Method for establishing a communication link between a ground-base caller and a passenger on board an aircraft
First Claim
1. 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:
- correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat having a predetermined telephone;
receiving a call for the passenger;
receiving the caller'"'"'s telephone number;
transmitting a signal over a predetermined geographic region, said signal including information to alert said passenger to a call;
receiving said signal at the aircraft;
alerting said passenger via said predetermined telephone that said signal has been received;
transmitting a response signal from the aircraft to a ground station in response to said signal; and
calling the caller'"'"'s telephone number from the ground station in response to receipt of the response signal.
6 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.
-
Citations
4 Claims
-
1. 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:
-
correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat having a predetermined telephone; receiving a call for the passenger; receiving the caller'"'"'s telephone number; transmitting a signal over a predetermined geographic region, said signal including information to alert said passenger to a call; receiving said signal at the aircraft; alerting said passenger via said predetermined telephone that said signal has been received; transmitting a response signal from the aircraft to a ground station in response to said signal; and calling the caller'"'"'s telephone number from the ground station in response to receipt of the response signal.
-
-
2. A method of establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft having at least one telephone, the method comprising the steps of:
-
correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat having the at least one telephone; receiving a call from said caller for the passenger at a ground station; receiving said caller'"'"'s telephone number at said ground station;
generating at said ground station a signal to alert said passenger to said call;
transmitting said signal over a predetermined geographic region;
receiving said signal at said aircraft;
alerting said passenger via said at least one telephone that said call has been made to said passenger;
transmitting a response signal from said aircraft to said ground station; and
calling said caller'"'"'s telephone number from said ground station.
-
-
3. 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:
-
correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat associated with a predetermined telephone; receiving a call for said passenger; receiving said caller'"'"'s telephone number; generating a signal to alert said passenger to said call; transmitting said signal over a predetermined geographic region; receiving said signal at said aircraft; alerting said passenger that said signal has been received; transmitting a response signal from said aircraft to a ground station; and calling said caller'"'"'s telephone number to link said passenger to said caller.
-
-
4. 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:
-
correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat associated with a predetermined telephone; receiving a call for said passenger at a central computer;
receiving said caller'"'"'s telephone number;generating a signal to alert said passenger to said call; transmitting said signal over a predetermined geographic region; receiving said signal at said aircraft; alerting said passenger that said call was made; and calling said caller'"'"'s telephone number if said passenger accepts said call.
-
Specification