# US 10,455,384 B2 · Vehicle system and method for indicating available communication channels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,384 B2 - Document ID: US10455384B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/327,638 - Filed: 2014-07-10 - Published: 2016-10-13 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-10 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Robert L. Steed; Larry L. Lewis; Elizabeth A. Riddington - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455384B2 ## CPC - H04W 4/48: for in-vehicle communication - H04B 7/18506: {Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service} - H04B 7/18508: {with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service} - H04M 1/72469: for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - H04W 84/042: {Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems} - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract An aircraft system including an aircraft and an electronic instrument on the aircraft, the electronic instrument including a wireless connectivity interface providing wireless communication over at least one communication channel and a display, wherein the display provides a visual indication of an availability of the communication channel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle system comprising: a vehicle; and an electronic instrument on said vehicle, said electronic instrument comprising: a wireless connectivity interface providing wireless communication over at least a first communication channel over which the wireless communication is transmitted from the wireless connectivity interface and a second communication channel over which the wireless communication is transmitted from the wireless connectivity interface; and a display comprising a visual indication comprising at least a first icon corresponding to the first communication channel and a second icon corresponding to the second communication channel, wherein the first icon has a first state having a first visual appearance being indicative that the first communication channel is not capable of transmitting the wireless communication, a second state having a second visual appearance being indicative that the first communication channel is capable of transmitting the wireless communication but not actually transmitting the wireless communication, and a third state being indicative that the first communication channel is capable of transmitting the wireless communication and actually transmitting the wireless communication, wherein the second visual appearance of the second state is different from the first visual appearance of the first state, and wherein the third visual appearance of the third state is difference from the first visual appearance of the first state and the second visual appearance of the second state, wherein the second icon has a first state having a first visual appearance being indicative that the second communication channel is not capable of transmitting the wireless communication, a second state having a second visual appearance being indicative that the second communication channel is capable of transmitting the wireless communication but not actually transmitting the wireless communication, and a third state being indicative that the second communication channel is capable of transmitting the wireless communication and actually transmitting the wireless communication, wherein the second visual appearance of the second state is different from the first visual appearance of the first state, and wherein the third visual appearance of the third state is difference from the first visual appearance of the first state and the second visual appearance of the second state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is an aircraft that comprises a flight deck, and wherein said electronic instrument is on said flight deck. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said electronic instrument is an electronic flight bag. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said electronic instrument is a flight display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said electronic instrument further comprises a processor and data storage, wherein said processor is in communication with said display, said wireless connectivity interface and said data storage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said electronic instrument further comprises an input device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communication channels comprise at least one of a satellite communication channel, a wireless local area network and a cellular network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communication channels comprise a satellite communication channel, a wireless local area network and a cellular network. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said electronic instrument is a tablet computer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein, in said first state, the corresponding icon is removed from said display. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein, in said second and third states, the corresponding icon is present on said display. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle system of claim 11 wherein said visual appearance is emphasized in said third state relative to said visual appearance in said second state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein the first communication channel is a wireless local area network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle system of claim 13 wherein the second communication channel is a cellular network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein the second communication channel is a cellular network. ### Claim 16 A method for indicating available communication channels on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic instrument comprising a display, said electronic instrument having wireless connectivity over a plurality of communication channels; ascertaining which communication channels of said plurality of communication channels are available, wherein an available communication channel is capable of transmitting wireless communication; ascertaining which communication channels of said plurality of communication channels are in-use, wherein an in-use communication channel is actually transmitting wireless communication; visually indicating on said display which of said communication channels are available and which of said communication channels are unavailable by displaying an icon corresponding to each of said available communication channels and by removing from said display an icon when a communication channel associated therewith becomes unavailable; and visually indicating on said display which of said available communication channels are in-use and which of said available communication channels are not in-use by emphasizing said icons corresponding to each of said in-use communication channels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said plurality of communication channels comprise at least one of a satellite communication channel, a wireless local area network and a cellular network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said plurality of communication channels comprise a satellite communication channel, a wireless local area network and a cellular network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said electronic instrument is an electronic flight bag. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said electronic instrument is a tablet computer. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for indicating available communication channels on a vehicle, wherein when executed by an electronic instrument having at least one processor, a display, and wireless connectivity over a plurality of communication channels, the computer-executable instructions cause the electronic instrument to: ascertain which communication channels of said plurality of communication channels are available, wherein an available communication channel is capable of transmitting wireless communication; ascertain which communication channels of said plurality of communication channels are in-use, wherein an in-use communication channel is actually transmitting wireless communication; visually indicate on said display which of said communication channels are available and which of said communications channels are unavailable by displaying an icon corresponding to each of said available communication channels and by removing from said display an icon when a communication channel associated therewith becomes unavailable; and visually indicate on said display which of said available communication channels are in-use and which of said available communication channels are not in-use by emphasizing said icons corresponding to each of said in-use communication channels. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein the computer-executable instructions further causes the electronic instrument to remove from said display an icon when a communication channel associated therewith becomes unavailable.