System for customizing electronic services for delivery to a passenger in an airborne wireless cellular network

• US 8,068,829 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gogo Business Aviation LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gogo LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: Targosz, Kenneth, Lemond, Eric, Cruz, Joseph M., Sladky, Dennis G., Moffatt, Michael A., Weigman, Thomas E., Dunham, Richard Clay, Lauer, Bryan A., Chari, Anand K.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US12/021,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/65, 705/5, 705/34, 705/14, 455/412.1, 455/456, 455/456.3, 455/430, 455/431, 455/414.1, 455/425, 701/1, 701/201, 395/205, 709/206, 235/384, 235/492
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

The Customized Electronic Services Delivery System provides customized electronic services to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft by storing data indicative of a plurality of electronic services that are available to passengers who are located onboard an aircraft, as well as data indicative of preferences of passengers for the plurality of electronic services. Once a correspondence is made between the electronic services and an identified passenger, the Customized Electronic Services Delivery System advises the passenger of the availability of the customized services and establishes wireless communications between the passenger'"'"'s electronic device and the selected electronic service. The electronic services include in-flight entertainment services as well as destination-based services which link the passenger'"'"'s existing travel plans with offers for additional services that are available to the passenger at their nominal destination and their planned travel schedule.

Claims

1. A system for providing customized destination-based services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

a passenger database for storing data which indicates the identity of each of a plurality of passengers who are located onboard an aircraft and data indicative of a final destination for individual passengers;

a passenger preference database for storing data indicative of preferences of passengers for said plurality of destination-based services;

a destination-based service management system for autonomously initiating offers to passengers for reservations for at least one destination-based service, comprising;

an autonomous passenger selection process, responsive to said data stored in said passenger database, for selecting one of said passengers for receipt of an offer of destination-based services,

a service selection process for automatically associating at least one passenger-preferred destination-based service with an identified passenger based on said stored data to identify at least one destination-based service selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination that is likely to be of interest to the selected passenger,

an offer generator for generating an offer of said identified destination-based service for said selected passenger,

a service push service management system for transmitting said offer to said identified passenger via their wireless electronic device;

a link, responsive to said passenger selecting a one of said destination-based services, for establishing wireless communications between said passenger wireless electronic device and said destination-based service management system to enable said passenger to purchase said selected destination-based service; and

a passenger preference update manager responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for updating data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

2. The system for providing customized destination-based services of claim 1 further comprising:

a login server, responsive to said passenger activating their wireless electronic device, for confirming authorization of said passenger to access said destination-based service management system.

3. The system for providing customized destination-based services of claim 1 further comprising:

a reservation server, responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for transmitting a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

4. The system for providing customized destination-based services of claim 3 further comprising:

a passenger preference update manager responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for updating data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

5. The system for providing customized destination-based services of claim 1 further comprising:

communication services for managing provision of said wireless communications as a function of at least one of media, bandwidth, and class of service.

6. A method of providing customized destination-based services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

storing data in a passenger database which indicates the identity of a plurality of passengers who are located onboard an aircraft and data indicative of a final destination for said individual passenger;

storing passenger preference data indicative of preferences of passengers for said plurality of destination-based services;

operating a destination-based service management system, for autonomously initiating offers to passengers for reservations for at least one destination-based service, comprising;

autonomously selecting a passenger, selecting one of said passengers for receipt of an offer of destination-based services,

automatically associating at least one passenger-preferred destination-based service with an identified passenger based on said stored data to identify at least one destination-based service selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination that is likely to be of interest to the selected passenger,

generating an offer of said identified destination-based service for said selected passenger,

transmitting said offer to said identified passenger via their wireless electronic device;

establishing, in response to said passenger selecting a one of said destination-based services, wireless communications between said passenger wireless electronic device and said destination-based service management system to enable said passenger to purchase said selected destination-based service; and

updating, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

7. The method of providing customized destination-based services of claim 6 further comprising:

confirming, in response to said passenger activating their wireless electronic device, authorization of said passenger to access said destination-based service management system.

8. The method of providing customized destination-based services of claim 6 further comprising:

transmitting, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

9. The method of providing customized destination-based services of claim 8 further comprising:

updating, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

10. The method of providing customized destination-based services of claim 6 further comprising:

managing provision of said wireless communications as a function of at least one of media, bandwidth, and class of service.

11. A system for providing customized destination-based services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

a passenger database for storing data which indicates the identity of each of a plurality of passengers who are located onboard an aircraft and data indicative of a final destination for individual passengers;

a services menu for storing data indicative of destination-based services selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination;

a passenger preference manager for storing data in a passenger preferences database indicative of preferences of said passengers for said destination-based services;

a destination-based service management system for autonomously initiating offers to passengers for reservations for at least one destination-based service, comprising;

mapping for associating a plurality of said passengers who are located onboard an aircraft with said destination-based services to create a passenger-specific mapping of destination-based services for said plurality of passengers,

an offer generator for generating an offer of said identified destination based service for said selected passenger,

a service push service management system for transmitting said offer to said identified passenger via their wireless electronic device;

a link, responsive to a passenger located onboard said aircraft selecting a one of said destination-based services, for establishing wireless communications between said passenger wireless electronic device and said services offer server; and

a passenger preference update responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for updating data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

12. The system for providing customized destination-based services of claim 11 further comprising:

a reservation system, responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for transmitting a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

13. The system for providing customized destination-based services of claim 12 further comprising:

a passenger preference update responsive to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, for updating data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

14. A method of providing customized destination-based services to passengers, equipped with wireless electronic devices, who are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

storing data in a passenger database which indicates the identity of a plurality of passengers who are located onboard an aircraft and data indicative of a final destination for individual passengers;

storing data indicative of destination-based services selected from the class of destination-based services including;

ground transportation, lodging, activities, and dining provided at said destination;

storing data in a passenger preferences database indicative of preferences of said passengers for said destination-based services;

associating a plurality of said passengers who are located onboard an aircraft with said destination-based services to create a passenger-specific mapping of destination-based services for said plurality of passengers;

generating an offer of said identified destination-based service for said selected passenger;

transmitting said offer to said identified passenger via their wireless electronic device; and

establishing, in response to a passenger located onboard said aircraft selecting a one of said destination-based services, wireless communications between said passenger wireless electronic device and said destination-based service management system; and

updating, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.

15. The method of providing customized destination-based services of claim 14 further comprising:

transmitting, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, a receipt for said selected destination-based service to said passenger wireless electronic device.

16. The method of providing customized destination-based services of claim 15 further comprising:

updating, in response to said passenger selecting at least one of said destination-based services, data stored in said passenger preference database to store data indicative of preferences of said individual passenger for said at least one of said destination-based services.