Automated delivery of flight data to aircraft cockpit devices

• US 8,423,009 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Thiru, McGaw, Dan, Reagan, Scott, Abbott, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US11/433,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20070264953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,531 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 455418-420, 455/66.1
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

Flight data and information update files such as electronic charts used by aircraft cockpit devices are automatically installed by a secure, wireless delivery system. A service provider downloads file updates through the Internet to servers at airport locations, within wireless transmission range of aircraft on the ground. A secure wireless link and router transmits the file updates from the server directly to a router on board the aircraft which routes the files to cockpit devices onboard the aircraft. Authentication procedures are used to assure that the cockpit device is authorized to receive the update. The servers are also connected to airport kiosks, where pilots may download the updates onto a media storage device, such as a flash memory card that can be used by the pilots to manually install the updates in the cockpit devices.

Claims

1. A method of automatically delivering electronic file updates used in cockpit devices onboard aircraft, comprising:

storing electronic file updates at a central location under control of a software update service provider, said central location at a site different from a software update distribution site and the file updates including navigational charts, NavData files, weather, notices to airmen (NOTAMs), or combinations thereof;

downloading the electronic file updates to each of a plurality of said distribution sites;

storing the electronic file updates at the distribution sites;

providing information at the distribution sites that identifies the cockpit devices on-board aircraft in landing areas respectively associated with the distribution sites, said information provided to said central location to verify a subscription for update service for a respective device, and verifying that a cockpit device is authorized to receive installation of a file update;

reading the stored file updates and determining whether a version of a stored file update is later than a version of a file update previously installed in one of the cockpit devices;

transferring the read file updates to the cockpit devices using a wireless network over a secure communications link following verification of said subscription, maintaining an electronic record of the read file updates, and periodically transmitting the electronic record to the central location;

detecting when an aircraft comes within a predetermined distance of a ground-based wireless transmitter connected to a network in communication with a server comprised by the distribution site and establishing the secure communications link between the aircraft and the server, the detection including receiving a radio signal on-board the aircraft that originates from the wireless transmitter; and

,

detecting the aircraft, establishing the secure communications link, verifying the subscription, reading the stored file, and transferring the read file updates being performed without human intervention.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the electronic record of the read file updates and periodically transmitting the electronic record to the central location are performed without human intervention.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying that the cockpit device is authorized to receive installation of the file update comprises:

storing a set of identification numbers uniquely identifying each of a plurality of cockpit devices;

reading an identification number carried by the cockpit device on-board the detected aircraft; and

determining if the identification number that has been read is present in the stored set of identification numbers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the file updates to the distribution sites is performed using the internet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure communications link is established in part by a wireless router on-board the aircraft connected to the cockpit devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of maintaining an electronic record includes recording the version of the file update that was read, and a serial number of the cockpit device into which the file update was to be installed.

7. A method comprising:

an onboard wireless router of an aircraft entering an area on the ground within a predetermined distance of a wireless transceiver/router connected to a local area network (LAN), a fixed base operator (FBO) server also being connected to the LAN;

detecting when the aircraft comes within the predetermined distance and establishing a secure communication link between the onboard router and the FBO server via the transceiver/router and the LAN, the detection including receiving a radio signal onboard the aircraft that originates from the wireless transceiver/router;

the FBO server receiving a serial number and data version information of a cockpit device of the aircraft from the onboard router;

the FBO server requesting a service provider server to verify a data subscription for the cockpit device serial number;

the FBO server receiving a validation of an IP address of the FBO server and a subscription status of the cockpit device from a server of the service provider;

the FBO server receiving downloaded subscribed data files for the verified cockpit device serial number from the service provider server, the data files including navigational charts, NavData files, weather, notices to airmen (NOTAMs), or combinations thereof;

the FBO server pushing the downloaded data files or stored data files through the communication link to the onboard router;

the FBO server recording item numbers of the data files pushed to the cockpit device;

the FBO server sending a data report to the service provider server including item numbers of data files that were pushed from the FBO server to the cockpit device; and

detecting the aircraft, establishing the secure communication link, requesting subscription verification, and pushing the downloaded data files or stored data files are performed without human intervention.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein sending the data report is performed without human intervention.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein downloading the subscribed data files is performed using the internet.