# US 2020/0396602 A1 · Aircraft interface device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0396602 A1 - Document ID: US20200396602A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/008,488 - Filed: 2020-08-31 - Published: 2020-12-17 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-27 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Steven J. Avila; Antonio Sanchez; John P. Baron; Daniel J. Ellis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200396602A1 ## CPC - H04W 12/033: of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic - B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments - B64D 45/00: Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - G06F 1/266: {Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips} - G06F 1/28: Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision - G06F 13/4022: {using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network (G06F13/4009 takes precedence)} - H04L 9/0662: {with particular pseudorandom sequence generator} - H04L 9/0877: {using additional device, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard, USB or hardware security module [HSM]} - H04L 9/0897: {involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB} - H04L 12/4625: {Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge} - H04L 63/0209: {Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones} - H04W 12/088: using filters or firewalls - H04W 12/72: Subscriber identity - B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 2209/80: Wireless - H04L 2209/84: Vehicles - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 8/18: Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data - 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) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract An aircraft interface device comprising two or more data interface devices, an external data transceiver, a power module, a domain switch, and a controller is disclosed. The two or more data interface devices communicate data, the external data transceiver communicate to an external communication device, and the power module provides power to the two or more data interface devices and the external data transceiver. The two or more data interface devices comprise a first data interface device that communicates with avionics equipment when the first data interface device is powered and a second data interface device that communicates with non-avionics equipment when the second data interface device is powered. The domain switch selectively provides power from the power module to at least one of the two or more data interface devices. The controller provides a data communication path between the selectively powered data interface device and the external data transceiver for the external communication device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft interface device (AID) configured for deployment on an aircraft, the AID comprising: two or more data interface devices configured to communicate data; an external data transceiver configured to communicate to an external communication device; a power module configured to provide power to the two or more data interface devices and the external data transceiver, wherein the two or more data interface devices comprise: a first data interface device configured to communicate with avionics equipment when the first data interface device is powered; and a second data interface device configured to communicate with non-avionics equipment when the second data interface device is powered; a domain switch in signal communication between the power module and each of the two or more data interface devices and configured to selectively provide power from the power module to at least one of the two or more data interface devices; and a controller in signal communication between the two or more data interface devices and the external data transceiver and configured to provide a data communication path between the selectively powered data interface device and the external data transceiver for the external communication device, wherein: data from the avionics equipment is physically isolated on the data communication path when the first data interface device is powered and the second data interface device is unpowered; and data from the non-avionics equipment is physically isolated on the data communication path when the second data interface device is powered and the first data interface device is unpowered. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The AID of claim 1, wherein: the avionics equipment is configured to provide the data from the avionics equipment that includes aircraft control and aircraft information data; and the non-avionics equipment is configured to provide the data from the non-avionics equipment that includes at least one of (1) broadband Internet access and (2) passenger information and entertainment data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The AID of claim 2, wherein: the aircraft control and aircraft information data is physically isolated on the data communication path when the first data interface device is powered and the second data interface device is unpowered; the at least one of (1) the broadband Internet access and (2) the passenger information and entertainment data is physically isolated on the data communication path when the second data interface device is powered and the first data interface device is unpowered; and the controller comprises a processor that is configured to run one or more virtual machines, wherein a first virtual machine is configured to process the data from the avionics equipment and a second virtual machine is configured to process the data from the non-avionics equipment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The AID of claim 2, wherein: the aircraft control and aircraft information data is physically isolated on the data communication path when the first data interface device is powered and the second data interface device is unpowered; the at least one of (1) the broadband Internet access and (2) the passenger information and entertainment data is physically isolated on the data communication path when the second data interface device is powered and the first data interface device is unpowered; and the controller comprises a processor and a computer-readable medium, wherein: the computer-readable medium is configured to store software instructions that when executed by the processor causes software containerization; and the processor is configured to process the data from the avionics equipment and the data from the non-avionics equipment while physically isolating the aircraft control and aircraft information data from the at least one of (1) the broadband Internet access and (2) the passenger information and entertainment data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The AID of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to: enable the external communication device to communicate data to the avionics equipment via the data communication path when the first data interface device is powered; and enable the avionics equipment to communicate flight information to the external communication device via the data communication path when the first data interface device is powered. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The AID of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to enable a hosted application on the external communication device to communicate data to the avionics equipment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The AID of claim 2, wherein: the controller comprises a processor and a computer-readable medium; and the controller is configured to host applications. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The AID of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to enable a hosted application on the controller to communicate data to the external communication device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The AID of claim 7, wherein the controller comprises a trusted platform module (TPM) configured to secure the AID through integrated cryptographic keys. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The AID of claim 2, wherein: the external data transceiver comprises a wireless data transceiver configured to provide a secure wireless communication network for the external communication device; and the wireless data transceiver is a Wi-Fi data transceiver, Bluetooth data transceiver, near-field communication (NFC) data transceiver, or Internet of Things (IoT) technology transceiver, wherein the IoT transceiver comprises an IoT protocol utilizing IEEE 802.15.4. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The AID of claim 10, wherein the secure wireless communication network is a virtual private network (VPN) configured to communicate with one or more communication end points. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The AID of claim 10, wherein the external communication device comprises one or more wireless smart devices configured to communicate with the wireless data transceiver via the secure wireless communication network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The AID of claim 12, further comprising: a cellular transceiver comprising a second secure wireless communication network configured to communicate between the one or more wireless smart devices and an external cellular device; wherein the second secure wireless communication network is configured to communicate application software comprising at least one of business and flight operations to at least one of (1) the one or more wireless smart devices and (2) the avionics equipment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The AID of claim 13, wherein the cellular transceiver comprises a 3G cellular transceiver, 4G cellular transceiver, or 5G cellular transceiver. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The AID of claim 14, wherein the cellular transceiver comprises a subscriber identification module (SIM) configured to securely store a subscriber identity of a user of the external communication device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The AID of claim 15, wherein: the SIM comprises cellular service data; and the cellular transceiver is configured to automatically switch between a plurality of cellular service providers based on a location of the aircraft such that the external communication device appears as a local device on a cellular network of a corresponding cellular service provider from the plurality of cellular service providers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The AID of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to: enable communication between the wireless data transceiver and a first access point at a first terminal from a plurality of terminals at an airport; perform a handoff method when the aircraft is taxiing between the plurality of terminals, wherein each terminal includes a corresponding access point; and enable communication with the external cellular device if the aircraft is between the plurality of terminals and out of range of the corresponding access points. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The AID of claim 10, wherein the wireless data transceiver is configured to utilize dynamic frequency selection (DFS) and transmit power control (TPC) based on IEEE 802.11h. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The AID of claim 1, wherein the power module is configured to provide power to at least one of (1) the two or more data interface devices and (2) the external data transceiver via an Ethernet connection. ### Claim 20 An aircraft comprising: avionics equipment comprising a flight management system (FMS) and electronic engine controllers (EECs); non-avionics equipment; an aircraft interface device (AID) comprising: two or more data interface devices configured to communicate data; an external data transceiver configured to communicate to an external communication device; a power module configured to provide power to the two or more data interface devices and the external data transceiver, wherein the two or more data interface devices comprise: a first data interface device configured to communicate with the avionics equipment when the first data interface device is powered; and a second data interface device configured to communicate with the non-avionics equipment when the second data interface device is powered; a domain switch in signal communication between the power module and each of the two or more data interface devices and configured to selectively provide power from the power module to at least one of the two or more data interface devices; and a controller in signal communication between the two or more data interface devices and the external data transceiver and configured to provide a data communication path between the selectively powered data interface device and the external data transceiver for the external communication device, wherein: data from the avionics equipment is physically isolated on the data communication path when the first data interface device is powered and the second data interface device is unpowered; and data from the non-avionics equipment is physically isolated on the data communication path when the second data interface device is powered and the first data interface device is unpowered; a power source configured to provide power; and a power source switch coupled between the power source and the power module configured to selectively switch power from the power source to the power module. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The aircraft of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to enable two-way communication between the external communication device and the FMS and EECs.