System for the radio transmission of real-time airline flight information

Abstract

A flight delivery system that utilizes an architectural structure and network that allows real-time digital signals to be stored, retrieved and converted to an audio signal for radio transmission to achieve nearly instantaneous transmission of real-time data. The system utilizes a computerized reservation system as a source of information and stores it on a database. The information is called up by a computer that converts the data to a digital audio signal. The digital audio signal is then broadcast over airport antennae. The system features programs that allow for a conversion from airport city codes to the common identification for local cities.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to an improved information delivery system and, more specifically, to an architecture and network that allows real time digital signals to be stored, retrieved and converted to an audio signal for radio transmission to achieve the nearly instantaneous transmission of real-time data. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Without limiting the scope of the invention, the present invention relates to a network for gathering data and translating the data into a user-friendly format for transmission over a user-friendly medium. In such networks, emphasis is heavily placed on the accuracy of the information, the timeliness in the delivery of the information and the mode of the delivery of the information. [0003] In the field pertaining to this invention, the transmitted data is airline flight arrival and departure information. In the history of scheduled passenger air transportation, it has always been a goal to get flight ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] It is a primary advantage of the present invention to provide real-time flight information to airport visitors. This is accomplished by connecting input from a variety of sources to a virtual network. As information is gathered about a specific flight, it is fed through a network to a computerized network. The information may include expected time of arrival, departure times, flight number, gate information, etc. The computer network is a computerized reservation system (CRS). The flight information is gathered by the CRS as part of its normal operations. It is converted into a computer language that allows it to be processed by the computer and then used to do a variety of functions, including scheduling flights, assigning crews, keeping updated information on weather, etc.

[0014] The present invention takes this raw data in its computer language form and retrieves arrival and departure information. It should be noted that this information is the most current and comprehensive information that can be obtained about a particular flight. This information is taken from the CRS and stored on a file server. A personal computer, p.c., then accesses the file server on a periodic basis. It takes the information, retrieves and transmits it to a second p.c. that converts the computer language into a form that permits audio reception on radios. The signal is broadcast via a radio transmitter to the airport visitor. In this way, the airport visitor receives the most current information in a convenient and timely manner.

[0015] Another advantage of this invention is that the system will reboot itself, without human intervention and the reboot will be virtually invisible to the ultimate user. By utilizing a particular memory location and placing a bit where one was not before, the system will automatically recognize when the bit is missing. The bite will be missing when the system is not receiving information from the data storage on the file server. Monitoring the location is a background task. The background task will read that that location is empty and force a hard reading.

Problems solved by technology

The bite will be missing when the system is not receiving information from the data storage on the file server.

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