Ground-to-air telephone calling system and related method for directing a call to a particular passenger
First Claim
1. A system for establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of telephones, the system comprising:
- means for assigning a traveler assigned number (TAN) to the passenger, said TAN comprising a code to uniquely identify the passenger;
means for assigning an aircraft identification number (AIN) to the aircraft, said AIN comprising a code to uniquely identify the aircraft;
first correlation means for correlating the passenger'"'"'s TAN to a predetermined seat assignment on the aircraft;
means for generating a data signal in response to a telephone call to the passenger from said caller, said data signal including the passenger'"'"'s seat assignment, the aircraft AIN, and the caller'"'"'s telephone number;
a signal transmitting and receiving network for receiving the data signal and transmitting a call signal over a predetermined geographic area, the call signal including the passenger'"'"'s seat assignment;
means, on board the aircraft, for receiving the call signal;
second correlation means, on board the aircraft and responsive to the seat assignment in the call signal, for correlating the call signal with a predetermined telephone on board the aircraft;
switching means, on board the aircraft and responsive to the second correlation means, for establishing a call connection to the predetermined telephone;
means, on board the aircraft and responsive to the call signal, for transmitting a response signal; and
means, included in the signal transmitting and receiving network and responsive to the response signal, for calling the caller'"'"'s telephone number and completing a communication link to the caller when the caller answers the telephone call.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A ground-to-air telephone calling system is provided including a computer for receiving an airborne telephone number and a call-back number from a calling party and forming the telephone numbers into a data signal comporting with existing protocol filed in the FCC, an uplink unit for uplinking the data signal to a satellite and a plurality of downlink stations for receiving the data signal from the satellite; a plurality of ground stations corresponding to each of the downlink units for receiving the data signals and passing a call signal identifying the airborne telephone and particular ground station to a corresponding transmit/receive unit for subsequent transmission to the aircraft; a call being initiated from the ground station to the calling party over the public switched telephone network if the aircraft responds to the call signal. An alternative embodiment provides for a plurality of telephones on board the aircraft, and is capable of directing a call from a ground based caller to a particular telephone assigned to a passenger on the aircraft.
101 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A system for establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of telephones, the system comprising:
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means for assigning a traveler assigned number (TAN) to the passenger, said TAN comprising a code to uniquely identify the passenger; means for assigning an aircraft identification number (AIN) to the aircraft, said AIN comprising a code to uniquely identify the aircraft; first correlation means for correlating the passenger'"'"'s TAN to a predetermined seat assignment on the aircraft; means for generating a data signal in response to a telephone call to the passenger from said caller, said data signal including the passenger'"'"'s seat assignment, the aircraft AIN, and the caller'"'"'s telephone number; a signal transmitting and receiving network for receiving the data signal and transmitting a call signal over a predetermined geographic area, the call signal including the passenger'"'"'s seat assignment; means, on board the aircraft, for receiving the call signal; second correlation means, on board the aircraft and responsive to the seat assignment in the call signal, for correlating the call signal with a predetermined telephone on board the aircraft; switching means, on board the aircraft and responsive to the second correlation means, for establishing a call connection to the predetermined telephone; means, on board the aircraft and responsive to the call signal, for transmitting a response signal; and means, included in the signal transmitting and receiving network and responsive to the response signal, for calling the caller'"'"'s telephone number and completing a communication link to the caller when the caller answers the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft having a plurality of telephones, comprising:
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means for correlating the passenger to a predetermined seat assignment on a predetermined aircraft; means for correlating a predetermined telephone on board the aircraft to the passenger; means for receiving a call for the passenger; means for receiving the caller'"'"'s telephone number; means for transmitting a call signal over a predetermined geographic region; means for receiving the call signal at the aircraft; means for establishing a call connection to the predetermined telephone on the aircraft; means for transmitting a response signal from the aircraft to a ground station in response to receipt of the call signal; means for calling the caller'"'"'s telephone number from the ground station in response to receipt of the response signal; and means for establishing the communication link between the predetermined telephone and the caller when the caller answers the call to the caller'"'"'s telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft having a plurality of telephones, the method comprising the steps of:
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correlating the passenger to a predetermined seat assignment on a predetermined aircraft; correlating a predetermined telephone on board the aircraft to the passenger; receiving a call for the passenger; receiving the caller'"'"'s telephone number; transmitting a call signal over a predetermined geographic region; receiving the call signal at the aircraft; establishing a call connection to the predetermined telephone on the aircraft; transmitting a response signal from the aircraft to a ground station in response to receipt of the call signal; calling the caller'"'"'s telephone number from the ground station in response to receipt of the response signal; and establishing the communication link between the predetermined telephone and the caller when the caller answers the call to the caller'"'"'s telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification