Device for allowing the use in an aircraft of radiocommunication means

• US 6,269,243 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
• Inventors: Lemozit, Christian, Corbefin, René
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US09/216,919
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/430, 455/11.1, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/9, 455/15, 455/20, 455/66, 455/574
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/41 characterized by the control of the jamming activation or deactivation time control of jamming activation and deactivation time only for the purpose of alternating between jamming mode and target monitoring mode H04K3/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/84 related to preventing electromagnetic interference in petrol station, hospital, plane or cinema
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for allowing the use in an aircraft (A) of a personal radiocommunication means (R), in particular a mobile telephone.

According to the invention, said device (1) comprises a first antenna (2) outside the aircraft (A), a second antenna (3) inside the aircraft (A) and a transponder (4) which comprises a first electromagnetic wave (OE) transmission and reception system coupled to the first antenna (2), a second electromagnetic wave (oe) transmission and reception system coupled to the second antenna (3), a central unit and means of authority for compelling the radiocommunication means (R) to operate at reduced power.

Claims

1. A device for allowing use in an aircraft of at least one personal radiocommunication means that has built in both an electrical charging system and a power auto-matching system, in particular a mobile telephone, said device comprising:

at least one first antenna for transmitting and picking up, outside the aircraft, electromagnetic waves respectively picked up and transmitted by an outside network;

at least one second antenna for transmitting and picking up, inside the aircraft, electromagnetic waves respectively picked up and transmitted by the radiocommunication means; and

a transponder comprising;

(a) a first electromagnetic wave transmission and reception system coupled to said first antenna,

(b) a second electromagnetic wave transmission and reception system coupled to said second antenna,

(c) a central unit which sends, if relevant after matching, signals received by one of said first and second transmission and reception systems to the other transmission and reception system, and

(d) means of authority for compelling the radiocommunication means to operate at reduced power and for controlling the operation thereof, said means of authority acting, by way of said second transmission and reception system and said second antenna, on the power auto-matching system built into the radiocommunication means.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means of authority are built into said central unit.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said radio communications means further comprises an electrical charging system;

said device further comprises at least one electrical supply means provided in proximity to a passenger seat of the aircraft, it being possible for the electrical charging system of the radiocommunication means to be plugged, with a view to the charging thereof, into said electrical supply means.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a disabling means for transmitting inside the aircraft, in the form of electromagnetic waves, transmission prohibition commands to said radiocommunication means.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said disabling means is built into said central unit.