Wireless, frequency-agile spread spectrum ground link-based aircraft data communication system with wireless unit in communication therewith

• US 6,745,010 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wright, Thomas H., Ziarno, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/338,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20030100978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/67.1, 455/73, 455/431, 455/66.1, 455/67.11, 340/945, 340/961, 340/971, 340/825.69, 340/539.1, 340/825.72, 340/3.3, 340/3.31, 340/3.32, 375/219, 375/130, 375/200, 375/220, 701/14, 701/35
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0095 Aspects of air-traffic control not provided for in the other subgroups of this main group
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A system and method provides a retrievable record of the flight performance of the aircraft and includes a ground data link unit that obtains flight performance data representative of aircraft flight performance during flight of the aircraft. A spread spectrum transceiver is coupled to a data store and operative to download flight performance data that has been accumulated and stored by the data store over a spread spectrum communication signal. A ground base spread spectrum transceiver receives the spread spectrum communication signal from the aircraft and demodulates the signal to obtain flight performance data. A wireless unit is operative with the ground data link unit. This wireless unit could be for inventory control of products during in-flight servicing of passengers.

Claims

1. A system for entering or retrieving data on an aircraft comprising:

a ground data link unit comprising a data store that stores data relating to the flight performance of an aircraft; and

a hand-held unit operable in the aircraft and comprising an integrated wireless radio for wirelessly communicating data with the ground data link unit, and a data entry and retrieval circuit for entering or retrieving data related to at least one of aircraft contents, passenger data, aircraft departure and arrival, or passenger transactions.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said hand-held unit is operative to maintain inventory control of selected aircraft contents.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said hand-held unit is operative for maintaining passenger data.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said hand-held unit is operative for maintaining data relating to aircraft departure and arrival times.

5. A system for entering or retrieving data on an aircraft comprising:

a ground data link unit comprising a data store that stores data relating to the flight performance of an aircraft, and a transceiver operative for downloading and uploading data over a spread spectrum communications signal; and

a hand-held unit operable in the aircraft and comprising an integrated wireless radio for wirelessly communicating data with the ground data link unit, and a data entry and retrieval circuit for entering or retrieving data related to at least one of aircraft contents, passenger data, aircraft departure and arrival, or passenger transactions.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said spread spectrum communications signal comprises a direct sequence spread spectrum communications signal.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein said spread spectrum communications signal comprises a frequency hopping spread spectrum communications signal.

8. A system according to claim 5, wherein said spread spectrum communications signal comprises a chirp modulated signal.

9. A system according to claim 5, wherein said spread spectrum communications signal comprises a communications signal that is within 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.0 GHz spread spectrum communications bands.

10. A system according to claim 5, wherein said spread spectrum communications signal comprises a communications signal that has been modulated with a forward error correction.

11. A system according to claim 5, wherein said hand-held unit is operative to maintain inventory control of selected aircraft contents.

12. A system according to claim 5, wherein said hand-held unit is operative for maintaining passenger data.

13. A system according to claim 5, wherein said hand-held unit is operative for maintaining data relating to aircraft departure and arrival times.

14. A method for entering or retrieving data on a aircraft comprising the steps of:

storing data relating to the flight performance of an aircraft within a data store of a ground data link unit of the aircraft; and

entering or retrieving data related to at least one of aircraft contents, passenger data, aircraft departure and arrival, or passenger transactions within a hand-held unit operable in the aircraft and that communicates with the ground data link unit via a wireless radio integrated with the hand-held unit.

15. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of maintaining inventory control of selected aircraft contents by entering or deleting data using the hand-held unit.

16. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of maintaining passenger data using the hand-held unit.

17. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of maintaining data relating to aircraft departure and arrival times using the hand-held unit.

18. A method for entering or retrieving data on a aircraft comprising the steps of:

storing data relating to the flight performance of an aircraft within a data store of a ground data link unit of the aircraft, and downloading and uploading data to and from the ground data link unit over a spread spectrum communications signal; and

entering or retrieving data related to at least one of aircraft contents, passenger data, aircraft departure and arrival, or passenger transactions within a hand-held unit operable in the aircraft that communicates with the ground data link unit via a wireless radio integral to the hand-held unit.

19. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of downloading and uploading data over a direct sequence spread spectrum communications signal.

20. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of downloading and uploading data over a frequency hopping spread spectrum communications signal.

21. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of downloading and uploading data over a chirp modulated spread spectrum communications signal.

22. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of downloading and uploading data over a spread spectrum communications signal that is within 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.0 GHz spread spectrum communication bands.

23. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of downloading and uploading data over a spread spectrum communications signal that is modulated with forward error correction.

24. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of maintaining inventory control of selected aircraft contents by entering or deleting data using the hand-held unit.

25. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of maintaining passenger data using the hand-held unit.

26. A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of maintaining data relating to aircraft departure and arrival times using the hand-held unit.