METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING DATA IN A NETWORK OF AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT

• US 20130242864A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Vermande, Severine, Vermande, Fabrice, Maynier, Etienne
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location

Abstract

In a communications network including aircraft in flight and at least one ground station, which constitute communication nodes of the network, data are transmitted from a source node to a destination node following a non-predetermined path through the network that includes at least one node which is a so-called intermediate aircraft. Before transmitting data from a transmitting node to at least one receiving node, it envisages a step of selecting the receiving node defining a portion of the path without knowledge of the next portion of the path.

Claims

1. Method for data transmission in a communications network comprising aircraft in flight and at least one ground station, which constitute communication nodes of the network, said method comprising transmission of data from a source node to a destination node following a non-predetermined path through an aerial part of the network and that comprises at least one intermediate node which is an intermediate aircraft, characterized in that, before transmitting data from a transmitting node to at least one receiving node, the method comprises selecting the receiving node defining a portion of said path without knowledge of the next portion of said path.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that data transmission is carried out by non-predetermined jumps from transmitting node to receiving node.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the source node is a source aircraft and the destination node is a ground station.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises, prior to transmission, a step of selecting a ground station from a plurality of ground stations with a view to transmitting the data from the source aircraft to the ground station selected via at least one intermediate aircraft of the network following a non-predetermined path through the network.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that selecting a ground station comprises selecting a control centre authorized to store the data that will be transmitted by the source aircraft.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that a control centre is selected from a predetermined list of control centres that is present on board the source aircraft.

7. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that selecting a ground station also comprises selecting a ground gateway intended to receive the data originating from the source aircraft and to transmit said data to the control centre selected.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that a ground gateway is selected by one of the following methods:

from a predetermined list of ground gateways that is present on board the source aircraft,

by receiving information originating from ground gateways and signalling the presence of said ground gateways, or

by broadcasting a message for finding ground gateway(s) addressed to the aircraft in flight.

9. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that selecting a ground gateway from the plurality of ground gateways comprises selecting the ground gateway geographically nearest to the source aircraft.

10. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the source node is a node on the ground and the destination node is an aircraft that is the destination of the data or information.

11. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that, the receiving node being a receiving aircraft, the step of selecting the receiving aircraft is carried out in relation to at least one of the following criteria:

aircraft that is/are located in the direction of the ground station selected, path followed by an aircraft, communication load of an aircraft, behaviour of a receiving aircraft, aircraft from which a signal/noise ratio is received above a predetermined threshold, aircraft having similar or identical flight plans, aircraft belonging to the same airline or to one and the same group combining several airlines, aircraft from the same manufacturer, aircraft within communication range, aircraft farthest from the first aircraft, aircraft in descent phase.

12. Method according to claim 1, comprising a step of encryption of the data to be transmitted in order to make said data unreadable at least for the node or nodes serving as transmission relay for said encrypted data.

13. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that data transmission is by radio frequency.

14. Data transmission system in a communications network comprising aircraft in flight and at least one ground station, which constitute communication nodes of the network, a source node holding data to be transmitted to a destination node, the system comprising suitable transmitting means for transmitting said data following a non-predetermined path through an aerial part of the network and that comprises at least one intermediate node which is a intermediate aircraft, characterized by means capable of selecting, before transmitting data from a transmitting node to at least one receiving node, the receiving node defining a portion of said path without knowledge of the next portion of said path.

15. System according to claim 14, characterized in that the transmitting means are suitable for transmitting the data by non-predetermined jumps from transmitting node to receiving node.

16. System according to claim 14, characterized in that the source node is a source aircraft and the destination node is a ground station.

17. System according to claim 16, characterized in that it comprises means for selecting a ground station from a plurality of ground stations constituting nodes of the network with a view to transmitting the data from the source aircraft to the ground station selected via at least one intermediate aircraft of the network following a non-predetermined path through the network.

18. System according to claim 14, characterized in that the suitable transmitting means of the system are distributed in the network, in particular in the source node and in said at least one intermediate aircraft.