy threshold has been reached, high priority messages are transmitted, and medium and low priority messages are stored. If the first predetermined occupancy threshold has not been reached, a determination is made whether the channel occupancy has reached a second predetermined occupancy threshold that is less than the first predetermined occupancy threshold. If the second predetermined occupancy threshold has been reached, high and medium priority messages are transmitted, and low priority messages are stored. If the second predetermined occupancy threshold has not been reached, messages of all priorities are transmitted.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining datalink network throughput in a communications channel, the method comprising:

receiving periodic channel occupancy data from a radio;

updating channel occupancy status from the channel occupancy data;

determining whether the channel occupancy has reached a first predetermined occupancy threshold;

if the first predetermined occupancy threshold has been reached, transmitting high priority messages, and storing medium and low priority messages;

if the first predetermined occupancy threshold has not been reached, determining whether the channel occupancy has reached a second predetermined occupancy threshold that is less than the first predetermined occupancy threshold;

if the second predetermined occupancy threshold has been reached, transmitting high and medium priority messages, and storing low priority messages; and

if the second predetermined occupancy threshold has not been reached, transmitting messages of all priorities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio is located in an air traffic control station or an aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel occupancy data is processed by filtering, smoothing, or averaging the data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the channel occupancy status comprises monitoring round trip message time data in the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented as part of communication protocols for an aircraft communications, addressing, and reporting system (ACARS).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented as part of communication protocols for a future air navigation controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented as part of communication protocols for an aeronautical telecommunication network CPDLC system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the stored medium priority messages when the channel occupancy drops below the first predetermined occupancy threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the stored low priority messages when the channel occupancy drops below the second predetermined occupancy threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented in a computer readable medium.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer readable medium includes an avionics software module for an aircraft.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer readable medium includes a software module for ground network management.

16. An avionics and ground network system, comprising:

at least one aircraft computer comprising a readable medium having instructions stored thereon for a method of maintaining datalink network throughput in a communications channel according to claim 1; and

at least one ground station computer in operative communication with the at least one aircraft computer.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one ground station computer comprises a readable medium having instructions stored thereon for a method of maintaining datalink network throughput in a communications channel according to claim 1.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a router configured to direct downlink messages from the ground station computer to one or more network computers comprising an air traffic control computer or an airline computer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the router is further configured to direct uplink messages from the one or more network computers via the ground station computer to the aircraft computer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the router comprises a readable medium having instructions stored thereon for a method of maintaining datalink network throughput in a communications channel according to claim 1.

13. A method of maintaining datalink network throughput in a communications channel, the method comprising:

generating one or more messages having a first priority;

generating one or more messages having a second priority that is lower than the first priority;

generating one or more messages having a third priority that is lower than the second priority;

receiving periodic channel occupancy data from a radio on the ground or in the air;

updating a channel occupancy status from the channel occupancy data;

determining whether the channel occupancy has reached a first predetermined occupancy threshold;

if the first predetermined occupancy threshold has been reached, transmitting the one or more messages having the first priority, and storing the one or more messages having the second priority and the third priority;

if the first predetermined occupancy threshold has not been reached, determining whether the channel occupancy has reached a second predetermined occupancy threshold that is less than the first predetermined occupancy threshold;

if the second predetermined occupancy threshold has been reached, transmitting one or more messages having the first priority and the second priority, and storing the one or more messages having the third priority; and

if the second predetermined occupancy threshold has not been reached, transmitting the one or more messages having the first priority, the second priority, and the third priority.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the channel occupancy status comprises monitoring round trip message time data in the network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the method is implemented as part of communication protocols for an ACARS or a CPDLC system.