SYSTEM FOR MANAGING MOBILE INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESSES IN AN AIRBORNE WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORK

• US 20140334379A1
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogo Business Aviation LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gogo LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lauer, Bryan A., Stamatopoulos, Jerry, Rashid, Anjum, Tobin, Joseph A., Walsh, Patrick J., Arntzen, Steven J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,813,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/15 Interconnection of switching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System provides wireless communication services to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft by storing data indicative of the individually identified wireless devices located onboard the aircraft. The System assigns a single IP address to each Point-to-Point Protocol link which connects the aircraft network to the ground-based communication network but also creates an IP subnet onboard the aircraft. The IP subnet utilizes a plurality of IP addresses for each Point-to-Point link thereby to enable each passenger wireless device to be uniquely identified with their own IP address. This is enabled since both Point-to-Point Protocol IPCP endpoints have pre-defined IP address pools and/or topology configured; each Point-to-Point Protocol endpoint can utilize a greater number of IP addresses than one per link. Such an approach does not change IPCP or other EVDO protocols/messaging but does allow this address to be directly visible to the ground-based communication network.

Claims

1. An Aircraft Mobile IP Address System for providing individual ground-based IP addresses to a plurality of passenger wireless devices which are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

aircraft network means, located in said aircraft, for generating radio frequency communication signals to communicate with at least one of said plurality of passenger wireless devices located in said aircraft;

ground-based Access Network means for exchanging communication signals with at least one ground-based communication network; and

Air-To-Ground network means for radio frequency communications between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network means for transmitting data packets, independent of the multiple IP addresses associated with the multitude of passenger wireless devices on the aircraft, between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network means.

2. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 1 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means comprises:

data concentrator means, located on said aircraft, for converting the subscriber traffic and signaling channels received from said plurality of passenger wireless devices located in said aircraft to at least one aggregate data stream.

3. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 1 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means comprises:

data disaggregation means, located in said ground-based Access Network means, for disaggregating said at least one aggregate data stream into a plurality of data streams and delivering each of said plurality of data streams to a corresponding ground-based communications network.

4. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 1 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means comprises:

Mobile IP Client means, located in said aircraft, for housing a Home Address on said aircraft to communicate between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network means.

5. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 4 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means further comprises:

a plurality of Air-to-Ground Modem means for implementing said radio frequency communications in complementary polarizations.

6. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 1 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means comprises:

Mobile IP Client means, located in said aircraft, for housing a Home Address on said aircraft to communicate between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network means.

7. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 6 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means further comprises:

a plurality of Air-to-Ground Modem means, each having an IP address, for implementing said radio frequency communications in complementary polarizations.

8. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 6 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means further comprises:

Mobile IP Tunnel means for transmitting data packets, independent of the multiple IP addresses associated with the multitude of passenger wireless devices on the aircraft, between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network means.

9. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 1 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means comprises:

IP Tunnel means for transmitting data packets, independent of the multiple IP addresses associated with the multitude of passenger wireless devices on the aircraft, between said aircraft network means and said ground-based Access Network means.

10. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 9 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means further comprises:

a plurality of Air-to-Ground Modem means, each having an IP address, for implementing said radio frequency communications in complementary polarizations.

11. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 9 wherein said ground-based Access Network means comprises:

router means, located on said ground, for hosting a tunnel endpoint function for said IP Tunnel means.

12. The Aircraft Mobile IP Address System of claim 1 wherein said Air-To-Ground network means further comprises:

Air-to-Ground Control Processor means, located on said aircraft, for hosting a tunnel endpoint function for said IP Tunnel means.