SYSTEM FOR CREATING AN AIR-TO-GROUND IP TUNNEL IN AN AIRBORNE WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORK TO DIFFERENTIATE INDIVIDUAL PASSENGERS

• US 20110320576A1
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anjum Rashid, Bryan A. Lauer, Jerry Stamatopoulos, Joseph Alan Tobin, Patrick J. Walsh, Steven J. Arntzen
• Original Assignee: Anjum Rashid, Bryan A. Lauer, Jerry Stamatopoulos, Joseph Alan Tobin, Patrick J. Walsh, Steven J. Arntzen
• Inventors: Stamatopoulos, Jerry, Rashid, Anjum, Tobin, Joseph Alan, Walsh, Patrick J., Arntzen, Steven J., Lauer, Bryan A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/083 wherein at least one of the access points is a moving node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• 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

Abstract

The Aircraft Air-To-Ground IP Tunnel System provides wireless communication services to passengers located onboard an aircraft by storing data indicative of the individually identified passenger wireless devices located onboard the aircraft. The Aircraft Air-To-Ground IP Tunnel System assigns a single IP address to each Point-to-Point Protocol link connecting the aircraft network to the ground-based communication network and creates an IP subnet onboard the aircraft. The IP subnet utilizes a plurality of IP addresses for each Point-to-Point link, enabling each passenger wireless device to be uniquely identified with their own IP address. This is enabled since both Point-to-Point Protocol IPCP endpoints have pre-defined IP address pools and/or topology configured, so each Point-to-Point Protocol endpoint can utilize a greater number of IP addresses than one per link. Such an approach does not change IPCP or other EVDO protocols/messaging but allows this address to be directly visible to the ground-based communication network.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A system for providing individual ground-based Access Network IP addresses to a plurality of passenger wireless devices which are located onboard an aircraft when said aircraft is in flight, comprising:

aircraft network, located in an aircraft, for generating radio frequency communication signals to wirelessly communicate, in a bidirectional packet-switched mode, with a plurality of passenger wireless devices located in said aircraft;

ground-based Access Network, having a single IP address, for exchanging communication signals with at least one ground-based packet-switched communication network;

Air-To-Ground network for the bidirectional exchange of packet-switched radio frequency communications on a single physical communication link between said aircraft network and said ground-based Access Network when said aircraft is in flight;

wherein said aircraft network comprises;

IP address assignment for assigning a unique IP address on said aircraft network for each of said passenger wireless devices on the aircraft,

data concentrator, located on said aircraft, for converting the subscriber packet data traffic received from said plurality of passenger wireless devices located in said aircraft to at least one packet-switched aggregate data stream;

wherein said Air-To-Ground network comprises;

IP Tunnel for supporting the unique IP addresses of the passenger wireless devices on said aircraft network in said bidirectional packet-switched radio frequency communications between said aircraft network and said ground-based Access Network when said aircraft is in flight, and

data concentrator for converting the subscriber traffic and signaling channels received from said corresponding ground-based communications network to at least one aggregate data stream for transmission to said aircraft network via said IP Tunnel when said aircraft is in flight.

22. A method for providing individual ground-based Access Network IP addresses to a plurality of passenger wireless devices which are located onboard an aircraft, comprising:

generating in an aircraft network, located in an aircraft, radio frequency communication signals to wirelessly communicate, in a bidirectional packet-switched mode, with a plurality of passenger wireless devices located in said aircraft;

exchanging communication signals in a ground-based Access Network, having a single IP address, with at least one ground-based communication network; and

bidirectionally exchanging packet-switched radio frequency communications on a single physical communication link in an Air-To-Ground network between said aircraft network and said ground-based Access Network when said aircraft is in flight;

wherein said step of generating in an aircraft network comprises;

assigning a unique IP address on said aircraft network for each of said passenger wireless devices on the aircraft,

data concentrating on said aircraft, for converting the subscriber packet data traffic received from said plurality of passenger wireless devices located in said aircraft to at least one packet-switched aggregate data stream; and

wherein said step of exchanging communication signals comprises;

supporting, via an IP Tunnel, the unique IP addresses of the passenger wireless devices on said aircraft network in said bidirectional packet-switched radio frequency communications between said aircraft network and said ground-based Access Network when said aircraft is in flight, and

converting the subscriber traffic and signaling channels received from said corresponding ground-based communications network to at least one aggregate data stream for transmission to said aircraft network via said IP Tunnel when said aircraft is in flight.