Method and Apparatus For Data Communication Utilizing The North American Terrestrial System

• US 20070220109A1
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Eric, O'Meara, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,495,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• 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: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enhancing the current data communication capabilities of the North American Terrestrial System (NATS) Network is presented. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an airborne data server (ADS) is added to the airborne architecture of the current NATS Network and a ground data gateway (GDG) is added to the ground-based architecture of the current NATS Network. The ADS functions as a router/gateway connected to many local area networks (LANs) aboard the aircraft. The ADS provides for the automation of data services such as scheduling, routing and translation. The GDG is the central hub for the network and dispatcher of data to customer premises or to the aircraft.

Claims

1-47. -47. (canceled)

48. A method for providing data communications services utilizing a network comprising a first server adapted to be connected to a North American Terrestrial System (NATS) radio set and a second server adapted to be connected to a plurality of ground stations, wherein data packets are exchanged between an application program running on the first server and an application program running on the second server via a wireless connection between the NATS radio set and at least one of the plurality of ground stations, and wherein both the first server and the second server are adapted to transmit data to and receive data from devices outside the network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the first server, data from a first device;

encapsulating the data in accordance with a first protocol; and

sending said encapsulated data to the NATS radio set.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said first protocol is transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the data is analog voice data received via a telephone handset.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the data is aircraft condition monitoring system (ACMS) data received from several sources;

and

further comprising the steps of;

comparing the received ACMS data to predetermined values; and

generating reports summarizing a result of said comparing step.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the data is Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System Management system (ACARS MU) data;

wherein said first device is one of a relay, a switch on an aircraft, and an aircraft bus.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the data is analog voice information;

and

wherein said first device is a telephone handset.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein said first device is one of a general purpose computer and a laptop computer.

55. A method for providing data communications services utilizing a network comprising a first server adapted to be connected to a North American Terrestrial System (NATS) radio set and a second server adapted to be connected to a plurality of ground stations, wherein data packets are exchanged between an application program running on the first server and an application program running on the second server via a wireless connection between the NATS radio set and at least one of the plurality of ground stations, and wherein both the first server and the second server are adapted to transmit data to and receive data from devices outside the network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the NATS radio set, data encapsulated into packets in accordance with a first protocol;

removing said data from said encapsulated packets, if necessary;

storing the data within a memory device adapted to be connected to the first server, if necessary;

encapsulating the data in accordance with a second protocol, if necessary; and

sending one of said received data packets, the data, and said data encapsulated in accordance with said second protocol to a first device.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said first protocol is transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the data is analog voice data received by the NATS radio set via one of a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and an Internet protocol (IP) network;

and

wherein said first device is a telephone handset.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein said first device is one of a general purpose computer and a laptop computer.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the data is flight management system software update information;

and

wherein said first device is a piece of avionics equipment.

60-67. -67. (canceled)

68. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to transmit data from a first device to a second device utilizing a network comprising a first server adapted to be connected to a North American Terrestrial System (NATS) radio set and a second server adapted to be connected to a plurality of ground stations, wherein data packets are exchanged between an application program running on the first server and an application program running on the second server via a wireless connection between the NATS radio set and at least one of the plurality of ground stations, and wherein both the first server and the second server are adapted to transmit data to and receive data from devices outside the network, by performing the steps of:

receiving, at the second server, the data from the first device;

encapsulating the data into packets in accordance with a first protocol using the second server;

determining which one of a plurality of ground stations is currently serving the North American Terrestrial System (NATS) radio set associated with the second device;

sending said data packets to said determined ground station;

transmitting said data packets from said determined ground station to the determined NATS radio set;

sending said data packets from the NATS radio set to the first server;

removing the data from said first protocol encapsulated packets using the first server, if necessary;

encapsulating the data in accordance with a second protocol, using said first server, if necessary; and

sending one of said data packets, the data, and said data encapsulated in accordance with said second protocol from the first server to the second device.

69. The computer-readable medium of claim 68, wherein the second server is a ground data gateway (GDG), wherein the first server is an airborne data server (ADS), and wherein said first protocol is transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 68, wherein the step of transmitting said data packets further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a page message to said determined NATS radio set using both said determined ground station and a predetermined channel, said page message indicating to said determined NATS radio set that said ground station intends to transmit data packets to said determined NATS radio set;

seizing a system channel using said NATS radio set in response to said page message; and

establishing a radio link for transmitting data between said NATS radio set and said determined ground station using said seized system channel.

71. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to provide data communications services utilizing a network comprising a first server adapted to be connected to a North American Terrestrial System (NATS) radio set and a second server adapted to be connected to a plurality of ground stations, wherein data packets are exchanged between an application program running on the first server and an application program running on the second server via a wireless connection between the NATS radio set and at least one of the plurality of ground stations, and wherein both the first server and the second server are adapted to transmit data to and receive data from devices outside the network, by performing the steps of:

receiving, at the first server, data from a first device;

encapsulating the data in accordance with a first protocol; and

sending said encapsulated data to the NATS radio set.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, wherein said first protocol is transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).

73. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to provide data communications services utilizing a network comprising a first server adapted to be connected to a North American Terrestrial System (NATS) radio set and a second server adapted to be connected to a plurality of ground stations, wherein data packets are exchanged between an application program running on the first server and an application program running on the second server via a wireless connection between the NATS radio set and at least one of the plurality of ground stations, and wherein both the first server and the second server are adapted to transmit data to and receive data from devices outside the network, by performing the steps of:

receiving, from the NATS radio set, data encapsulated into packets in accordance with a first protocol;

removing said data from said encapsulated packets, if necessary;

storing the data within a memory device adapted to be connected to the first server, if necessary;

encapsulating the data in accordance with a second protocol, if necessary; and

sending one of said received data packets, the data, and said data encapsulated in accordance with said second protocol to a first device.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 73, wherein the first protocol is a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

76. The computer-readable medium of claim 75, wherein the data is analog voice data recorded via a telephone handset.

74. (canceled)