Communications systems for aircraft

• US 6,757,712 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Onair N.V., Onair USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tenzing Communications, Inc. (Veolia Environnement SA)
• Inventors: Lemme, Peter W., Bastian, Fabio, Chan, Philip Seik Poon, Gresham, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/487,752
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/203, 709/230, 709/231, 709/232, 709/234, 709/236, 709/221, 709/249
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00155 Individual entertainment or communication system remote controls therefor, located in or connected to seat components, e.g. to seat back or arm rest
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4028 the transportation system being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A system for permitting passengers on board an aircraft to send and receive electronic data is described. The components of the system on board the aircraft include a server having a plurality of nodes to which computer terminals are attached, as desired. The computer terminals are laptop or palm-top personal computers belonging to the various passengers on board or fixed terminals within the aircraft. The server communicates with a wide variety of different terminals running different operating systems. Each computer terminal is connected to the server via an aircraft network. Server has mass storage which contains a database of WWW pages which can be browsed by passengers using terminals. Server provides a domain name server (DNS) that masquerades as the passenger'"'"'s usual DNS. Server then links the passenger to the appropriate locally stored WWW page. Server also contains storage for e-mail messages. Connected to the server is one or more radios. This permits data to be transferred to base station using communications network. A virtual private network (VPN) connects station to communications service provider networks, web content processor, and via links to the Internet, including access to subscriber ISPs/corporate mail servers and other mail servers. Points of Presence (POP) provide Internet access and e-mail service to subscribers of the service while not on the aircraft. POPs can also be used by communications service provider networks and web content processors as an alternate means to connect to VPN.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting electronic data between a plurality of passenger computer terminals on an aircraft and a terrestrial base station, the method comprising:

automatically changing access settings of at least some of the plurality of passenger computer terminals for accessing and exchanging e-mail, and automatically returning the access settings to a prior condition afterwards;

collecting and storing a plurality of e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals at the base station;

establishing an intermittent wireless link with the base station; and

transmitting the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link between an airborne database and the base station.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the establishing includes establishing one or more wireless links, the wireless links being a satellite link, a cellular telephone link, a microwave link, or a NATS compatible link.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein establishing includes identifying a desired link from a plurality of links based on the availability of each link, the relative cost of each link, or the relative speed of each link.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting includes transmitting data using SMTP, HTTP, POP3 or IMAP protocol.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein establishing includes identifying a desired base station from a plurality of base stations based on a available remaining capacity of the base stations or a least expensive communication route available by the base stations.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a trigger signal indicating e-mail messages stored at the base station await retrieval.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein storing includes storing store e-mail messages transmitted to the aircraft over the wireless link for at least one of the plurality of passengers, despite the one passenger'"'"'s computer terminal not being logged on.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprises dynamically assigning IP addresses to at least some of the plurality of passenger computer terminals for accessing and exchanging e-mail over an Ethernet network, wherein the at least some passenger computer terminals have static IP addresses and wherein Ethernet network properties of the at least some passenger computer terminals remain unchanged.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring system parameters of the aircraft including passenger doors open/closed status, aircraft airborne/landed status, flight cancellation, or extended aircraft waiting while away from a gate, and communicating with the base station for e-mail message transfer based on the system parameters of the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically collecting from each passenger and transmitting to the base station, mail server addresses, user id'"'"'s and passwords and firewall access information from the plurality of passenger computer terminals when each passenger attempts to retrieve e-mail.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically collecting from each passenger e-mail from a mail server logically positioned behind a firewall security measure, without the need for the passenger computer terminal being available.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a predetermined number of levels for a plurality of web pages, and updating changes in web page code for the plurality of web pages without reloading each web page.

13. A system for transmitting electronic data between a terrestrial base station and a plurality of passenger computer terminals coupled to a network on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a database for storing e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals; and

a server secured to the aircraft and coupled to the database and to the plurality of passenger computer terminals via the network, wherein the server and database are configured to collect and store a plurality of e-mail messages from the plurality of passenger computer terminals and configured to establish an intermittent wireless link with the base station to transmit the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link to the base station when the aircraft is in flight and when the server determines to initiate the transmission, wherein the server provides installer software for selective loading to the plurality of passenger computer terminals, wherein the installer software automatically changes access settings of at least some of the plurality of passenger computer terminals for accessing and exchanging e-mail with the server over the network, and automatically returns the access settings to a prior condition afterwards.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the server and database store e-mail messages transmitted to the aircraft over the wireless link for at least one of the plurality of passengers, despite the one passenger'"'"'s computer terminal not being logged into the server over the network.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is configured to employ Intelligent Mail Management (IMM) and to communicate with the plurality of passenger computer terminals under a Point-To-Point (PPP) protocol.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is configured to compress the plurality of e-mail messages before transmission over the wireless link.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is configured to receive from the base station a trigger signal when a predetermined amount of data has been stored by the base station, and in response thereto, to initiate receiving the stored data from the base station.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is configured to monitor a status of a scheduled flight of the aircraft including a beginning and end of the flight, if the flight is cancelled, or if the flight is held away from a gate for an extended period of time, and wherein the server is configured to communicate with the base station for e-mail message transfer based on the flight status of the aircraft.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the server provides a domain name server and automatically receives, and transmits to the base station, mail server addresses, user id'"'"'s and passwords, including applicable firewall access information, from the plurality of passenger computer terminals when each passenger attempts to retrieve e-mail.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the server database includes a plurality of web pages, and wherein the server provides a domain name server and automatically redirects passenger DNS requests to appropriate web pages.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the database includes a plurality of web pages, and wherein the server provides a domain name server that records passenger requested URLs and provides requested URLs to the base station for updating the plurality of web pages in the database.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is configured to permit communications between the plurality of passenger computer terminals aboard the aircraft via the network.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of passenger computer terminals secured to the aircraft and coupled to the network.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the database includes a plurality of video games, compressed format movies or audio files, and wherein the server and database provide the video games, movies or audio files to a plurality of passengers aboard the aircraft via the network.

25. The system of claim 13 wherein the database includes a plurality of web pages, wherein the plurality of web pages lack links to other web pages not stored in the database, and wherein the server and database provide search engine functions to permit the plurality of passenger computer terminals to search and access desired web pages in the plurality of web pages.

26. The system of claim 13 wherein the database includes a plurality of web pages, and wherein the server and database load and update the plurality of web pages under differential management proxy cache operations to load a predetermined number of levels from selected web sites, and to update changes in web page code without reloading each web page.

27. The system of claim 13 wherein the database includes a plurality of web pages, and wherein the server and database update predetermined data in the plurality of web pages via the wireless link, wherein the predetermined data includes share prices, weather updates or news flashes.

28. The system of claim 13 wherein the database includes a plurality of web pages, and wherein web pages in the database are updated by connection with a data loader at the base station, by physical replacement of a mass storage device containing the database, remotely by a wired link, or remotely by the wireless link.

29. The system of claim 13 wherein the base station selectively communicates with an Internet service provider (ISP) or corporate private network to collect data and provide it to the passenger computer terminals via the server.

30. The system of claim 13 wherein the server notifies the base station of pending e-mail messages not received by a computer terminal aboard the aircraft, wherein the computer terminal has an e-mail address, and wherein the base station is configured to store and resend, to the e-mail address, the pending e-mail messages after the aircraft arrives at a destination.

31. The system of claim 13 wherein the server notifies the base station of e-mail messages, from a mail server, that have been received by the computer terminal aboard the aircraft, wherein the computer terminal has an e-mail address, and wherein the base station is configured to contact the mail server for deletion of the e-mail messages that have been received by the computer terminal.

32. A system for transmitting electronic data between a terrestrial base station and a plurality of passenger computer terminals coupled to a network on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a database for storing e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals; and

a server secured to the aircraft and coupled to the database and to the plurality of passenger computer terminals via the network, wherein the server and database are configured to collect and store a plurality of e-mail messages from the plurality of passenger computer terminals and configured to establish an intermittent wireless link with the base station to transmit the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link to the base station when the aircraft is in flight and when the server determines to initiate the transmission, wherein the terminal receives from the base station a first signal indicative of a type of attachment associated with an e-mail message, and wherein the terminal is configured to transmit to the base station a second signal in response to the first signal requesting that the attachment be transmitted from the base station to the server over the wireless link.

33. A system for transmitting electronic data between a terrestrial base station and a plurality of passenger computer terminals coupled to a network on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a database for storing e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals; and

a server secured to the aircraft and coupled to the database and to the plurality of passenger computer terminals via the network, wherein the server and database are configured to collect and store a plurality of e-mail messages from the plurality of passenger computer terminals and configured to establish an intermittent wireless link with the base station to transmit the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link to the base station when the aircraft is in flight and when the server determines to initiate the transmission, wherein the server is configured to monitor system parameters of the aircraft including passenger doors open/closed status and aircraft airborne/landed status, and to communicate with the base station for e-mail message transfer based on the system parameters of the aircraft.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the server determines when to transmit the plurality of e-mail messages based on the amount of time the aircraft has been in flight or an amount of data stored.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the base station stores electronic data to be transmitted from the base station to the server, and the server stores electronic data to be transmitted from the server to the base station, wherein the server and base station communicate with each other intermittently, and wherein the server determines when to transmit the stored data on the basis of the amount of time the aircraft has been in flight or on the basis of an amount of data stored.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the base station is configured to generate a trigger signal between the base station and the server when a predetermined amount of data has been stored by the base station, to initiate transmitting of the stored data to the server.

37. A system for transmitting electronic data between a terrestrial base station and a plurality of passenger computer terminals coupled to a network on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a database for storing e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals; and

a server secured to the aircraft and coupled to the database and to the plurality of passenger computer terminals via the network, wherein the server and database are configured to collect and store a plurality of e-mail messages from the plurality of passenger computer terminals and configured to establish an intermittent wireless link with the base station to transmit the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link to the base station when the aircraft is in flight and when the server determines to initiate the transmission, wherein the server receives from the base station a summary of an attachment associated with an e-mail message and provides a hypertext link for accessing the attachment by a passenger, and wherein the server is configured to receive the attachment over the wireless link if the passenger provides a payment signal.

38. A system for transmitting electronic data between a terrestrial base station and a plurality of passenger computer terminals coupled to a network on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a database for storing e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals; and

a server secured to the aircraft and coupled to the database and to the plurality of passenger computer terminals via the network, wherein the server and database are configured to collect and store a plurality of e-mail messages from the plurality of passenger computer terminals and configured to establish an intermittent wireless link with the base station to transmit the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link to the base station when the aircraft is in flight and when the server determines to initiate the transmission, wherein the server receives from the base station a summary of an attachment and a hypertext link for sending the attachment by a passenger, and wherein the server is configured to send the attachment over the wireless link to the base station if the passenger provides an authorization signal.

39. A method for transmitting electronic data between a plurality of passenger computer terminals on an aircraft and a terrestrial base station, the method comprising:

collecting and storing a plurality of e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals at the base station;

establishing an intermittent wireless link with the base station;

transmitting the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link between an airborne database and the base station; and

providing a summary of an attachment associated with an e-mail message and a hypertext link for accessing the attachment, and receiving the attachment over the wireless link if a passenger provides a payment signal.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the base station transmits at least one of the plurality of e-mail messages to a destination mail server for at least one of the plurality of passengers, despite the one passenger'"'"'s computer terminal not being logged on.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprises dynamically assigning IP addresses to at least some of the plurality of passenger computer terminals for accessing and exchanging e-mail over an Ethernet network.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising automatically collecting from each passenger e-mail from a mail server logically positioned behind a firewall security measure.

43. A system for transmitting electronic data between a terrestrial base station and a plurality of passenger computer terminals coupled to a network on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a database for storing e-mail messages for the plurality of passenger computer terminals; and

a server secured to the aircraft and coupled to the database and to the plurality of passenger computer terminals via the network, wherein the server and database are configured to collect and store a plurality of e-mail messages from the plurality of passenger computer terminals and configured to establish an intermittent wireless link with the base station to transmit the plurality of e-mail messages as a group over the link to the base station when the aircraft is in flight and when the server determines to initiate the transmission wherein the terminal receives from the base station a first signal indicative of whether the data is text, a selected file type, an attachment, or a graphic image, and wherein the terminal is configured to generate a second signal in response to the first signal confirming that the data is to be transmitted from the base station to the terminal.