Wireless Network Selection

• US 20180007623A1
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Lee, Kyeongtae Kent, Scholten, Michael Clay, Schliem, Richard Joseph, Furlong-Petsch, Kevin Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 10,470,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for recording and communicating engine data are provided. One example aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a wireless communication unit. The wireless communication unit includes one or more memory devices. The wireless communication unit includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to access data indicative of one or more transmission parameters, each of the one or more transmission parameters being associated with an aerial vehicle. The one or more processors are configured to select one wireless network of a plurality of wireless networks based on the accessed data. The one or more processors are configured to connect with the selected wireless network. The one or more processors are configured to transmit engine data from the wireless communication unit to a ground system via the selected wireless network.

Claims

1. A wireless communication unit comprising:

one or more memory devices; and

one or more processors configured to;

access data indicative of one or more transmission parameters, each of the one or more transmission parameters being associated with an aerial vehicle;

select one wireless network of a plurality of wireless networks based on the accessed data;

connect with the selected wireless network; and

transmit engine data from the wireless communication unit to a ground system via the selected wireless network.

2. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless network comprises a cellular network.

3. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless network comprises a satellite network.

4. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of one or more transmission parameters comprises data indicative of an airport.

5. The wireless communication unit of claim 4, wherein the data indicative of an airport is determined using a flight management system of the aerial vehicle.

6. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of one or more transmission parameters comprises data indicative of a location of the aerial vehicle.

7. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of one or more transmission parameters comprises data indicative of an airline carrier associated with the aerial vehicle.

8. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of subscriber identification module chips.

9. The wireless communication unit of claim 8, wherein selecting one wireless network of a plurality of wireless networks further comprises the one or more processors further configured to select one subscriber identification module chip of the plurality of subscriber identification module chips.

10. The wireless communication unit of claim 9, wherein the selected subscriber identification module chip is associated with the selected wireless network.

11. A method for communicating with a ground system comprising:

accessing, by one or more processors associated with a wireless communication unit, data indicative of one or more transmission parameters, each of the one or more transmission parameters being associated with an aerial vehicle;

selecting, by the one or more processors, one wireless network of a plurality of wireless networks based on the accessed data;

connecting, by the one or more processors, with the selected wireless network; and

transmitting, by the one or more processors, engine data from the wireless communication unit to the ground system via the selected wireless network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selected wireless network comprises a cellular network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the selected wireless network comprises a satellite network.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the data indicative of one or more transmission parameters comprises data indicative of an airport.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data indicative of an airport is determined using a flight management system of the aerial vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the data indicative of one or more transmission parameters comprises data indicative of a location of the aerial vehicle.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the data indicative of one or more transmission parameters comprises data indicative of an airline carrier associated with the aerial vehicle.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting, by the one or more processors, a subscriber identification module chip of a plurality of subscriber identification module chips.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected subscriber identification module chip is associated with the selected wireless network.

20. A system comprising:

a wireless communication unit;

one or more memory devices; and

one or more processors configured to;

access data indicative of one or more transmission parameters, each of the one or more transmission parameters being associated with an aerial vehicle;

select one wireless network of a plurality of wireless networks based on the accessed data;

connect with the selected wireless network; and

transmit engine data from the wireless communication unit to a ground system via the selected wireless network.