Communication between vehicles and ground terminals via ground power lines

Abstract

The present application discloses communication between a vehicle and a ground terminal via ground power lines. A method and apparatus are provided for communicating data between a vehicle and a ground terminal over ground power lines. In one example, the first power unit detects a signal indicative of a connection between the first power unit and the remote power unit. In response to detecting the signal, the one or more modems associated with the first power unit automatically establish a data connection with the one or more remote modems associated with the remote power unit. After establishing a connection between the one or more modems in the first power unit and the one or more modems in the remote power unit, the one or more modems in the first power unit communicate with the remote power unit via the power line One or more modems in the exchange data.

Description

technical field [0001] The present disclosure relates generally to broadband communications over power lines, and more particularly, to multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) communications between aircraft or other vehicles and ground stations over ground power lines. Background technique [0002] Newer aircraft are equipped with wireless communication capabilities (eg, WiFi) to facilitate the exchange of large amounts of data between aircraft and aviation operations centers during aircraft gate turn times. However, wireless connectivity has encountered problems at many airports: limited WiFi infrastructure and bandwidth, and interference from passengers' WiFi-enabled devices. Additionally, there are data security risks associated with sharing common wireless channels. [0003] An alternative to wireless communications is the use of wired data communications over existing airport ground power lines. However, data transmission over power lines faces two fundamental challen...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, wireless connectivity has suffered from problems at many airports: limited WiFi infrastructure and bandwidth, and interference from passengers' WiFi-enabled devices

Widespread deployment of BPL could adversely affect military HF radio communications

[0006] Also, interference from nearby adjacent systems (such as the gate area of ​​an airport terminal with multiple BPL outdoor installations) causes further signal degradation because the BPL modem may not be able to determine specific frequencies among other signals in the same bandwidth

[0007] When errors in communication become significant, BPL devices become less efficient (drop packets and retransmit data), fail to function, or operate in undesired ways (data is corrupted or tainted but goes undetected)

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