METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DATA COMMUNICATION UTILIZING THE NORTH AMERICAN TERRESTRIAL SYSTEM

• US 20160211907A1
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Eric A., O'Meara, Michael B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,291,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Data communication capabilities of the North American Terrestrial System (NATS) Network are enhanced. 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. A method, comprising:

based on communication data received from a communication device, determining, by a server comprising a processor, a set of data packets in accordance with an internet protocol; and

directing, by the server, the set of data packets to a radio set device of a terrestrial system network to facilitate a transmission of the set of data packets directly to a ground server of the terrestrial system network via an air-to-ground transmission link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication data comprises voice data and the determining comprises determining a set of voice over internet protocol packets based on an encapsulation of the voice data received from the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device is located within an aircraft and the method further comprises receiving, by the server, the communication data from the communication device via a set of network devices of a local area network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving comprises receiving aircraft condition monitoring system data and the method further comprises:

verifying, by the server, that the aircraft condition monitoring system data satisfies a defined criterion; and

determining, by the server, report data indicative of the verifying.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving comprises receiving aircraft communication addressing and reporting system management unit data from a relay of the aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating, by the server, a transmission of static data to the communication device, wherein the static data is received by the server during a time period that the aircraft is determined to be on the ground.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the time period is a first time period and the method further comprises receiving, by the server, update data indicative of a modification of the static data, wherein the receiving the update data comprises receiving the update data directly from the ground server via a ground-to-air transmission link during a second time period that the aircraft is in flight.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission is a first transmission and the method further comprises, in response to the receiving the update data, facilitating, by the server, a second transmission of the update data to the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the directing, encapsulating, by the server, the set of data packets in a private message format based on identifier information associated with an aircraft in which the server is located.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the directing, encrypting, by the server, the set of data packets to facilitate a secure communication between the radio set device and the ground server.

11. A system, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receiving, from a communication device onboard an aircraft, communication data via a set of network devices of a local area network, and

subsequent to a conversion of the communication data to a set of data packets in accordance with an internet protocol, directing the set of data packets to a radio set device of a terrestrial system network to facilitate a transmission of the set of data packets directly to a ground server of the terrestrial system network via an air-to-ground transmission link.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication data comprises analog voice data and the set of data packets comprise a set of voice over internet protocol packets.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication data comprises request data indicative of a request for content.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the directing comprises directing the set of data packets to the radio set device in response to determining that the content is not stored in an application server coupled to the system.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise facilitating a transmission of static data to the communication device via the local area network, wherein the static data is received during a time period that the aircraft is on the ground.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the time period is a first time period and the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the ground server via a ground-to-air transmission link during a second time period that the aircraft is not on the ground, update data indicative of a change in the static data, and

in response to the receiving the update data, directing the update data to the communication device via the set of network devices of the local area network.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise, prior to the directing, encrypting the set of data packets to facilitate secure communication between the radio set device and the ground server.

18. A computer readable storage device comprising instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

in accordance with an internet protocol, converting communication data received from a communication device to a set of data packets; and

directing the set of data packets to a radio set device of a terrestrial system network to facilitate a transmission of the set of data packets directly to a ground server of the terrestrial system network via an air-to-ground transmission link.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the air-to-ground transmission link employs a digital cellular protocol to facilitate the transmission.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise, prior to the directing, formatting the set of data packets in accordance with a private message format.