Voice and SMS communication from a mobile device over IP network and satellite or communication network

• US 9,923,863 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Satcom Direct, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Satcom Direct, Inc.
• Inventors: Bantoft, Ken, Gray, Curt Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisner, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US15/374,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 455427-431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/42 for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for communication system that includes a mobile application (software) installed on a user mobile device, a communications gateway, capable of performing EAP-SIM and/or EAP-AKA WPA2 wireless authentication & authorization, a Ground-based gateway, capable of proxying RADIUS messages, handling SIP communications and SMPP (SMS) messaging, and an integrated communications gateway platform (ICP), capable of performing the functions of a BTS, VLR and SIP/SMPP communications router. The systems, devices and methods allows for vehicle passengers, such as aircraft passengers the capability to use their mobile communication devices, such as smart phones and their smart phone numbers to send and receive calls and text messages to remote communication devices anywhere in the world while on the aircraft, wherein the remote communication devices display the phone numbers of the mobile communication devices.

Claims

1. A communication method comprising the steps of:

installing a mobile software application on a mobile user device, the mobile user device having a telephone number;

installing a communications gateway on a transportation vehicle, the communications gateway for providing wireless authentication and authorization for the mobile user device;

providing a ground-based gateway, for proxying messages to and from the mobile user device, handling communications for the mobile user device, and messaging to and from the mobile user device; and

providing an integrated communications gateway for providing functions of a BTS (Base Transceiver System) serving the mobile user device, a VLR (Visitors Location Register) for the mobile user device, and a SIP/SMPP (Session Initiation Protocol/Short Message Peer-to-Peer Protocol) communications router for the mobile user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of installing the communication gateway includes the step of:

providing EAP-SIM (Extensible Authentication Protocol and Subscriber Identity Module) and/or EAP-AKA (Authentication and Key Agreement) Wi-Fi Protected Access 2, as the wireless authentication and authorization.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the Ground-based gateway includes the step of:

proxying RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) messages, handling SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) communications and SMPP (Short Message Peer-to-Peer Protocol) SMS (short message services) messaging.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of installing the communications gateway includes the step of:

providing satellite, air-to-ground and terrestrial communication links.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the step of installing the mobile application comprises the steps of:

providing voice and SMS (short message service) communications to the mobile device;

providing a first registration with a ground based gateway as a SIP and SMPP client to allow VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) and SMS signaling and communication; and

providing a second registration with the Ground based gateway to trigger cellular roaming to provide the mobile User'"'"'s telephone number to the Ground based gateway, which then proxies the registration request to the ICP I(Integrated Communications Platform).

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of installing the communication gateway further comprises the step of:

installing the communication gateway on a mode of transportation for providing WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) Enterprise via at least one of EAP-SIM and EAP-AKA wireless authentication for the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

providing an aircraft as the mode of transportation.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the EAP-SIM and/or EAP-AKA authorization step includes the steps of:

using the SIM (subscriber identity module) information inside the mobile device; and

requesting authorization from the mobile user'"'"'s MO (mobile operator) to confirm a valid subscription for voice, SMS and roaming services.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the ground based gateway includes the step of:

providing a communications proxy or relay, wherein the gateway proxies the authentication from the communications gateway to the ICP.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the ground based gateway includes the step of:

providing an SIP and SMPP gateway for the mobile software application, allowing voice and data to be routed from the ICP to the mobile user device.