Wireless ground link-based aircraft data communication system with roaming feature

• US 8,351,926 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wright, Thomas H., Ziarno, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US11/763,650
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A flight information communication system has a plurality of RF direct sequence spread spectrum ground data links that link respective aircraft-resident subsystems, in each of which a copy of its flight performance data is stored, with airport-located subsystems. The airport-located subsystems are coupled by way communication paths, such as land line telephone links, to a remote flight operations control center. At the flight operations control center, flight performance data downlinked from plural aircraft parked at different airports is analyzed. In addition, the flight control center may be employed to direct the uploading of in-flight data files, such as audio, video and navigation files from the airport-located subsystems to the aircraft.

Claims

1. A system for providing information to an aircraft comprising:

an aircraft-based RF receiver disposed within said aircraft;

an aircraft-located data store coupled to said aircraft-based RF receiver,

a ground-based RF transmitter; and

a ground-based server/archive coupled to said ground-based RF transmitter and containing information to be uploaded to the aircraft, said ground-based RF transmitter receiving said information from said server/archive and transmitting said information over a wireless RF communications link to the aircraft after the aircraft has landed at an airport, said aircraft-based RF receiver receiving said information and storing said information in said aircraft-located data store.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises flight navigation information.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises a navigation database associated with the flight plan of the aircraft.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises video files.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises audio files.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises flight control data.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless RF communications link is a spread spectrum communications link.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft-located data store is coupled to a display.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless RF communications link operates in an unlicensed frequency band.

10. The system according to claim 1, including an aircraft-based RF transmitter coupled to the aircraft-located data store, and

wherein said ground-based RF transmitter transmits a probe message to the aircraft-based RF receiver on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels, and

wherein said aircraft-based RF transmitter transmits a response to the probe message on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels providing an indication of signal quality on said at least one preselected radio-frequency channel.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ground-based RF transmitter further comprises a pair of spatially separated antennas.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ground-based RF transmitter further comprises a pair of orthogonally polarized antennas.

13. A method for providing information to an aircraft comprising:

coupling an aircraft-located data store to an aircraft-based RF receiver,

uploading information from a ground-based server/archive over a wireless RF communications link to the aircraft-based RF receiver after the aircraft has landed at an airport, and

storing said information in said aircraft-located data store.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising uploading flight navigation information.

15. The method according to claim 13, comprising uploading a navigation database associated with the flight plan of the aircraft.

16. The method according to claim 13, comprising uploading video files.

17. The method according to claim 13, comprising uploading audio files.

18. The method according to claim 13, comprising uploading flight control data.

19. The method according to claim 13, comprising utilizing spread spectrum communications for the wireless RF communications link.

20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising coupling a display to said aircraft-located data store.

21. The method according to claim 13, further comprising determining an optimal operating frequency for the wireless RF communications link utilizing a frequency management system and automatically changing to a better quality frequency when the determined operating frequency suffers an impairment.

22. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a probe message on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels;

selecting desired preselected radio-frequency channels and dynamically assigning such preselected radio-frequency channels based upon the signal quality on said at least one preselected radio-frequency channel; and

wherein uploading information over a wireless RF communications link comprises uploading such information in the selected radio-frequency channel after the aircraft has landed at an airport.

23. A method for providing information to an aircraft comprising:

coupling an aircraft-located data store to an aircraft-based RF transceiver;

transmitting a probe message to the aircraft-based RF transceiver on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels;

transmitting a response to the probe message from the aircraft-based RF transceiver on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels providing an indication of signal quality on said at least one preselected radio-frequency channel;

selecting desired preselected radio-frequency channels and dynamically assigning such preselected radio-frequency channels based upon the quality of available channel links;

uploading information from a ground-based server/archive over a wireless RF communications link in at least one of the assigned preselected radio-frequency channels to the aircraft-based RF transceiver after the aircraft has landed at an airport;

receiving at the aircraft-based RF transceiver the uploaded information on the assigned preselected radio-frequency channel; and

storing said information in said aircraft-located data store.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising selecting a preselected radio-frequency channel based upon the geographic location of the airport.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising changing a selected channel for uploading information to the aircraft-based RF transceiver when a higher quality channel is available for the wireless RF communications link.

26. The method according to claim 23, comprising uploading flight navigation information.

27. The method according to claim 23, comprising uploading a navigation database associated with the flight plan of the aircraft.

28. The method according to claim 23, comprising uploading video files.

29. The method according to claim 23, comprising uploading audio files.

30. The method according to claim 23, comprising uploading flight control data.

31. A system for providing information to an aircraft comprising:

an aircraft-based RF receiver disposed within said aircraft;

an aircraft-located data store coupled to said aircraft-based RF receiver,

a ground-based RF transmitter;

a ground-based server/archive coupled to said ground-based RF transmitter and containing information to be uploaded to the aircraft, said ground-based RF transmitter receiving said information from said server/archive and transmitting said information over a wireless RF communications link to the aircraft after the aircraft has landed at an airport, said aircraft-based RF receiver receiving said information and storing said information in said aircraft-located data store; and

an aircraft-based RF transmitter coupled to the aircraft-located data store, and

wherein said ground-based RF transmitter transmits a probe message to the aircraft-based RF receiver on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels, and

wherein said aircraft-based RF transmitter transmits a response to the probe message on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels providing an indication of signal quality on said at least one preselected radio-frequency channel.

32. A method for providing information to an aircraft comprising:

coupling an aircraft-located data store to an aircraft-based RF receiver,

uploading information from a ground-based server/archive over a wireless RF communications link to the aircraft-based RF receiver after the aircraft has landed at an airport,

storing said information in said aircraft-located data store; and

determining an optimal operating frequency for the wireless RF communications link utilizing a frequency management system and automatically changing to a better quality frequency when the determined operating frequency suffers an impairment.

33. A method for providing information to an aircraft comprising:

coupling an aircraft-located data store to an aircraft-based RF receiver,

uploading information from a ground-based server/archive over a wireless RF communications link to the aircraft-based RF receiver after the aircraft has landed at an airport,

storing said information in said aircraft-located data store; and

receiving a probe message on at least one of a plurality of preselected radio-frequency channels;

selecting desired preselected radio-frequency channels and dynamically assigning such preselected radio-frequency channels based upon the signal quality on said at least one preselected radio-frequency channel; and

wherein uploading information over a wireless RF communications link comprises uploading such information in the selected radio-frequency channel after the aircraft has landed at an airport.