Short messaging method and system for airborne passengers
AssigneeCingular Wireless II, LLC
InventorsIoan Leuca, Wen-Ping Ying
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air-to-ground telecommunications system allows callers to store messages on an aircraft data server when sufficient air-to-ground communication bandwidth is unavailable for transmitting a call. The system allows aircraft callers to leave voice, fax, e-mail or other data messages. The messages are stored on the aircraft until sufficient bandwidth becomes available for transmission to the ground. Transmitting messages requires shorter air time and more efficient bandwidth usage because messages do not require a high degree of interaction between parties. The messages can also be compressed before transmission for further efficiently using aircraft-to-ground bandwidth.
Claims39
A method for transmitting a call, comprising:
- receiving a call at a controller located on an aircraft from an originator at a local terminal located on the aircraft, the call being directed to a ground station;
- determining whether sufficient communication bandwidth is available for transmitting the call to the ground station;
- storing a recorded message associated with the call in a memory device located on the aircraft;
- combining the recorded message with at least one other stored message into a message file in the memory device located on the aircraft;
- and
- transmitting the message file to the ground station when sufficient bandwidth becomes available for transmitting the message file.
A communications system, comprising:
- a plurality of local terminal units located on an aircraft;
- a transmitter configured to communicate with a ground station;
- a control unit located on the aircraft and coupled to the local terminal units, the control unit receiving a call from an originator at one of the plurality of local terminal units and determining whether communication bandwidth is available for transmitting the call;
- a memory device, located on the aircraft and coupled to the control unit, configured to store a message associated with the call when transmitter communication bandwidth is unavailable;
- and
- the control unit combining the message with at least one other stored message into a message file and the control unit cooperating with the transmitter to transmit the message file to the ground station.
A method for transmitting a call, the method comprising:
- receiving a message at a controller located on an aircraft from an originator at a local terminal located on the aircraft, the message being directed to a ground station;
- storing the received message in a memory device located on the aircraft;
- combining the received message with at least one stored message into a combined message in the memory device located on the aircraft;
- and
- transmitting the combined message to the ground station.
A communication system, comprising:
- at least one local terminal unit located on an aircraft;
- a memory device, located on the aircraft;
- a control unit located on the aircraft and coupled to the at least one local terminal unit and the memory device, the control unit configured to receive a call from a call originator and combine a message associated with the call with a previously stored message;
- and
- a transmitter configured to transmit the combined message to a ground station.
A method of transmitting a message from an aircraft to a ground station, comprising:
- accepting a call from a passenger;
- combining the call with at least one previously accepted call in a memory located on the aircraft to produce a combined call;
- and
- transmitting the combined call to the ground station.
A method for transmitting a call, comprising:
- receiving a call at a controller located on an aircraft from an originator at a local terminal located on the aircraft, the call being directed to a recipient not on the aircraft;
- storing the received call in a memory device located on the aircraft;
- and
- transmitting the stored call with at least one other previously stored call during a single communication session to a ground station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.