Methods and systems for vehicle broadband connection to a data network

• US 8,948,934 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Lee, Donald B., Kumar, Anil, Nguyen, Nha Thanh, Mitchel, Timothy McNally
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/606,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5437 Wired telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

Methods and systems for communicating data between a vehicle and a ground-based unit are provided. The method includes communicatively coupling the vehicle to the ground-based unit, initiating a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) link between the vehicle and the ground-based unit when power is supplied to the vehicle, and updating data stored in the vehicle with data received from the ground-based unit.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data between a vehicle and a mobile ground-based unit, said method comprising:

communicatively coupling the vehicle to the mobile ground-based unit;

initiating a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) link between the vehicle and the mobile ground-based unit when power is supplied to the vehicle;

communicatively coupling the mobile ground-based unit to a ground-based network using a communications device configured to communicate data received from the vehicle between the mobile ground-based unit and the ground-based network, wherein the mobile ground-based unit is configured to enable vehicle information exchange to occur with the ground-based network in remote settings without a wired power infrastructure; and

updating data stored in the vehicle with data received from the mobile ground-based unit.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein communicatively coupling the vehicle to the mobile ground-based unit further comprises wirelessly coupling the vehicle to the mobile ground-based unit.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein communicatively coupling the vehicle to the mobile ground-based unit further comprises communicatively coupling an aircraft to the mobile ground-based unit.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein communicatively coupling the vehicle to the mobile ground-based unit further comprises coupling the mobile ground-based unit to a stinger of the aircraft via a stinger.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein updating data further comprises updating data using cached web content that may be later accessed.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein updating data using cached web content further comprises selecting web content to cache based on network demand incurred before the vehicle is coupled to the mobile ground-based unit.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein communicatively coupling the vehicle to the ground-based unit further comprises communicatively coupling the vehicle to a mobile power cart.

8. A mobile ground-based power cart configured to transmit data to a vehicle, said power cart comprising:

a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) module configured to provide data to and receive data from a vehicle, the data transmitted via a power line; and

a communications device communicatively coupled to said BPL module and configured to communicate the data between said power cart and a ground-based network, wherein said power cart is configured to enable vehicle information exchange to occur with the ground-based network in remote settings without a wired power infrastructure.

9. A ground-based power cart in accordance with claim 8, wherein said power cart is configured to provide 400 Hz power to the vehicle via the power line.

10. A ground-based power cart in accordance with claim 8, wherein said BPL module is further configured to wirelessly transmit data to the vehicle when power is supplied from said mobile ground-based power cart to the vehicle.

11. A ground-based power cart in accordance with claim 8, wherein said mobile ground-based power cart is further configured to update data stored in the vehicle with data said mobile ground-based power cart.

12. A ground-based power cart in accordance with claim 8, wherein said mobile ground-based power cart is further configured to update data using cached web content that may be accessed during travel.

13. A ground-based power cart in accordance with claim 8, wherein said communications device is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the ground-based network.

14. A system for communicating between a vehicle and a ground-based network, said system comprising:

a vehicle; and

a mobile ground-based power cart communicatively coupled to said vehicle, said mobile ground-based power cart comprising;

a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) module configured to provide data to and receive data from a vehicle, the data transmitted via a power line; and

a communications device communicatively coupled to said BPL module and configured to communicate the data between said power cart and a ground-based network, wherein said power cart is configured to enable vehicle information exchange to occur with the ground-based network in remote settings without a wired power infrastructure.

15. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said power cart is configured to provide 400 Hz power to said vehicle via the power line.

16. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said BPL module is further configured to wirelessly transmit data to said vehicle when power is supplied from said mobile ground-based power cart to said vehicle.

17. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said mobile ground-based power cart is further configured to update data stored in said vehicle with data from the ground-based unit.

18. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said mobile ground-based power cart is further configured to update data using cached web content that may be accessed during travel.

19. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said communications device is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the ground-based network.