Management of mobile networks

• US 7,328,011 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fagan, C. L., Forbes, Ben C., D'Annunzio, Michael A., Phan, Tri M.
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/973,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20050221814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/423, 455/424, 455/427, 455/431, 455/188.1, 455/98, 709/205, 709/206, 709/207, 701/3, 701/29, 701/31, 340/945, 340/963
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

Exemplary methods and systems manage a mobile network. A mobile network node is managed when the node is connected to the network. However, an alarm is not necessarily generated when the node is not connected to the network. A status message is periodically generated and transmitted from the mobile network node to a network control facility. The status message may include any status information regarding the mobile network node as desired. When the status message is indicative of a predetermined condition, an alarm is automatically generated. When no status message is received from the mobile network node, a determination is made whether connectivity exists between the mobile network node and the network. If connectivity does not exist between the mobile network node and the network, then no alarm is generated. If connectivity does exist between the mobile network node and the network, then an alarm is generated.

Claims

1. A method for managing a mobile communications network, the method comprising:

after a predetermined time period, periodically transmitting from a mobile platform a message including attributes and status information indicative of a first plurality of predetermined conditions regarding at least one status category chosen from services that are offered onboard the mobile platform and mobile communications equipment that is installed onboard the mobile platform;

at a ground Station of a mobile communications network, generating a first event when the message is not received by the ground station and connectivity is established between the mobile platform and the ground station;

at the ground station, when the message is not received by the ground station and connectivity with the mobile platform is not established, determining if connectivity with the mobile platform is scheduled;

at the ground station, analyzing the message when the message is received by the ground station;

and at the ground station, generating a plurality of second events responsive to the first plurality of predetermined conditions indicated by the message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically collecting the status information onboard the mobile platform.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting additional information from the mobile platform responsive to a second plurality of predetermined conditions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding status includes information indicative of severity of a detected fault.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the message is not received by the ground station and connectivity with the mobile platform is established, polling the mobile platform for the message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether or not to ignore the message when the message is received.

7. A system for managing a mobile communications network, the system comprising:

a server onboard a mobile platform, the server having a first server component that is configured to periodically generate, after a predetermined time period, a message including attributes and status information indicative of a first plurality of predetermined conditions regarding at least one status category chosen from services that are offered onboard the mobile platform and mobile communications equipment that is installed onboard the mobile platform; and

a network management system disposed at a ground station of a mobile communications network, the network management system including;

a first network management component configured to generate a first event when the message is not received by the ground station and connectivity is established between the mobile platform and the ground station;

a second network management component configured to, when the message is not received by the ground station and connectivity with the mobile platform is not established, determine if connectivity with the mobile platform is scheduled;

a third network management component configured, to analyze the message when the message is received; and

a fourth network management component configured, to generate a plurality of second events responsive to the first plurality of predetermined conditions indicated by the message.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server has a second server component that is configured to automatically collect the status information onboard the mobile platform.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the network management system includes a fourth network management component that is configured to request additional information from the mobile platform responsive to a second plurality of predetermined conditions.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the network management system further includes a sixth network management component configured to, when the message is not received by the ground station and connectivity with the mobile platform is established, poll the mobile platform for the message.