Methods and systems for exchanging information between aircraft

• US 9,515,700 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sampigethaya, Radhakrishna G., Mitchell, Timothy M., Kumar, Anil L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Borroto, Alfonso Perez
• Application Number:
  US13/587,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20140049099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 307/1, 307/9.1, 370/464, 370/241, 375/222, 375/257, 701/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02

Abstract

Methods and systems for use in exchanging information between aircraft at an airport are provided. The system includes a power system capable of providing power to each of the plurality of vehicles via an electric cable, at least one off-board broadband over power lines (BPL) module coupled to the power system. The at least one off-board BPL module is capable of communicating via the electric cable with an onboard BPL module on each of the plurality of vehicles. The system also includes a network coupled to each of the at least one off-board BPL modules for communicatively coupling each of the at least one off-board BPL modules such that the plurality of vehicles can exchange information via the network.

Claims

1. A system for exchanging information between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, said system comprising:

a power system configured to provide power to the first vehicle and the second vehicle via respective electric cables; and

at least one off-board broadband over power lines (BPL) module coupled to said power system, said at least one off-board BPL module configured to;

communicate via the respective electric cables with an onboard BPL module on each of the first vehicle and the second vehicle,

establish a BPL communication link between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

receive information from the first vehicle; and

transmit the received information to the second vehicle.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a network coupled to each of said at least one off-board BPL modules for communicatively coupling each of said at least one off-board BPL modules to facilitate exchange of information between the first vehicle and the second vehicle via said network.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a server coupled to said network.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one off-board BPL module is configured to communicate in a point-to-point configuration.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one off-board BPL module is configured to communicate in a point-to-multipoint configuration.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one off-board BPL module is configured in a multicast configuration.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one off-board BPL module is configured in a store-and-forward configuration.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said at least one off-board BPL modules is coupled to a display and a user interface device.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein each of said at least one off-board BPL modules is configured to require user authentication.

10. A first aircraft comprising an onboard BPL module configured to:

communicatively couple with an off-board BPL module via an electric cable configured to provide electric power to said first aircraft;

initiate communication with the off-board BPL module; and

exchange information with a second aircraft via a BPL communication link established between said first aircraft and said second aircraft by the off-board BPL module.

11. A first aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein said onboard BPL module is further configured to initiate communication with the off-board BPL module after receiving a user input.

12. A first aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein the off-board BPL module is configured to communicate in a point-to-point configuration.

13. A first aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein the off-board BPL module is configured to communicate in a point-to-multipoint configuration.

14. A first aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein the off-board BPL module is configured in a multicast configuration.

15. A first aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein the off-board BPL module is configured in a store-and-forward configuration.

16. A method comprising:

providing a power network configured to provide power to one or more aircraft;

providing a communications network;

coupling at least one off-board BPL module to the power network and the communications network;

coupling a first aircraft to the power network using a first electric cable, the first aircraft having a first onboard BPL module;

initiating, using the first onboard BPL module, communication with the at least one off-board BPL module via the first electric cable;

establishing a BPL communication link between the first onboard BPL module and a second onboard BPL module on a second aircraft using the at least one off-board BPL module; and

receiving information from the first aircraft; and

transmitting the received information to the second aircraft via the BPL communication link.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising coupling the second aircraft to the power network using a second electric cable, the second aircraft having a second onboard BPL module.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising exchanging information between the first aircraft and the second aircraft using the communications network.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein exchanging information comprises exchanging at least one of software and data of at least one of in-flight entertainment systems, avionics systems, flight control systems, flight bag, and cabin systems.