Aircraft cabin personal telephone microcell

Abstract

A telecommunication system includes an interface device on board an aircraft that interfaces with a wireless phone of a user inside the aircraft and with a wireless bearer system, and a controller that controls the interface device to maintain RF emissions of the wireless phone below a predetermined level above which RF emissions will interfere with aircraft systems. The system may also include one or more of a wireless bearer system gateway on board the aircraft that converts signals received from the wireless phone to protocols of the wireless bearer system and that converts signals received from the wireless bearer system to protocols of the wireless phone, an antenna in a cabin of the aircraft that receives output signals from the wireless phone and conveys the output signals to the interface device, a media converter that conveys the signals between the antenna and the interface device, an RF detector that detects unwanted RF emissions above the predetermined level and unsupported cellphone types, and an external antenna that respectively transmits and receives direct cellular signals to and from the wireless phone when the aircraft is on the ground.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60 / 157,897, filed Oct. 5, 1999.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to mobile telecommunications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for two-way telecommunications using a wireless telephone on an aircraft, and even more particularly on an aircraft that is maneuvering under its own power, i.e., is taxiing on the runway or is in flight. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Current airline practice is to allow normal personal cellphone use only while the aircraft is at the gate and the doors are open. The use of personal, wireless phones while on-board a maneuvering aircraft is typically prohibited because the radio frequency (RF) emissions from the wireless phone can interfere with the aircraft's systems, for example, communication systems, navigation systems, etc. ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a system and method for two-way communication using a wireless phone on board an aircraft. The system includes an interface device on the aircraft that interfaces with the wireless phone and a wireless bearer system, and a controller that controls RF emissions of the wireless phone to maintain them below a predetermined level that may interfere with aircraft systems. The system also includes means for interfacing with the wireless phone, converting signals, detecting unwanted RF emissions, and transmitting and receiving direct cellular signals when the aircraft is on the ground. The technical effects of the invention include improved communication capabilities for aircraft occupants and increased safety during flight operations.

Problems solved by technology

The use of personal, wireless phones while on-board a maneuvering aircraft is typically prohibited because the radio frequency (RF) emissions from the wireless phone can interfere with the aircraft's systems, for example, communication systems, navigation systems, etc.

Additionally, an aircraft in flight provides an on-board cellular terminal user with line of site to many cellphone base stations simultaneously, which may overload or interfere with the ground networks if the cellphone simultaneously transmits signals to several base stations.

However, the passengers are still prohibited from using the personal phone to which they are accustomed, depriving them of their normal service subscriptions and also their personal phone's features, such as speed dial and personal phone book.

The passenger also pays higher access fees to use the seatback phone installed in the aircraft, and it is very cumbersome, or in some cases impossible, to receive incoming calls on the seatback phones, resulting in passengers being unable to receive calls at all during the flight.

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