System and method for providing data services on vehicles

A computer-implemented method for providing data communication to and from a vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving, at at least one processor, at least one request for data communication from at least one user on the vehicle;
• identifying, at the at least one processor, a plurality of communication links available at a current location of the vehicle for communication by way at least one communication interfaces established through one or more corresponding proximate signal towers relative to a location of the vehicle;
• and
• forming, at the at least one processor, an adaptive bonded communication link using the plurality of communication links to aggregate throughput across the plurality of communication links for the requested data communication;
• wherein the adaptive bonded communication link is configured to adapt to data communication requirements for the requested data communication and to data communication characteristics of the plurality of communication links as the vehicle moves along a path on which the system connects to communication links through corresponding proximate signal towers, each signal tower of the corresponding proximate signal towers associated with a corresponding carrier having a corresponding set of carrier networking policies governing data communication across the corresponding proximate signal tower;
• wherein the adaptive bonded communication link, responsive to the one or more requests for data communication, communicates transcoded or transformed data that is transcoded or transformed in accordance with the data communication requirements, the corresponding set of carrier networking policies, and the data communication characteristics;
• and
• wherein said adapting of the adaptive bonded communication link is in real-time or near real-time, and is responsive to at least one of (i) changes in the data communication requirements or (ii) changes in the data communication characteristics of the two or more communication links.

A system for data communication across a plurality of communication links to and from a vehicle, involving at least one mobile device on the vehicle, the system comprising:

• one or more servers, each having a processor and one or more computer readable memories, the one or more servers providing a first utility located on the vehicle and a second utility located remotely from the vehicle;
• at least one of the first and second utilities configured for:
• receiving a request to retrieve electronic data from a data source by at least one mobile device;
• identifying a plurality of communication links available to the vehicle through one or more corresponding proximate signal towers relative to a location of the vehicle;
• forming an adaptive bonded communication link using the plurality of communication links to aggregate throughput across the plurality of communication links for the data communication, wherein the adaptive bonded communication link is configured to adapt to data communication requirements of the at least one user and to data communication characteristics of the plurality of communication links as the vehicle moves along a path on which the system connects to communication links through corresponding proximate signal towers, each signal tower of the corresponding proximate signal towers associated with a corresponding carrier having a corresponding set of carrier networking policies governing data communication across communication links associated with the corresponding proximate signal tower;
• the second utility configured for:
• retrieving the electronic data from the data source;
• transmitting the electronic data in disassembled form through the adaptive bonded communication link to the first utility;
• the first utility configured for:
• transmitting the electronic data to the at least one mobile device;
• wherein the adaptive bonded communication link, responsive to the one or more requests for data communication, communicates transcoded or transformed data that is transcoded or transformed in accordance with the data communication requirements, the corresponding set of carrier networking policies, and the data communication characteristics;
• and
• wherein said adapting of the adaptive bonded communication link is in real-time or near real-time, and is responsive to at least one of (i) changes in the data communication requirements or (ii) changes in the data communication characteristics of the two or more communication links.