Aircraft communications system and related method for communicating between portable wireless communications device and ground
First Claim
1. An aircraft communications system comprising:
- at least one portable wireless communications device positioned within the aircraft, including a transceiver for transmitting and receiving wireless communications signals;
a wireless local area network (LAN) access point positioned within the aircraft that receives and transmits wireless communications signals with the at least one portable wireless communications device;
a control panel operatively connected to the wireless LAN access point and positioned within the flight deck of the aircraft and controlled by a flight deck crew wherein said wireless LAN access point is integrated within said control panel; and
a communications transceiver operative with the control panel and wireless LAN access point and operative for receiving and transmitting a communications signal between the wireless LAN access point and a ground based transceiver, wherein said control panel further comprises an aural or visual alert circuit operative to indicate that a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device is transmitting a signal to the wireless LAN access point and desires communication with a crew member of the flight deck and a push-to-talk circuit operative for initiating communication between a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device and flight deck, wherein communications between the at least one portable wireless communications device and ground based transceiver through the wireless LAN access point is actuated after activation of the visual alert circuit and push-to-talk circuit at the control panel within the flight deck.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft communications system includes a wireless local area network (LAN) access point positioned within the aircraft that receives and transmits wireless communications to and from at least one portable wireless communications device. A control panel is operatively connected to the wireless LAN access point and positioned within the flight deck of the aircraft. A communications transceiver is operative with the control panel and wireless LAN access point and operative for receiving and transmitting a communications signal between the wireless LAN access point and a ground-based transceiver. Communications between the portable wireless communications device and ground-based transceiver can be controlled from the flight deck using the control panel in one non-limiting example.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An aircraft communications system comprising:
- at least one portable wireless communications device positioned within the aircraft, including a transceiver for transmitting and receiving wireless communications signals;
a wireless local area network (LAN) access point positioned within the aircraft that receives and transmits wireless communications signals with the at least one portable wireless communications device;
a control panel operatively connected to the wireless LAN access point and positioned within the flight deck of the aircraft and controlled by a flight deck crew wherein said wireless LAN access point is integrated within said control panel; and
a communications transceiver operative with the control panel and wireless LAN access point and operative for receiving and transmitting a communications signal between the wireless LAN access point and a ground based transceiver, wherein said control panel further comprises an aural or visual alert circuit operative to indicate that a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device is transmitting a signal to the wireless LAN access point and desires communication with a crew member of the flight deck and a push-to-talk circuit operative for initiating communication between a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device and flight deck, wherein communications between the at least one portable wireless communications device and ground based transceiver through the wireless LAN access point is actuated after activation of the visual alert circuit and push-to-talk circuit at the control panel within the flight deck. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- at least one portable wireless communications device positioned within the aircraft, including a transceiver for transmitting and receiving wireless communications signals;
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14. An aircraft communications system comprising:
- a wireless local area network (LAN) access point positioned within the aircraft that is adapted to receive and transmit wireless communications signals with at least one portable wireless communications device;
a control panel operatively connected to the wireless LAN access point and positioned within the flight deck of the aircraft and controlled by a flight deck crew wherein wireless LAN access point is integrated within said control panel; and
a communications transceiver operative with the control panel and wireless LAN access point and operative for receiving and transmitting a communications signal between the wireless LAN access point and a ground-based transceiver for allowing air-to-ground communications, wherein said control panel further comprises an aural or visual alert circuit operative to indicate that a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device is transmitting a signal to the wireless LAN access point and desires communication with a crew member of the flight deck and a push-to-talk circuit operative for initiating communication between a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device and flight deck, wherein communications between the at least one portable wireless communications device and ground based transceiver through the wireless LAN access point is actuated after activation of the visual alert circuit and push-to-talk circuit at the control panel within the flight deck. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- a wireless local area network (LAN) access point positioned within the aircraft that is adapted to receive and transmit wireless communications signals with at least one portable wireless communications device;
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24. A method of communicating between an aircraft and ground, which comprises:
- transmitting a communications signal between a wireless local area network (LAN) access point positioned within the aircraft and at least one portable wireless communications device positioned within the aircraft;
transmitting the communications signal between a ground-based communications transceiver and a communications transceiver on the aircraft that is operatively connected to the wireless LAN access point; and
controlling the communications signals to and from the portable wireless communications device and the ground-based transceiver and the communications transceiver on the aircraft through a control panel located in the flight deck that includes the wireless LAN access point integrated therein, wherein said control panel further comprises an aural or visual alert circuit operative to indicate that a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device is transmitting a signal to the wireless LAN access point and desires communication with a crew member of the flight deck and a push-to-talk circuit operative for initiating communication between a user of the at least one portable wireless communications device and flight deck, wherein communications between the at least one portable wireless communications device and ground based transceiver through the wireless LAN access point is actuated after activation of the visual alert circuit and push-to-talk circuit at the control panel within the flight deck. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
- transmitting a communications signal between a wireless local area network (LAN) access point positioned within the aircraft and at least one portable wireless communications device positioned within the aircraft;
Specification