System and method for wirelessly transferring content to and from an aircraft

• US 7,486,960 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Foreman, Bradley, Reed, Dan, Brady, Kenneth A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US11/901,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20080070517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/517, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/3.01, 455/432.1, 455/445, 455/500, 455/508, 455/550.1, 455/466, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/42 for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly transferring content to and from a vehicle, in particular, an aircraft. The content includes, for example, data, voice, video and multimedia, that can be wirelessly exchanged over a wireless communication link between an aircraft and a ground station while the aircraft is at or near a parking gate, or between aircraft. In an example, the system employs long distance metropolitan area technology, such as IEEE Standard 802.16 wireless technology, to increase transfer range. The parameter of the wireless communication link can be adjusted based on, for example, the location of the link. The content can further be provided between the vehicle and ground station based on priorities, such as the available link speed, importance of the information, and/or anticipated connection time between the vehicle and ground station.

Claims

1. A system for delivering content between a vehicle and another entity, the system comprising:

a first communication device, disposed at the vehicle; and

a second communication device, disposed at the entity;

the first and second communication devices employing long distance metropolitan area network technology to establish a link to communicate the content between each other, and further employing a link parameter adjustment mechanism to adjust at least one parameter of the link based on a location of the link;

wherein;

the first communication device comprises a traffic prioritization mechanism to prioritize transfer of the content from the vehicle to the entity in accordance with at least one of available link speed, importance of the information, and anticipated connection time between the first and second communication devices.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the entity is a base station at an airport.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first and second communication devices are operable to exchange identification information pertaining to the vehicle.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

the content is based on the identity of the vehicle.

6. A system for delivering content between a vehicle and another entity, the system comprising:

a first communication device, disposed at the vehicle; and

a second communication device, disposed at the entity;

the first and second communication devices employing long distance metropolitan area network technology to establish a link to communicate the content between each other, and further employing a link parameter adjustment mechanism to adjust at least one parameter of the link based on a location of the link;

wherein;

the second communication device comprises a traffic prioritization mechanism to prioritize transfer of the content from the entity to the vehicle in accordance with at least one of available link speed, importance of the information, and anticipated connection time between the first and second communication devices.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the entity is a base station at an airport.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the first and second communication devices are operable to exchange identification information pertaining to the vehicle.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the content is based on the identity of the vehicle.

11. A system for delivering content, comprising:

at least one base station; and

an operations center, adapted to provide content over a network to the at least one base station;

wherein the base station is disposed at a location with respect to an airport such that the airport is within a wireless transmission range of the base station, is operable to establish a communication link with a vehicle over which to exchange information between the base station and the vehicle, and further employs a link parameter adjustment mechanism to adjust at least one parameter of the communication link based on a location of the communication link;

wherein;

the base station comprises a traffic prioritization mechanism to prioritize transfer of the information from the base station to the vehicle in accordance with at least one of available link speed, importance of the information, and anticipated connection time between the base station and the vehicle.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of said base stations, disposed at respective locations proximate to respective airports within their respective wireless transmission ranges.

13. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the base station and the vehicle are operable to exchange identification information pertaining to the vehicle.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the base station provides the information to the vehicle based on the identity of the vehicle.

15. A method for delivering content between a vehicle and another entity, the method comprising:

providing a first communication device at the vehicle; and

providing a second communication device at the entity;

configuring the first and second communication devices to employ long distance metropolitan area network technology establish a link to communicate the content between each other;

adjusting at least one parameter of the link based on a location of the link; and

prioritizing transfer of the content between the vehicle and the entity in accordance with at least one of available link speed, importance of the information, and anticipated connection time between the first and second communication devices.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the entity is a base station at an airport.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

operating the first and second communication devices to exchange identification information pertaining to the vehicle.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

the content is based on the identity of the vehicle.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

providing content from an operations center over a network to the entity.

21. A method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

providing a plurality of said second communication devices, each disposed at a respective locations proximate to a respective entity within the device'"'"'s respective wireless transmission range.