Broadband internet protocol telephony system

• US 6,980,546 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Purpura, William J., O'Brien, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US09/953,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20030053442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/388, 370/401, 370/316, 370/469, 370/466, 370/217, 370/356, 379/88.13, 379/88.25, 379/88.22, 379/202.01, 379/211.02, 379/265.09, 379/102.05, 379/102.01, 455/430, 455/431, 455/66.1, 455/13.1, 455/98, 455/517, 455/509, 709/217, 709/246, 709/203, 709/219, 709229-230, 340/521, 340/506, 340/533, 348/143, 715/507, 725/76, 342/357.09, 701/1, 701/36
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for providing communication service onboard a remote location where landline and cellular telephone service is unavailable. The method utilizes a communication system that includes an onboard local area network (LAN) having an onboard server, at least one smart communication device operable by an onboard user, and a base station server system having a base station server. The method connects the smart device to the onboard LAN using one of a plurality of input/output (I/O) interfaces, utilizes a wireless communication link and IP telephony to exchange communications between the onboard server and the base station server; and controls data flow within the communication system.

Claims

1. A system for providing communication service onboard a remote location where landline and cellular telephone service is unavailable, said system comprising:

an onboard local area network (LAN) including a plurality of input/output (I/O) interfaces and an onboard server;

at least one smart communication device operable by an onboard user, connected to an IP telephony portal of said onboard server using at least one of said LAN I/O interfaces, said smart device including a processor configured to execute a smart device software package to enable IP telephony functionality of the smart device; and

a base station server system configured to communicate with said onboard LAN utilizing a wireless communication link and Internet Protocol (IP) telephony.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device software package is executable to verify connection of said smart device to said onboard LAN and enable IP telephony functionality of said smart device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device software package is executable to determine whether at least one other smart device is connected to said onboard LAN.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device software package is executable to allow functionality of said smart device using said onboard LAN instead of a cellular type radio frequency link.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device software package is executable to allow communication between a plurality of said smart devices utilizing the onboard LAN.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device software package is executable to allow phone calls to be placed using said smart device by dialing an existing public switched telephone network based telephone number.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said onboard LAN comprises an onboard server database connected to said onboard server, and an onboard server software package, said onboard server configured to execute said onboard server software package.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said smart device is IP telephony enabled, and said onboard server software package is executable to:

monitor whether said IP telephony enabled smart device is connected to said onboard LAN; and

allow the onboard user to register, in said onboard server database, onboard user information including at least one of a smart device telephone number, a smart device configuration setting, a smart device data rate capability, an onboard user availability and an onboard user location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said onboard server software package is executable to monitor attempts by the onboard user to make phone calls from said smart device to an off board destination and provides an information message to the onboard user relating to the attempted call.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said onboard server software package is executable to enable interfacing between said onboard server and said base station server system utilizing said wireless communication link, thereby communicating to said base station server system a current configuration of said onboard LAN and information required to allow said smart device to receive a call from an off board source.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said onboard server software package is executable to track ongoing calls and maintain operation of said onboard LAN.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said onboard LAN comprises an onboard server, and said base station server system comprises a base station server, a base station server database connected to said base station server, and a base station server software package, said base station server configured to execute said base station server software package.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said base station server software package is executable to:

enable interfacing between said base station server system and said onboard server utilizing said wireless communication link; and

route IP telephony calls to an IP telephony gateway.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said base station server software package is executable to:

allow the onboard user to register in said base station server database, onboard user information including at least one of a smart device telephone number, a smart device configuration setting, a smart device data rate capability, an onboard user availability and an onboard user location; and

provide the onboard user information to an off board user of said base station server system.

15. A method for providing communication service on a remote location where landline a cellular telephone service is unavailable, utilizing a communication system including an onboard local area network (LAN) including an onboard server, at least one smart communication device operable by an onboard user, and a base station server system including a base station server, said method comprising:

connecting the smart device to the onboard LAN using one of a plurality of input/output (I/O) interfaces thereby linking the smart device to an onboard server IP telephony portal;

enabling IP telephony functionality of the smart device utilizing a smart device software package;

utilizing a wireless communication link and Internet Protocol (IP) telephony to exchange communications between the onboard server and the base station server; and

controlling communication data flow within the communication system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein connecting the smart device to the onboard LAN comprises connecting the smart device to the onboard LAN utilizing at least one of an Ethernet RJ45 interface, a USB interface, and a wireless interface.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising establishing a high bandwidth connection between the base station server and the Internet.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling communication data flow comprises:

sending a call request from the smart device to the onboard server;

determining whether the call request is a local request; and

determining whether the call request is an off board request.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, if it is determined that the call request was a local request, controlling communication data flow further comprises:

sending a list of other smart devices connected to the onboard LAN to the smart device that initiated the call request;

choosing a smart device to call from the list of connected smart devices;

initiating a call to the chosen smart device; and

establishing communication between the smart device that initiated the call and the chosen smart device utilizing IP telephony.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, if it is determined that the call request is an off board request, controlling communication data flow further comprises:

logging the user onto an IP server; and

determining whether the onboard user desires to receive incoming calls from an off board location.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, if it is determined that the onboard user does not desire to receive incoming calls, controlling communication data flow further comprises allowing outgoing IP telephony calls from the onboard user.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein, if it is determined that the onboard user desires to receive incoming calls from an off board location, controlling communication data flow further comprises:

adding an onboard user phone number to a base station server phone list; and

allowing incoming IP telephony calls to the onboard user from an off board location.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling communication data flow comprises:

attempting to call an onboard user from an off board location;

checking a base station server phone list to determine the availability of desired onboard user phone number; and

allowing incoming IP telephony calls to an onboard user from an off board location.