Method and apparatus for providing bi-directional data services and live television programming to mobile platforms

• US 8,646,010 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bengeult, Greg A., Harrang, Jeffrey P., Richards, William R., Lynch, Michael G., De La Chapelle, Michael, Martens, Paulus J., Carson, Ronald S., Williams, Richard D. II, Miller, Daniel F., White, Geoffrey O., Fitzsimmons, George, Berkheimer, Russell, Higgins, Robert P., Morrison, Arthur F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US13/176,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20110265128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 725 75- 77, 725 64- 66, 455/12.1, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 725/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2146 located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A system for bi-directional data content transfer between a plurality of mobile platforms, such as aircraft or cruise ships, and a ground-based control segment. The system includes the ground-based control segment, a space segment and a mobile system disposed on each mobile platform. The ground-based control segment includes an antenna which is used to transmit encoded RF signals representative of data content to the space segment. The space segment includes a plurality of satellite transponders, with one of the transponders being designated by the ground-based control segment to transpond the encoded RF signals to the mobile system. The mobile system includes steerable receive and transmit antennas. The receive antenna receives the encoded RF signals from the satellite transponder, which are thereafter decoded, demodulated, D/A converted by a communications subsystem and transmitted to a server. The server filters off that data content not requested by any occupants on the mobile system. A local area network (LAN) receives the remaining data content and provides same to individual users on the mobile platform in accordance with previously submitted programming requests or data input by the users at access stations associated independently with each user. The transmit antenna is used to transmit data content from laptop computers, PDAs or other user electronic devices coupled to the access stations back to the designated satellite transponder. The satellite transponder then transponds the data back to the antenna of the ground-based control segment.

Claims

1. A system for providing data content to a plurality of mobile platforms via at least one satellite having a plurality of radio frequency (RF) transponders, and for transmitting data content from said mobile platforms via said RF transponder to a remotely located control center, comprising:

an independent mobile system associated with each said mobile platform and carried by each said mobile platform;

an antenna system associated with said remotely located control center for transmitting encoded RF signals representative of said data content via one of said RF transponders to said mobile system;

each said mobile system comprising;

an on-board antenna system;

a communications subsystem in communication with said on-board antenna system for generating baseband video signals and data signals from said encoded RF signals received by said on-board antenna system, and for producing encoded signals from data transmissions input by each of a plurality of occupants;

a data content management system for filtering of portions of said data content not addressed to occupants on said mobile platform;

a network for distributing said baseband video signals and said data signals output from said data content management system to said occupants, said network including a plurality of access stations, whereby individual occupants receive only specific subportions of said baseband video signals and said data signals relating to previous information selections made by said occupants; and

said independent mobile system also operating to transmit said signals input by each of said occupants from each of said access stations, via said on-board antenna system of said mobile system and one of said RF transponders, over a return link transmission channel to said remotely located control center; and

wherein said remotely located control center comprises a terrestrial based network operations center (NOC) configured to;

assign specific individual return link transmission channels to each of the mobile systems, to thus form a plurality of point-to-point links over which each said mobile system transmits information to the NOC; and

dynamically manage the individual return link transmission channels using a multiple access protocol to determine which ones of the mobile systems will be assigned to use which one of the plurality of available RF transponders.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said access stations are adapted to be coupled to personal computing devices operated by each of said occupants.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said data content management system comprises a file server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said remotely located control center comprises a ground based control center.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said network comprises a local area network.

6. A system for providing real time video signals to a mobile platform via a satellite having a plurality of radio frequency (RF) transponders, the system comprising:

a ground based system for transmitting RF signals representative of said video signals to said satellite;

a mobile receiving system disposed on said mobile platform comprising;

an antenna for receiving said RF signals from said RF transponder;

an antenna control system for use in steering said antenna to track said satellite as said mobile platform is in motion;

a communications system responsive to signals received by said antenna for generating baseband video signals in accordance therewith;

a data content management system responsive to said communications system for determining which portions of said baseband video signals are to be transmitted to each of a plurality of access stations on said mobile platform for viewing by individuals on said mobile platform; and

a distribution system for routing said portions of said baseband video signals to specific ones of said access stations in response to requests by said occupants, such that each said occupant receives only a portion of said baseband video signals in accordance with said request made by each said occupant; and

wherein said ground based system comprises a network operations center (NOC) configured to;

assign specific individual return link transmission channels to each of the mobile receiving systems, to thus form a plurality of point-to-point links over which each said mobile receiving system transmits information to the NOC; and

dynamically manage the individual return link transmission channels using a multiple access transmission protocol to determine which ones of the mobile receiving systems will use which ones of the plurality of available RF transponders.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said communications system comprises a plurality of integrated receiver/decoders for decoding, demodulating and digital-to-analog converting received RF signals into said baseband video signals.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said data content management system comprises a server.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said baseband video signals represent live television signals.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said baseband video signals represent direct broadcast television signals.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein said network operations center is configured to manage accounting and billing operations associated with access to the system by each said user.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein said NOC operates to transmit encoded data signals to said RF transponder of said satellite;

and

wherein said communications system operates to de-modulate and D/A convert said RF signals to produce said baseband data signals.

13. A system for supplying a plurality of channels of data content to a plurality of independent mobile platforms, wherein each said mobile platform has a plurality of occupants, and for receiving data content transmitted from said mobile platform by said occupants, said system comprising:

a ground based system for transmitting encoded radio frequency (RF) signals representing said data content;

at least one satellite having a plurality of RF transponders in orbit over a desired geographical coverage area within which said mobile platforms are travelling, for transponding said encoded RF signals;

a mobile receiving system disposed on each said mobile platform, each said mobile system comprising;

an antenna system including a receive antenna for receiving said encoded RF signals from a designated one of said RF transponders, and a transmit antenna for transmitting said data content to a designated one of said RF transponders;

an antenna control system for steering said transmit and receive antennas to track said satellite as said mobile platform is in motion;

a communications system responsive to said encoded RF signals received by said receive antenna for demodulating and decoding said encoded RF signals to produce baseband video signals and data signals;

said communications system including a system for transmitting data content from each of said occupants, via said transmit antenna, to said designated one of said transponders;

a data content management system responsive to said communications system for determining which portions of said baseband video signals and which portions of said data signals are to be transmitted to specific ones of a plurality of access stations on said mobile platform for use by said occupants of said mobile platform; and

a network system for routing said portions of said baseband video signals and said data signals to specific ones of said access stations in response to requests by said occupants, such that each said occupant receives only a requested portion of at least one of said baseband video signals or a requested portion of said data signals; and

wherein said ground based system comprises a terrestrial based network operations center (NOC) configured to;

assign specific individual return link transmission channels to each of the mobile receiving systems, to thus form a plurality of point-to-point links over which each said mobile receiving system transmits information to the NOC; and

dynamically managing the individual return link transmission channels using a multiple access protocol to determine which ones of the mobile receiving systems will be assigned to use which ones of the plurality of RF transponders in forming the plurality of point-to-point links.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said communications system comprises a plurality of integrated receiver/decoders.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said data content management system comprises a server.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a data system for supplying crew information services to said data content management system.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising an air telephone system on board said mobile platform for transmitting data services to at least one ground based voice telephony receiving station within said coverage area.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the return link transmission channels implemented using the multiple access protocol include at least one of:

a code division multiple access protocol;

a frequency division multiple access protocol; and

a time division multiple access protocol.