Radio-frequency communication system for aircraft

• US 8,294,596 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Lavielle, Isabelle, Le Toullec, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US11/718,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20090027232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,556 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/971, 340/981, 340/985, 340/963, 340/964, 455/431, 455/67.1, 455/67.7, 700/14, 700 17- 18, 700 83- 85
• US Class Current: 340/971
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

Disclosed is to an aircraft radiofrequency communication system. The system includes at least one at least one radiofrequency transceiver device that is configured to transmit and receive data according to a VDL mode 3 standard and to receive status information that relates to at least one radio link of the radiofrequency transceiver device and includes the status concerning the possibility of transmitting on a particular, selected frequency. In one embodiment, a man/machine interface unit is configured to display configuration information and at least a portion of the status information. In an alternative embodiment, at least one radiofrequency transceiver device is configured to further determine status information that represents a possibility of using the radiofrequency transceiver device in transmission.

Claims

1. A radiofrequency communication system for aircraft, comprising:

a plurality of radiofrequency transceiver devices configured to transmit and to receive data according to a VHF Digital Video Link mode 3 standard, as well as to receive status information for radiofrequency communications of said radiofrequency transceiver devices, wherein the status information refers to status information relating to at least one radio link of at least one of the plurality of radiofrequency transceiver devices, with the status information including at least the status of a possibility of transmitting on a selected frequency;

a first man/machine interface unit configured to display at least some configuration information relating to communication capability of said radiofrequency transceiver devices and to display at least some of said status information for the radiofrequency communication of said radiofrequency transceiver devices, wherein configuration information refers to sound only information, data transmission only information and sound and data transmission information; and

a second man/machine interface unit configured to display, at the request of an operator, a synthesis of status information relating to the plurality of said radiofrequency devices.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second man/machine interface units are integrated into one interface unit.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said interface unit is a frequency adjustment device, of the radio management panel type.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second man/machine interface unit is a multipurpose control and display unit.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first man/machine interface unit comprises request device configured to enable an operator to request the possibility of using the at least one radiofrequency transceiver device in transmission.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said request device is a key of said first man/machine interface unit.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an indicator which is associated with the display of the active frequency and which is configured to indicate that the request by the operator to use the at least one radiofrequency transceiver device in transmission has been received by air control.

8. An aircraft, comprising a radiofrequency communication system, wherein the radiofrequency communication system is comprised of:

a plurality of radiofrequency transceiver devices configured to transmit and to receive data according to a VHF Digital Video Link mode 3 standard, as well as to receive status information for radiofrequency communications of said radiofrequency transceiver devices, wherein the status information refers to status information relating to at least one radio link of at least one of the plurality of radiofrequency transceiver devices, with the status information including at least the status of a possibility of transmitting on a selected frequency;

a first man/machine interface unit configured to display at least some configuration information relating to communication capability of said radiofrequency transceiver devices and to display at least some of said status information for the radiofrequency communication of said radiofrequency transceiver devices, wherein configuration information refers to sound only information, data transmission only information and sound and data transmission information; and

a second man/machine interface unit configured to display, at the request of an operator, a synthesis of status information relating to the plurality of said radiofrequency devices.

9. A radiofrequency communication system for aircraft, comprising:

at least one radiofrequency transceiver device configured to transmit and receive data according to a VHF Digital Video Link mode 3 standard and to receive status information representing a frequency transmitted by air control for communicating with said radiofrequency transceiver device, wherein the status information refers to status information relating to at least one radio link of the radiofrequency transceiver device, with the status information including at least the status of a possibility of transmitting on a selected frequency; and

a first man/machine interface unit configured to display at least some configuration information relating to communication capability of said radiofrequency transceiver device and to display at least some of said status information for the radiofrequency communication of said radiofrequency transceiver device, wherein configuration information refers to sound only information, data transmission only information and sound and data transmission information,

wherein;

said first man/machine interface unit is configured to display said at least some configuration information representing said frequency transmitted by air control; and

said first man/machine interface unit comprises frequency selector and frequency activator configured to select and activate said frequency on said radiofrequency transceiver device.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first man/machine interface unit further comprises at least one indicator configured to indicate, if necessary, that said frequency has been provided by data link.

11. A radiofrequency communication system for aircraft, comprising:

at least one radiofrequency transceiver device configured to transmit and receive data according to a VHF Digital Video Link mode 3 standard and to receive status information for a radiofrequency communication of said radiofrequency transceiver device, wherein the status information refers to status information relating to at least one radio link of the radiofrequency transceiver device, with the status information including at least the status of a possibility of transmitting on a selected frequency;

at least one radiofrequency transceiver device configured to determine the status information, wherein the status information further represents a possibility of using the radiofrequency transceiver device in transmission;

at least one warning unit configured to warn an operator of the aircraft when said status information corresponds to a determination of an impossibility of using the radiofrequency transceiver device in transmission; and

a third man/machine interface unit,

wherein;

said at least one warning unit is configured to activate a sound signal and activate a display on said third man/machine interface unit when said status information corresponds to a determination of an impossibility of using the radiofrequency transceiver in transmission, and said at least one warning unit is configured to simultaneously activate said sound signal and the display of said status information.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said third interface unit is an electronic centralized aircraft monitoring device.