Aircraft communications system with network selection controller and associated methods
First Claim
1. A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft, the communications system comprising:
- a ground-based communications network;
a satellite-based communications network;
at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs;
an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with said ground-based communications network;
a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs; and
at least one network selection controller for determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through said air-to-ground transceiver or said satellite receiver based on a needed channel capacity of the data communications to be sent.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a ground-based communications network, and a satellite-based communications network. An access point is in the aircraft for providing a WLAN for data communications with the PEDs. An air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network. A satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs. At least one network selection controller determines whether to send data communications to the PEDs through the air-to-ground transceiver or the satellite receiver.
-
Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft, the communications system comprising:
-
a ground-based communications network; a satellite-based communications network; at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs; an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with said ground-based communications network; a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs; and at least one network selection controller for determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through said air-to-ground transceiver or said satellite receiver based on a needed channel capacity of the data communications to be sent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An aircraft communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft with either a ground-based communications network or a satellite-based communications network, the aircraft communications system comprising:
-
at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs; an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with said ground-based communications network; a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs; and an aircraft-based network selection controller for determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through said air-to-ground transceiver or said satellite receiver based on a needed channel capacity of the data communications to be sent. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for operating a communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft, the communications system comprising a ground-based communications network, a satellite-based communications network, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point, and a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point;
- the method comprising;
operating the air-to-ground transceiver to cooperate with the at least one access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network; operating the satellite receiver to cooperate with the at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs; and determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through the air-to-ground transceiver or the satellite receiver based on a needed channel capacity of the data communications to be sent. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- the method comprising;
-
29. An aircraft communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft with either a ground-based communications network or a satellite-based communications network, the aircraft communications system comprising:
-
at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs; an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with said ground-based communications network; a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs; and an aircraft-based network selection controller for determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through said air-to-ground transceiver or said satellite receiver based on at least one of a received signal strength of the data communications, and a position of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
-
-
32. An aircraft communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft with either a ground-based communications network or a satellite-based communications network, the aircraft communications system comprising:
-
at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs; an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with said ground-based communications network; a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with said at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs; and an aircraft-based network selection controller for determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through said air-to-ground transceiver or said satellite receiver, with at least one of static and dynamic web pages being sent through said satellite-based communications network to the PEDs through said at least one access point. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
-
-
35. A method for operating a communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft, the communications system comprising a ground-based communications network, a satellite-based communications network, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network, and a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs;
- the method comprising;
determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through the air-to-ground transceiver or the satellite receiver, with at least one network selection controller determining to send web pages through the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs through the at least one access point. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
- the method comprising;
-
40. A method for operating a communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft, the communications system comprising a ground-based communications network, a satellite-based communications network, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WEAN) for data communications with the PEDs, an air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network, and a satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs;
- the method comprising;
determining whether to send data communications to the PEDs through the air-to-ground transceiver or the satellite receiver, with at least one network selection controller determining to send requests for web pages from the PEDs through the at least one access point. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
- the method comprising;
Specification