METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATING AND COMMUNICATING DATA LINK INFORMATION FROM AN AIRCRAFT TO A GROUND STATION USING A PORTABLE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20090310530A1
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ases, LLC (Field Aviation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARINC Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Cerra, John J. II, Plantz, Clovis W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service

Abstract

A portable data link integration and communication unit and method that integrates and communicates data link information from an aircraft to a ground station is disclosed. The portable data link integration and communication unit a communication interface that facilitates communications with communication devices, and an integration and communication processing module that receives data link message information from one or more communication devices through the communication interface, integrates the received data link message information, converts integrated data link information into internet protocol information, and transmits the internet protocol information using the communication interface over a satellite network to the ground station for display to a user over a communications network.

Claims

1. A method of integrating and communicating data link information from an aircraft to a ground station using a portable communications system, comprising:

receiving data link message information from one or more communication devices;

integrating the received data link message information;

converting integrated data link information into internet protocol information; and

transmitting the internet protocol information from the aircraft over a satellite network to the ground station for display to a user over a communications network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data link message information is received from Link-16 and Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL) communication devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data link message information is received from at least one of Link 16, Ultra High Frequency (UHF), Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA), satellite communications (SATCOM), Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL), Enhanced Position Location Reporting System EPLRS), Military Strategic Tactical Relay (MILSTAR), integrated broadcast service (IBS), Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT), International Marine/Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT), Global Positioning System (GPS), Iridium satellite, X-Band and Ku Band communication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting the internet protocol information prior to transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving positional information;

transmitting the received positional information with the internet protocol information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein data link message information is received and the internet protocol information is transmitted using the aircraft'"'"'s antennae.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

integrating with at least one of one or more of the aircraft'"'"'s avionics systems and one or more of the aircraft'"'"'s communication systems; and

exchanging information with at least one of the integrated one or more of the aircraft'"'"'s avionics systems and the integrated one or more of the aircraft'"'"'s communication systems.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the satellite network is one of a commercial satellite network, a military satellite network, and the Iridium satellite system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network is at least one of a military communication network, a secure government communication network, a satellite communication network, a cable communication network, the Internet, an intranet, and a local area network.

10. A portable data link integration and communication unit that integrates and communicates data link information from an aircraft to a ground station, comprising:

a communication interface that facilitates communications with communication devices; and

an integration and communication processing module that receives data link message information from one or more communication devices through the communication interface, integrates the received data link message information, converts integrated data link information into internet protocol information, and transmits the internet protocol information using the communication interface over a satellite network to the ground station for display to a user over a communications network.

11. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, wherein the integration and communication processing module receives the data link message information from Link-16 and Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL) communication devices.

12. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, wherein the integration and communication processing module receives the data link message information from at least one of Link 16, Ultra High Frequency (UHF), Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA), satellite communications (SATCOM), Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL), Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS), Military Strategic Tactical Relay (MILSTAR), integrated broadcast service IBS), Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT), International Marine/Maritime Satellite INMARSAT), Global Positioning System (GPS), Iridium satellite, X-Band and Ku Band communication devices.

13. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, further comprising:

an encryption device that encrypts the internet protocol information prior to transmission.

14. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, wherein the integration and communication processing module receives positional information and transmits the received positional information with the internet protocol information.

15. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, wherein the integration and communication processing module receives the data link message information and transmits the internet protocol information using the aircraft'"'"'s antennae.

16. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, wherein the integration and communication processing module integrates and exchanges information with at least one of one or more of the aircraft'"'"'s avionics systems and one or more of the aircraft'"'"'s communication systems.

17. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, wherein the satellite network is one of a commercial satellite network, a military satellite network, and the Iridium satellite system.

18. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 10, wherein the communications network is at least one of a military communication network, a secure government communication network, a satellite communication network, a cable communication network, the Internet, an intranet, and a local area network.

19. A portable data link integration and communication unit that integrates and communicates data link information from an aircraft to a ground station, comprising:

a communication interface that facilitates communications with communication devices; and

an integration and communication processing module that receives data link message information from one or more communication devices through the communication interface using the aircraft'"'"'s antennae, receives positional information, integrates the received data link message information and the received positional information, converts integrated data link information into internet protocol information, and transmits the internet protocol information using the communication interface using the aircraft'"'"'s antennae over a satellite network to the ground station for display to a user over a communications network.

20. The portable data link integration and communication unit of claim 19, wherein the integration and communication processing module receives the data link message information from at least one of Link 16, Ultra High Frequency (UHF), Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA), satellite communications (SATCOM), Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL), Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS), Military Strategic Tactical Relay (MILSTAR), integrated broadcast service (IBS), Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT), International Marine/Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT), Global Positioning System (GPS), Iridium satellite, X-Band and Ku Band communication devices.