Two-way in-flight radio telecommunication system and method

• US 5,950,129 A
• Filed: 12/09/1996
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Schmid, Glen, Wacker, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US08/762,134
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/561, 455/432, 455/430, 455/433, 455/435, 455/436, 455/437, 455/440, 455/575, 455/11.1, 455/445, 340/988, 340/989, 340/991, 340/994
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A system and method for providing two-way in-flight radio telecommunications on board an aircraft is disclosed. The radio telecommunication system includes a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (G-MSC), an Aircraft In-flight System Controller (AISC) located on board a subscriber'"'"'s aircraft, a Ground In-flight System Controller (GISC), a satellite to relay messages and calls from the GISC and AISC, and a Home Location Register (HLR) which provides routing and location information for use by the GISC and the G-MSC. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a system and method for using a mobile phone on an aircraft is disclosed. A mobile phone is connected to a seat terminal located on an aircraft by a co-ax cable. The radio frequency (RF) signals produced by a mobile phone pass through a coax cable to an Airborne Radio Base Station (A-RBS). The A-RBS converts the RF signals into signals which do not interfere with the aircraft'"'"'s navigational and communication equipment and are compatible with the GISC and multiple cellular networks. These converted signals are then transmitted via satellite to a cellular network.

Claims

1. In a radio telecommunication system having a gateway mobile switching center (G-MSC), a ground in-flight system controller (GISC) with a visitor location register (VLR), an aircraft in-flight system controller (AISC) on board an aircraft, and a home location register (HLR), a method of delivering a call from a party to an airborne subscriber located on board said aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:

updating location and subscriber information of said airborne subscriber in said HLR and in said VLR;

receiving in said G-MSC, an incoming call for said airborne subscriber from said party;

transmitting a location request message from said G-MSC to said HLR, said location request message requesting routing information for said airborne subscriber;

transmitting from said HLR to said GISC a routing request message;

transmitting an availability query from said GISC to said AISC;

querying, by said AISC, the availability of a seat telephone terminal where said airborne subscriber is located on board said aircraft;

transmitting an availability response from said AISC to said GISC, said availability response indicating the availability of said seat telephone terminal;

allocating a routing number in said GISC, said routing number providing routing information for said telephone terminal and said information of said airborne subscriber;

transmitting said routing number from said GISC to said HLR;

transmitting said routing number from said HLR to said G-MSC; and

delivering said call.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after the step of updating location and subscriber information of said airborne subscriber in said HLR, the steps of:

transmitting a location updating message from said AISC to said VLR;

transmitting said location updating message from said VLR to said HLR; and

transmitting said airborne subscriber'"'"'s categories from said HLR to said VLR.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, after the step of transmitting said airborne subscriber'"'"'s categories from said HLR to said VLR, the steps of:

sending an acknowledgment message from said GISC to said AISC acknowledging the completion of updating said location and subscriber information of said airborne subscriber in said HLR; and

sending an acknowledgment message from said AISC to said seat telephone terminal acknowledging the completion of updating said location and subscriber information of said airborne subscriber in said HLR.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of delivering said call includes the steps of:

routing said incoming call from said G-MSC to said GISC;

determining said location and availability of said airborne subscriber for said incoming call by said GISC;

forwarding said incoming call to said AISC of said airborne subscriber from said GISC; and

sending an alerting signal from said AISC to said telephone terminal.

5. A radio telecommunication system providing two-way telephone services between an airborne subscriber located on board a first aircraft and another party, comprising:

a gateway mobile switching center (G-MSC);

a ground in-flight system controller (GISC) located on the ground for receiving and routing calls from said G-MSC to said first aircraft, and from said first aircraft to said G-MSC;

a home location register (HLR) that stores subscriber information, routing information, and location information, said HLR receiving said routing information and said location information from said GISC, and said HLR sending said subscriber information to said GISC and said routing information to said G-MSC;

a mobile phone for transmitting and receiving calls from said airborne subscriber to said radio telecommunication system through said GISC;

an airborne radio base station (A-RBS) located on board said first aircraft for converting RF signals produced by said mobile telephone to a compatible protocol for said GISC, said A-RBS connecting said airborne subscriber to said radio telecommunication system and providing location and activity information of said subscriber to said GISC; and

a co-ax cable connecting said mobile telephone to said A-RBS.

6. The radio telecommunication system of claim 5 further comprising at least one satellite providing a signaling relay means from said A-RBS to said GISC.

7. The radio telecommunication system of claim 6 wherein said GISC includes a visitor location register (VLR) for storing said airborne subscriber'"'"'s activity and location information.

8. The radio telecommunication system of claim 7 wherein said VLR also stores said airborne subscriber'"'"'s categories.

9. The radio telecommunication system of claim 8 wherein said party originates a call to said airborne subscriber from on board a second aircraft, said radio telecommunication system further comprising a second GISC, said second GISC being associated with said second aircraft and performing the functions of said G-MSC for calls originated by said party and directed to said airborne subscriber.

10. In a radio telecommunication system having a ground in-flight system controller (GISC) with a visitor location register (VLR), an airborne radio base station (A-RBS), a co-ax cable connecting a mobile phone of an airborne subscriber with said A-RBS, and a signaling network having a home location register (HLR) and a gateway mobile switching center (G-MSC), a method of using said mobile telephone on said aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting said co-ax cable from said mobile telephone to said A-RBS;

converting, in said A-RBS, radio frequency (RF) signals generated from said mobile telephone into a protocol compatible with said GISC and said signaling network, and which does not interfere with operations of said aircraft;

transmitting in said A-RBS, signals in said compatible protocol, from said A-RBS to said GISC;

routing said signals from said GISC to said G-MSC via said HLR; and

delivering said signals from said G-MSC to another party.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of connecting a co-ax cable from said mobile telephone to said A-RBS includes the steps of:

connecting a first co-ax cable from said mobile telephone to a seat terminal on said aircraft; and

connecting a second coax cable from said seat terminal to said A-RBS.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising, after the step of converting RF signals into said compatible protocol, the step of transmitting via a satellite, said signals to a ground-based cellular network.