Multiband wireless data transmission between aircraft and ground systems based on availability of the ground systems

A system for multiband wireless data transmission between an aircraft and one or more ground systems, the system comprising:

• a first aircraft communication module configured to operate within a first wavelength operating range;
• a second aircraft communication module configured to operate within a second wavelength operating range,
• wherein the second wavelength operating range does not overlap with the first wavelength operating range;
• a communication database comprising availability of ground systems in multiple locations;
• a multiplexer connected to the first aircraft communication module and to the second aircraft communication module,
• wherein the multiplexer is configured to combine RF signals from the first aircraft communication module in the first wavelength operating range and from the second aircraft communication module in the second wavelength operating range;
• and
• a broadband antenna positioned on exterior of the aircraft,
• wherein the broadband antenna is connected to the multiplexer and configured to transmit the RF signals in the first wavelength operating range and the second wavelength operating range.

A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for multiband wireless data transmission between an aircraft and one or more ground systems, the method comprising:

• determining availability of a first ground system;
• receiving a first data set at a first aircraft communication module;
• generating a first radio frequency (RF) signal based on the first data set,
• wherein the first RF signal is generated using the first aircraft communication module, and
• sending the first RF signal to a multiplexer connected to an aircraft broadband antenna positioned on an exterior of the aircraft if the first ground system is available;
• transmitting the first RF signal using the aircraft broadband antenna to the first ground system if the first RF signal is sent to the multiplexer;
• receiving a second data set at a second aircraft communication module;
• generating a second RF signal based on the second data set,
• wherein the second RF signal is generated using a second aircraft communication module,
• sending the second RF signal to the multiplexer;
• and
• transmitting the second RF signal using the aircraft broadband antenna to a second ground system,
• wherein a wavelength range of the first RF signal is different from a wavelength range of the second RF signal.