Device for allowing the use in an aircraft of radio communication means

• US 5,887,258 A
• Filed: 10/24/1997
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
• Inventors: Corbefin, Rene, Lemozit, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, DORIS HA
• Application Number:
  US08/957,086
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/426, 455/427, 455/431, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/550, 455/552, 455/553, 455/557, 455/561, 455/562, 455/575, 455/528
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device 1 for allowing the use in a aircraft A of at least one radio communication apparatus (R), such as mobile telephones. According to the invention, the radio communication apparatus (R) includes a first connection switch (MC1) between an information processing unit (2) and a transmit unit (3), and a connection switch (MC2) between the processing unit (2) and a receiving unit (5), and the device (1) includes a transmitter (8) transmitting waves (OE) out of the aircraft (A), a receiver (10) detecting waves outside the aircraft (A), and paths L1 and L2 respectively linked to the transmitter (8) and to the first connection switch (MC1) and to the receiver (10) and to the second connection switch (MC2).

Claims

1. A device for allowing the use in an aircraft (A) of at least one personal means of radio communication (R) comprising:

a unit (2) for processing digitized information;

a means of transmission (3) transmitting, in the form of electromagnetic waves (oe), digitized information received from said processing unit (2); and

a means of reception (5) detecting, in the form of electromagnetic waves (oe), digitized information which is sent to said processing unit (2);

a first means of connection (MC1) provided on the link (4) between the processing unit (2) and the transmission means (3) and capable of being connected to a first means (L1) of sending digitized information so that, when the connection is established between said first means of connection (MC1) and said first means of sending (L1), the digitized information emanating from the processing unit (2) is not sent to said means of transmission (3), but is conveyed by said first means of sending (L1); and

a second means of connection (MC2) provided on the link (6) between the processing unit (2) and the reception means (5) and capable of being connected to a second means (L2) of sending digitized information so that, when the connection is established between said second means of connection (MC2) and said second means of sending (L2), the digitized information emanating from the reception means (5) is not sent to the processing unit (2), but digitized information can be conveyed by said second means of sending (L2) to said processing unit (2)

said device (1) comprising;

a transmitter (8) of electromagnetic waves (OE) capable of transmitting out of the aircraft (A), in the form of electromagnetic waves (OE), digitized information received;

a receiver (10) of electromagnetic waves (OE), capable of detecting outside the aircraft (A), in the form of electromagnetic waves (OE), digitized information; and

a means of disabling (15) capable of transmitting inside the aircraft (A), in the form of electromagnetic waves (S), transmission inhibition commands, to a radio communication means (R) when the latter is used directly without being plugged into said device (1),

wherein said first means of sending (L1) is linked to said transmitter (8) and connected to said first means of connection (MC1), and

wherein said second means of sending (L2) is linked to said receiver (10) and connected to said second means of connection (MC2).

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitter (8) and said receiver (10) are integrated into a transmit and receive beacon (BER).

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second means of sending (L1, L2) form part of one and the same connection cable (C).

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the free end of said connection cable (C), said end being intended to be linked simultaneously to said first and second means of connection (MC1, MC2), is accessible from a passenger seat (SP) of the aircraft (A).

5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device includes connection cables (C) in proximity to at least a plurality of passenger seats (SP) of the aircraft (A).

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, for a radio communication means (R) furnished with an electrical charging system (13),

wherein said device includes a means of electrical supply (12) provided in proximity to a passenger seat (SP) of the aircraft (A), the electrical charging system (13) of the radio communication means (R) capable of being plugged into said electrical supply means (12).

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the device includes electrical supply means (12) in proximity to at least a plurality of passenger seats (SP) of the aircraft (A).

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 for allowing the simultaneous use of a plurality of radio communication means (R), wherein the device includes a plurality of pairs of first and second means of sending (L1, L2), respectively linked to said transmitter (8) and to said receiver (10), each of said pairs of first and second means of sending (L1, L2) being able to be connected to one of said radio communication means (R).

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device includes several connection boxes (BC), each of said connection boxes (BC) being linked, on the one hand, to the transmitter (8) and to the receiver (10) and, on the other hand, to a group of connection cables (C1, C2, Ci, Cj, Ck, Cl), in such a way as to allow a sending of digitized information between the transmitter (8) and the receiver (10), and the radio communication means (R) connected as the case may be to said connection cables (C1, C2).

10. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said personal means of radio communications comprises a mobile telephone.