Antenna configuration operator interface

Abstract

The antenna installation assistance application provides one or more GUIs representing an antenna of a traffic assemblable tool and ports of one or more onboard modems and / or other network hardware. The secondary application may determine and indicate to a user of the secondary application whether a port of an antenna is connected to a port of a modem (or other hardware), and more particularly, each connection is correct for the hardware. Thus, the assistance application may guide the installer during installation of the one or more antennas, including correct or incorrect wired connections between hardware of the vehicle-based communication network, in a manner responsive to actions taken by the installer.

Description

[0001] Cross Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 18 / 207,380, filed June 8, 2023, and entitled “Antenna Configuration Operator Interface,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems, and in particular to configuration interfaces for one or more antenna systems of a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0003] A vehicle, including but not limited to an aircraft, can establish one or more satellite and / or terrestrial-based communication links to receive information to and / or transmit information from the vehicle. Such communications can, for example, enable the vehicle to receive live media content (e.g., web browsing, sporting events, live news) at passenger-facing electronic devices consumable by passengers of the vehicle, or enable live two-way communications to and from passenger-facing devices (e.g., internet browsing, cellular calls, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, such communication links can enable the vehicle to communicate with the ground to support necessary operations of vehicle instrumentation and / or crew members (e.g., aircraft navigation systems or crew member communications). In any case, a vehicle-based communication system typically supports such communication links via one or more vehicle-mounted antennas configured to transmit and receive signals from one or more external communication system elements (e.g., one or more satellites and / or one or more terrestrial stations). The vehicle-based communication system also typically remains implemented via additional communication components onboard the vehicle, which can be implemented as, for example, line replaceable units (LRUs) onboard the vehicle.

[0004] Successful operation of a vehicle-based communication system relies on proper installation and configuration of various hardware and software components therein, including but not limited to one or more vehicle-mounted antennas. Improper installation / configuration of the one or more antennas can result in loss of functionality of one or more aspects of the vehicle cabin network. There is a risk of error by an operator in installing the antenna(s) at each installation of the antenna(s), for example, at initial commissioning of the vehicle, or upon reinstallation of the antenna(s) after repair / maintenance of the vehicle. These risks can be greater as the technical complexity of vehicle-mounted antennas increases (e.g., a greater number of configurable ports). However, vehicle-based communication systems have traditionally relied on operators to understand antenna hardware to properly install antennas and / or diagnose and remedy improper installations (e.g., improper wiring between ports of the antenna hardware and other onboard hardware) in each instance. SUMMARY

[0005] The disclosure of the present application describes an antenna installation assistance application, and systems and methods associated therewith. In embodiments, the assistance application provides one or more graphical user interfaces displaying representations of one or more antennas that can be installed to a vehicle, one or more onboard modems, and / or other onboard network hardware (e.g., in an LRU), and a plurality of ports of the one or more antennas, one or more onboard modems, and / or other onboard network hardware.

[0006] The antenna installation assistance application can obtain configuration information indicative of proper installation of the antenna(s), including information indicative of proper wired connections between the antennas and ports of other onboard network hardware (e.g., from each of the antennas to one or more of the modems, and vice versa). In particular, the stored information indicative of proper wired connections between the ports can include stored baseline noise and / or loss measurement thresholds for proper connections between components (e.g., for each antenna / modem combination). When an operator performs installation via connection wires between the antenna(s), the modem(s), and other onboard network hardware, the installation application causes a test tone to be transmitted to a first port of one of the antennas, modems, or other hardware. The installation application also causes signal measurements to be performed at each of one or more other ports of the antennas, modems, or other hardware, and determines whether a connection is formed between the first port and each of the measured ports based on whether the tone is detected at the measured ports. When the tone is detected at a particular one of the measured ports (i.e., at a second port), based on a comparison of the tone as measured at the second port to the tone as transmitted via the first port (e.g., by comparing respective signal strengths), the assistance application can cause a measurement of signal noise and / or loss from the tone to be performed.

[0007] After performing the measurement(s), the assistance application can determine whether the connection is correct for the hardware based on the stored configuration information and provide an indication to the user whether the connection is correct. In particular, using the stored baseline noise and / or loss measurement thresholds, the assistance application can determine that the connection is correct for the hardware when the measured noise and / or loss is below the corresponding stored noise / loss threshold, or that the connection is incorrect for the hardware when the measured noise or loss meets or exceeds the corresponding stored threshold. When the connection is correct, the assistance application can report the particular noise and / or loss measurements to aircraft-based and / or ground-based system elements to allow for subsequent operation of the antenna system to account for the particular noise and / or loss (e.g., to boost subsequent signals to be transmitted / received across a given port combination when the noise or loss is significant). Thus, the antenna installation assistance application guides the operator / maintenance personnel throughout the installation of the antenna hardware by understanding and responding to the installation as actively performed by the operator (i.e., detecting and responding to the wiring connections performed by the operator on the particular hardware).

[0008] In embodiments, a computer-implemented method for configuring an antenna to a modem of a communication network on a vehicle is provided, the method being performed via one or more processors of a computing device. The computer-implemented method can include: (1) causing, via a first communication connection, a test tone to be transmitted via a first port from a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of an onboard modem of the vehicle and an antenna that is mountable to the vehicle; (2) causing, via a second communication connection, a signal measurement to be performed at one or more ports from a second device among the set of onboard devices; (3) detecting, based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and a second port among the one or more ports from the second device; (4) determining, based on a comparison of the detected communication connection to hardware configuration information indicating correct communication connections among the set of devices, whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices; and / or (5) causing an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed at an electronic computing device of a user via a graphical user interface. The method can include additional, fewer, or alternative actions, including those described herein.

[0009] In another embodiment, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media are provided. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media store non-transitory computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more computers to: (1) via a first communication connection, cause a test tone to be transmitted via a first port from a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of an on-board modem of a vehicle and an antenna that is mountable to the vehicle; (2) via a second communication connection, cause signal measurements to be performed at one or more ports from a second device among the set of on-board devices; (3) based on the test tone and the signal measurements, detect a communication connection between the first port of the first device and a second port among the one or more ports from the second device; (4) based on a comparison of the detected communication connection to hardware configuration information indicating correct communication connections among the set of devices, determine whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices; and / or (5) cause an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed at an electronic computing device of a user via a graphical user interface. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media can include additional, fewer, or alternative instructions, including those described herein.

[0010] In another embodiment, a computing system associated with a vehicle-based communication network is provided. The computing system can include an antenna that is mountable to a vehicle, an on-board modem of the vehicle, one or more processors, and one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: (1) cause, via a first communication connection, a test tone to be transmitted via a first port from a first device among a set of physical devices associated with the vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of the on-board modem and the antenna; (2) cause, via a second communication connection, a signal measurement to be performed at one or more ports from a second device among the set of on-board devices; (3) detect, based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and a second port among the one or more ports from the second device; (4) determine, based on a comparison of the detected communication connection to hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection among the set of devices, whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices; and / or (5) cause an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed at an electronic computing device of a user via a graphical user interface. The computing system can include additional, fewer, or alternative computing elements and / or instructions, including those described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0012] The accompanying drawings, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and are included to further illustrate embodiments including concepts in which the application can be practiced and to explain various principles and advantages of the embodiments.

[0013] Figure 1 An example computing environment in which the technology described herein can be implemented is depicted in accordance with some embodiments; Figure 2 An example representation of a graphical user interface (GUI) of an antenna installation assistance application in accordance with some embodiments is depicted; Figure 3 Another example representation of a graphical user interface (GUI) of an antenna installation assistance application in accordance with some embodiments is depicted; Figure 4Another example representation of a GUI of an antenna installation application is depicted in accordance with some embodiments; Figure 5 Another example representation of a GUI of an antenna installation assistance application is also depicted in accordance with some embodiments; Figure 6 A block diagram of an example computing device at which an antenna installation assistance application can be implemented is depicted in accordance with some embodiments; and Figure 7 An example computer-implemented method in accordance with some embodiments is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The disclosure of the present application describes an antenna installation assistance application for vehicle-mountable antennas, and systems and methods associated therewith. At a high level, the antenna installation assistance application displays one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that provide real-time representations of antenna hardware and ports in other on-board network hardware of a vehicle (e.g., LRU / modem hardware for an aircraft cabin network). The GUIs indicate connections that have been established between the ports by an installer while installing the antenna hardware (e.g., from the antenna to one or more of the on-board modems, or vice versa). The display and user interaction capabilities of the antenna installation assistance application can be implemented, for example, at an electronic computing device of a user, such as a mobile computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a smart wearable device, a tablet, etc.), a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and / or other electronic computing device accessible to the user during installation of physical antenna hardware for a vehicle. In embodiments, the electronic computing device that executes user-facing aspects of the antenna installation assistance (e.g., user input / output) can communicate with on-board network hardware (e.g., LRU) of the vehicle that performs and / or stores other functionality or information associated with, for example, implementing communications with on-board hardware such as antennas and / or with baseline noise and / or loss factors, thresholds, etc. that are associated with communications across the hardware.

[0015] In embodiments, the one or more GUIs of the antenna installation assistance application display graphical representations of the antenna hardware and other onboard network hardware, including representations of the physical ports in each hardware. The graphical representation of each hardware or port can include an alphanumeric identifier of the hardware or port. The one or more GUIs can include other graphical indicators of the hardware / port, including, for example, color indicators that can match or mimic the appearance of the physical hardware. The graphical representation of any particular port can also include a graphical indication of whether that particular port has (or has not) been connected to an antenna or another port of the onboard network hardware (“second port”). More particularly, when a particular port has been connected to a second port, the graphical representation of the particular port can indicate whether the connection of the particular port is correct based on hardware configuration information specific to the hardware involved. The indication of whether the connection is correct can be, for example, color-coded, such as by providing a green indicator for a correct connection involving the particular port, or a red indicator for an incorrect connection involving the particular port.

[0016] The assistance application can store (or otherwise obtain) hardware configuration information indicating correct installation of the antenna(s), including information indicating correct wired connections between the antennas and other onboard vehicle network hardware (e.g., one or more modems). In particular, the stored information indicating correct wired connections between ports can include stored baseline noise and / or loss measurement thresholds for correct connections between components (e.g., each antenna / modem combination).

[0017] To determine whether a particular port has been connected during antenna installation, the auxiliary application can cause a test tone to be transmitted on any first port of the antenna hardware or one or more modems. In transmitting the test tone, the auxiliary application can also cause signal measurements to be performed on all ports of the opposite hardware (e.g., signal measurements on the one or more modems if the first port is on the antenna, or vice versa). When the tone is detected at a particular port among the measured ports (i.e., at a second port), based on a comparison of the tone as measured at the second port to the tone as transmitted via the first port (e.g., by comparing respective signal strengths), the auxiliary application can cause a measurement of signal noise and / or loss from the tone to be performed. The auxiliary application can reference the detected connection to stored / obtained hardware configuration information to determine whether the installed connection is correct, and display an indication to the installer whether the connection is correct. In particular, using stored baseline noise and / or loss measurement thresholds, the auxiliary application can determine that the connection is correct for the hardware when the measured noise and / or loss is below the corresponding stored noise / loss threshold, or that the connection is incorrect for the hardware when the measured noise or loss meets or exceeds the corresponding stored threshold. For any given first port, there can be only one second port that produces a noise or loss measurement below the noise or loss threshold, i.e., only one correct second port. When the connection is correct, the auxiliary application can report the particular noise and / or loss measurement to aircraft-based and / or ground-based system elements to allow for subsequent operation of the antenna system to account for the particular noise and / or loss (e.g., to boost subsequent signals to be transmitted / received across a given port combination when the noise or loss is significant).

[0018] The assistance application can perform test tone measurements at various times associated with installation and / or operation of the antenna. For example, the assistance application can perform test tone measurements at initial antenna installation and / or at each reinstallation of the antenna (e.g., after repair or maintenance of the vehicle). The assistance application can also perform test tone measurements at each startup of the antenna (e.g., for each flight of an aircraft), such that updated path loss measurements reflect conditions in actual flights. Additionally or alternatively still, the assistance application can perform test tone measurements at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 5 seconds, etc.) while the assistance application is in use, thereby assisting an installer during antenna installation. As another example, a port can have a sensor configured to indicate a wired connection formed using the port, and in response to detecting a wired connection involving the port, the assistance application can perform test tone measurements for any given port at any time. As yet another example, as will be described herein, one or more GUIs of the assistance application can provide interactive controls allowing a user to automatically perform test tone measurements as desired. In any case, the assistance application can repeat test tone measurements for any port or combination of ports of the antenna hardware and other onboard network hardware (e.g., modem(s)). Based on the test tone measurement(s), the assistance application updates the GUI(s) to display an indication of whether the connection is correct for each respective port. Examples of the GUI(s) will be provided in subsequent portions of this specification.

[0019] Accordingly, the antenna installation assistance application can thus visually guide an installer throughout installation of antenna hardware to a vehicle in a manner responsive to actual connections made by the installer at various stages of the installation. An installer using the assistance application can reduce the amount of time and effort required to prevent or at least diagnose and remedy incorrect connections when installing an antenna. These benefits can be particularly significant in increasingly complex onboard network environments, such as in environments in which a single vehicle is equipped with an antenna that serves multiple onboard modems operating to enable use of multiple communication standards (e.g., EVDO, 5G, LTE, CDMA, etc.) between onboard network hardware and external network hardware.

[0020] While examples provided herein will describe example aircraft network environments (e.g., an aircraft equipped with an antenna and other network hardware on the aircraft), it should be appreciated that systems and methods herein can be applied to other types of vehicles, particularly where such vehicles utilize one or more antennas in conjunction with other onboard network hardware to facilitate an onboard network in a cabin of the vehicle during transit of the vehicle. Such vehicles can include trains, ships, buses, etc.

[0021] Although detailed descriptions of exemplary methods, apparatuses, and / or articles are disclosed below, it should be understood that the legal scope of the property rights is defined by the wording of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. Therefore, the following detailed description is to be interpreted as exemplary only and does not describe every possible example, as describing every possible example would be impractical, if not impossible. Many alternative examples can be implemented using current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent. It is contemplated that such alternative examples will still fall within the scope of the claims.

[0022] Example Communication System Figure 1 An example communication system 100 is depicted, through which the techniques described herein can be implemented. The communication system 100 includes an aircraft 102 having one or more antennas 104 mounted to it. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, an antenna 104 is mounted to the belly of the aircraft 102 (e.g., to implement one or more air-to-ground (ATG) networks, such as via the S-band, cellular / LTE band, etc.). An antenna 104 is mounted to the top of the fuselage of the aircraft 102 (e.g., to implement one or more satellite-based networks, such as via K-band). u Bandwidth, K a Frequency band, L-band, S-band, etc.). In various embodiments, additional or fewer antennas 104 are possible. For example, one or more antennas 104 may be mounted to different parts of aircraft 102. In some embodiments, a single aircraft-mounted antenna 104 (or each of one or more antennas 104) can operate to facilitate communication to and from aircraft 102 via a variety of different communication standards, such as two or more of EVDO, 5G, LTE, CDMA, etc. Although regarding Figure 1 Aircraft 102 is described, but it should be understood that in various alternative embodiments, one or more antennas 104 may be mounted on another type of vehicle (e.g., a personal car, bus, train, ship, helicopter, emergency vehicle, etc.) to provide services to the vehicle via one or more terrestrial or satellite-based communication networks.

[0023] Communication system 100 uses one or more antennas 104 and other onboard networking equipment to provide a communication network 106 (i.e., one or more communication networks) (e.g., Wi-Fi network, cellular network, Bluetooth®, one or more wired networks, etc.) within the cabin of aircraft 102. Communication network 106 enables personal electronic devices 110 of passengers on aircraft 102 to send and receive data, for example, to browse the Internet or consume other media content (e.g., movies, television, news broadcasts, and / or other media that can be locally stored on aircraft 102 and / or transmitted from the ground). Although not shown in the illustration for clarity... Figure 1 As shown, however, aircraft 102 may include electronic systems, such as avionics (or equivalents of non-aircraft vehicles), such as communication systems, navigation systems, instruments, flight control systems, or collision avoidance systems, any one or more of which may additionally transmit and / or receive communications to and from the ground via communication network 106 (and further via one or more antennas 104 and other airborne equipment).

[0024] Because many electronic systems of aircraft 102 may require a degree of stability and / or secure attachment during transport, at least some other onboard networking equipment of aircraft 102 may be included in line replaceable units (LRUs) 120 that are fixedly or rigidly attached to aircraft 102. LRU 120 may consist of modular components, which may be sealed units of the aircraft designed to be replaced quickly without the use of specialized tools when LRU 120 is tested and repaired, thereby enabling aircraft 102 to quickly return to service. Typically, LRU 120 is an electronic assembly that performs a specific function in aircraft 102 and can be removed or replaced as a unit and repaired at a vehicle maintenance center. Some electronic systems of aircraft 102 may not be included in LRU 120. For example, instead of being fixedly attached to aircraft 102 via LRU 120, some electronic systems may be fixedly attached to aircraft 102 using other means, such as brackets or other connecting devices. In any case, the onboard network equipment of aircraft 102 includes one or more modems 122, a content delivery system 124, and a content library 126. In some embodiments, and not necessarily in all embodiments, one or more modems 122 are integrated into LRU 120.

[0025] One or more modems 122 can be configured to be compatible with multiple different communication standards utilized by one or more ATG communication links 130 and / or one or more satellite communication links. One or more ATG communication links 130 can utilize communication protocols associated with terrestrial communications (e.g., TDMA, GSM, CDMA, LTE, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G, etc.) and / or be compatible with K...a Frequency Band, K u Frequencies in the frequency band, L frequency band, and / or any other suitable wireless communication frequency band. Each of the one or more modems 122 can be connected (wired or wirelessly) to at least one respective antenna 104. The communication links 130 can utilize communication protocols associated with terrestrial communications (e.g., TDMA, GSM, CDMA, LTE, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G, etc.) and / or satellite communications (e.g., Ku band, Ka band, C band, L band, and / or any other suitable wireless communication frequency band). a Frequency Band, K u Frequencies in the frequency band, L frequency band, and / or any other suitable wireless communication frequency band.

[0026] Each of the modems 122 can operate on one or more frequency bands, and the aircraft 102 can receive data from or transmit data to the aircraft 102 utilizing the modems 122. For example, the aircraft 102 can include one of the modems 122 thereon that is tuned to a frequency band that is allocated for direct communications between the aircraft 102 and a ground station, or that supports a direct air-to-ground (ATG) communication link (e.g., 849-851 MHz and 894-896 MHz). The aircraft 102 can additionally or alternatively include one of the modems 122 thereon that is tuned to a frequency band that is allocated for satellite communications, such as the L frequency band (40 to 60 GHz or 1 to 2 GHz), the K u frequency band (12 to 18 GHz), the K a frequency band (26.5 to 40 GHz), and / or other spectrums allocated for satellite communications. Further, each of the modems 122 can operate according to certain communication protocols. For example, at least one of the modems 122 can operate according to a 4G communication protocol, and at least one of the modems 122 can operate according to a 5G communication protocol. In some embodiments, each of two or more of the modems 122 is configured to be compatible with a respective one of a plurality of different communication links, and a single antenna 104 can support communications using multiple different communication links (e.g., multiple ATG links, multiple satellite-based links, or a combination of one or more ATG communication links and one or more satellite-based links). The ATG communication link(s) 130 (and / or the one or more satellite-based communication links) can connect the aircraft 102 to one or more land-based stations 140, which in turn can be connected to one or more data centers 150 and / or other external networks, such as the Internet 160.

[0027] Returning to the LRU 120, the content delivery system 124 is configured to deliver content from the content library 126 to the electronic devices 110 via the communication network 106, among other things. The electronic devices 110 can include any mobile computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, personal digital assistant, e-reader, smart glasses, smart watch, and / or any other mobile computing device capable of wireless communication. The electronic devices 110 can initiate a request for content, for example, in response to a user input. The content delivery system 124 can deliver content to the electronic devices 110 regardless of their connection to an external network, such as the Internet 160. The content delivery system 124 can be configured to provide an interface to the electronic devices 110 via the communication network 106 to view a list of content, select content, view content, download content, or purchase content or access content, for example, via the Internet 160 or the content library 126. The content delivery system 124 can communicate with the electronic devices 110, for example, via one or more wired access points and / or wireless access points (WAPs) placed around the cabin of the aircraft 102. The communication network 106 can include additional networking equipment, such as routers, hubs, switches, repeaters, bridges, and / or gateway devices. Some networking equipment can utilize a spread-spectrum paradigm and / or one or more RF bands (e.g., ISM bands, such as a 900 MHz band, a 2.4 GHz band, or a 5 GHz band) to facilitate communication.

[0028] In response to one or more requests to deliver content to one or more electronic devices 110, for example, from the one or more electronic devices 110, content provided via the content delivery system 124 can be rendered at a user interface of the one or more electronic devices 110. Some examples of media content include movies, television programs, songs, video games, digital magazines, news feeds, web data, applications, messages, or any other content involving textual, audio, and / or visual presentation. Content can also include software, configuration data, files, etc., which can be installed at the aircraft 102 or a system of the aircraft 102 (e.g., the LRU 120) by, for example, a maintenance personnel, applied to the aircraft 102 or a system of the aircraft 102 (e.g., the LRU 120), made available via the aircraft 102 or a system of the aircraft 102 (e.g., the LRU 120) (e.g., as a file server). In particular, software content provided by the content delivery system 124 to the one or more electronic devices 110 can include an antenna installation assistance application (and / or data or functionality associated therewith) provided to one or more electronic devices 110 of an operator or maintenance personnel associated with the aircraft 102.

[0029] Each of the antennas 104 is mounted to the aircraft 102 via physically securing hardware of the antenna 104 to the fuselage or other portion of the aircraft 102 to which the antenna 104 is fitted (e.g., via bolts, pins, adhesives, etc.). Mounting the antennas 104 to the aircraft 102 additionally involves physically connecting wires between certain ports of the antennas 104 and certain ports of the one or more modems 122 for which the antennas 104 will facilitate communications (i.e., connecting the antenna ports to the modem ports, or vice versa). Improper connection of the ports during installation can result in the one or more modems 122 and / or certain aspects of the antennas 104 being at least partially inoperable. Accordingly, proper connection of the hardware ports during installation is of great importance to operators / maintenance personnel working on the aircraft 102. However, properly making connections between the antennas 104 and the one or more modems 122 can be difficult, particularly for installers with less experience with a given antenna 104 and / or modem 122. These difficulties can be exacerbated for increasingly complex antenna hardware, e.g., in cases where a single antenna 104 is installed to service multiple different modems 122 to implement multiple different communication standards. Moreover, in addition to simply initially fitting the antennas 104 to the aircraft 102, the antennas 104 can need to be reinstalled to the aircraft 102 multiple times over time, e.g., after being removed during maintenance and / or repair of the aircraft 102 or the antennas 104. In view of these challenges, the antenna installation aids discussed in this disclosure provide graphical user interfaces to simplify the process of installing the antennas and to prevent erroneous connections between the antennas 104 and other onboard hardware of the aircraft 102 (e.g., the one or more modems 122).

[0030] Example antenna installation aid application interface Figures 2-5 An example graphical user interface (GUI) that can be displayed by an antenna installation aid application for fitting antennas (e.g., Figure 1 one or more antennas 104 of an aircraft 102) to one or more vehicles is depicted. Figures 2-5 The GUI of FIG. 1, for example, can be displayed via one or more displays (e.g., touchscreens) of a client electronic device associated with an installer (operator / maintenance personnel) of the vehicle.

[0031] The antenna configuration aid application can be communicatively connected to an onboard network device of the vehicle when operating to execute the GUIs described herein. For example, with reference to Figure 1The auxiliary application can communicatively (wired and / or wirelessly) connect to one or more modems 122 and / or one or more antennas 104 to (1) detect wired connections formed at one or more modems 122 and / or one or more antennas 104, (2) cause transmission of test tones through ports of one or more modems 122 and / or one or more antennas 104, and / or (3) cause and receive signal measurements of test tones at ports of one or more modems 122 and / or one or more antennas 104.

[0032] In some embodiments, the client electronic device may be located on the vehicle when the vehicle is stationary and / or when the vehicle is in transit. The client electronic device may be, for example, an onboard smartphone, a smart wearable device, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, etc. (e.g., Figure 1 (One of the electronic devices 110). Alternatively, in an embodiment, the client electronic device performing the assistive application can be remote from the vehicle, including when the vehicle is in transit (e.g., after one or more antennas are properly mounted to one or more modems, the assistive application can operate on the ground to perform path loss measurements intermittently or continuously). In an embodiment, non-transitory instructions for the antenna mounting assistive application are stored via one or more memories of the client electronic device, and when executed via one or more processors of the client electronic device, cause the client electronic device to perform the functionality of the assistive application described herein, including displaying a GUI and receiving user input via the GUI as described herein.

[0033] Advance to Figure 2The first GUI 200 displays panels 210 and 220, which indicate ports of each of two modems of the vehicle (“X3,” “L5 AVANCE”). The GUI 200 similarly displays panels 230 and 240, which indicate ports of each of two antennas installed (or to be installed) to the vehicle (“FWD Antenna,” “AFT Antenna”). Visually, each of the panels 210, 220, 230, and 240 can be visually arranged to match or mimic the layout of the physical hardware that the panels respectively represent. For example, the port indicators of the modem panels 210 and 220 can be arranged vertically and / or horizontally in a similar manner to the port connectors found on the actual modem hardware. Likewise, the port indicators in the antenna panels 230 and 240 can be arranged vertically in a manner similar to the actual arrangement of port connectors on the antenna hardware (e.g., on its backplane). Additional graphical details can be provided in any of the panels 210, 220, 230, and / or 240 to better represent the actual modem and / or antenna hardware. For example, as represented in the second modem panel 220, a color indicator can be provided above the text labeling each port if, for example, an indicator based on color is present on or near the corresponding port on the hardware.

[0034] In the representation of FIG. 3, Figure 2 In the representation of FIG. 3, Figure 3 As will be described with respect to FIG. 4, Figure 2 The GUI 200 includes a “Test” control 250, which when selected by the user (e.g., via a touchscreen tap) can cause the test tones of the antenna(s) and / or modem(s) to transmit test tones and perform signal measurements as described herein to detect connections and / or path loss between the ports.

[0035] Figure 3 The GUI 300 depicted in FIG. 3 includes modem panels 310 and 320, as well as antenna panels 330 and 340, which are similar to the panels 210, 220, 230, and 240 of the GUI 200 of FIG. 2. Figure 2GUI 200 to arrange. Each of the panels 310, 320, 330, and 340 displays a textual indicator and a circular indicator for each of a plurality of ports to show whether a connection has been properly made using each port. The helper application can determine whether a port is properly connected by causing a test tone to be transmitted to any first port and performing a signal measurement at each port of the opposing hardware. If the signal measurement detects the test tone on any port of the opposing hardware ("second port"), the helper application determines that the installer has connected the first port to the second port. The helper application can compare the detected connection to hardware configuration information that reflects proper connections for the system, which the helper application can store in local memory and / or otherwise obtain (e.g., via signal communication with another source(s)).

[0036] As Figure 3 depicted in FIG. 3, based on the comparison of the hardware configuration information to the signal measurements, the green indicators for the ports indicate that the installer has made proper connections involving the ports, i.e., connected the ports to their proper counterparts. In contrast, the red indicators for the ports indicate that the installer has made improper connections involving the ports. For example, the GUI 300 shows that the installer has made improper connections involving each of the ports "ATG2 FWD VI" and "ATG1 FWD H1" of the second modem (panel 320), and each of the ports "J2" and "J4" of the first antenna (panel 330). For example, the installer can have connected ATG2 FWD VI to J2, and ATG FWD H1 to J4, whereas the installer should have connected ATG FWD VI to J4, and ATG FWD H1 to J2.

[0037] Figure 4 depicts an example notification GUI 400 for providing a user of the antenna installation helper application with information about errors made during installation of one or more antennas. In particular, the first and second notification panels 410 and 420 display textual explanations of the wiring errors, which can indicate, for example, (1) which port was improperly corrected ("cross-connected") to which other port, and / or (2) what corrective action should be taken to remedy the improper connection (e.g., break ("reverse") the improper connection, or reconnect one port to a different port). Similar to the GUI 300 of Figure 3 the GUI 300, the notification panels 410 and 420 include displays of the ports of the hardware that were improperly connected (e.g., the display of L5 AVANCE showing the red indicator).

[0038] Upon making the correct wired connections between the antennas and other onboard hardware (e.g., one or more of the onboard modems), the installation assistance application can calculate the noise or power density variation (path loss) between the connected ports. As shown in yet another GUI 500 in Figure 5 As shown in yet another GUI 500 in

[0039] It should be appreciated that additional or alternative GUIs or elements therein can be contemplated based on the present description. Moreover, aspects of certain of the GUIs of Figures 2-5 may be combined in a single GUI with aspects of other of the GUIs of Figures 2-5 The visual arrangement of aspects of the GUIs can be changed without departing from the functionality described herein.

[0040] Example Computing Device Figure 6 An example computing device 600 is depicted that can implement the antenna installation assistance application in some embodiments. The computing device 600 may, for example, be one of the personal electronic devices 110 of Figure 1 and / or another onboard or non-onboard electronic device through which the assistance application is implemented.

[0041] The computing device 600 includes a processor 602 (i.e., one or more processors), such as a microprocessor, controller, and / or other suitable type of processor. The computing device 600 also includes memory 604 (i.e., one or more computer memories), which can include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory, containing computer-executable instructions accessible to the processor 602 to cause the computing device 600 to perform the actions described herein. The computing device 600 also includes a network interface 606 (i.e., one or more network communication interfaces) and / or an input / output (I / O) interface 608 (i.e., one or more input and / or output interfaces). The components of the computing device 600 are operatively coupled via a computing bus 612.

[0042] The network interface 606 may, for example, enable the computing device 600 to communicate with one or more other devices, such as a base station, LRU, modem, antenna, etc. The network interface 606 can include any suitable type of communication interface(s), such as wired and / or wireless interfaces configured to operate according to any suitable communication protocol(s). Example network interfaces 606 include a TCP / IP interface, a Wi-Fi transceiver (e.g., according to the IEEE 802.1 lx family of standards), an Ethernet transceiver, a cellular network radio, a satellite network radio, or any other suitable interface based on any other suitable communication protocol or standard. The I / O interface 608 can include, for example, a Bluetooth® interface, a near-field communication (NFC) interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a serial interface, an infrared interface, etc., that operate to enable receiving user input (e.g., touchscreens, keyboards, mice, touchpads, joysticks, trackballs, microphones, buttons, etc.) and delivering output data to a user (e.g., via a display, a speaker, a printer, etc.).

[0043] Returning to the memory 604, the non-transitory portion of the memory 604 can specifically include an antenna installation assistance application 616 as described in this disclosure. The non-transitory instructions stored at the memory 604 can cause the computing device 600 to perform various actions attributed to the assistance application 616, such as performing a GUI, obtaining hardware configuration information, communicating with antennas, modems, and / or other onboard hardware, calculating noise or path loss, etc.

[0044] In various embodiments, the computing device 600 can include additional, fewer, and / or alternative components, including the components described in this detailed description.

[0045] Example computer-implemented method Figure 7 An example computer-implemented method 700 according to some embodiments is depicted. The method 700 may, for example, be implemented via a computing element (e.g., the electronic device(s) 110 and / or 600) as described in this detailed description. Figure 1 and Figure 5 The method 700 may, for example, be implemented via a computing element (e.g., the electronic device(s) 110 and / or 600) as described in this detailed description.

[0046] The method 700 includes causing, via a first communication connection, a test tone to be transmitted via a first port of a first device from among a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network (702). The set of physical devices can include, for example, a vehicle-mounted antenna and an on-board modem, or a vehicle-mounted antenna and another network hardware element of the vehicle-based communication network. Thus, the first port of the first device can be a first port of an antenna, modem, and / or other physical network hardware element of the vehicle-based communication network. The first communication connection can be a direct or indirect communication connection to the antenna, modem, and / or other physical network hardware element.

[0047] The method 700 also includes causing, via a second communication connection, a signal measurement to be performed at one or more ports of a second device from among the set of on-board devices (704). If the first port from act 702 is a first port of an antenna, the one or more ports of the second device can be, for example, one or more ports of an on-board modem (or other on-board network hardware element). Conversely, if the first port from act 702 is a first port of an on-board modem (or other on-board network hardware element), the one or more ports of the second device can be one or more ports of an antenna. Thus, the second communication connection can be a direct or indirect communication connection to the antenna, modem, and / or other physical network hardware element.

[0048] In some embodiments, causing the signal measurement to be performed includes causing a signal measurement at each of a plurality of ports of the second device (effectively, to test whether the first port has been wired to any of the ports of the second device). Alternatively, causing the signal measurement to be performed can include referencing hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the first and second devices (i.e., mapping which ports should be linked). By referencing the hardware configuration information, the signal measurement can be performed at, and only at, a port of the second device that is correct for the first port of the first device.

[0049] The method 700 also includes detecting, based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and a second port from among the one or more ports of the second device (706). In particular, when the signal measurement at the second port of the second device detects the test tone, the method 700 can determine that the first port of the first device has been linked to the second port of the second device.

[0050] The method 700 also includes determining whether the detected communication connection is correct for the first and second devices (708). In particular, this determination can be made based on hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection among the set of devices (e.g., based on a threshold noise or path loss).

[0051] Method 700 further includes causing an indication (710) to be displayed on a user's electronic computing device via one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to indicate whether the detected communication connection is correct. The one or more GUIs may, for example, include one or more GUIs that include information about... Figures 2-5 The elements described. The user's electronic computing device may include, for example, airborne or non-airborne devices (e.g., smartphones, smart wearable devices, tablets, laptops, desktops, etc.) for installers, operators, maintenance personnel, etc.

[0052] In some embodiments, method 700 includes calculating the path loss between a first port of a first device and a second port of a second device based on test pitch and signal measurements (e.g., a comparison of the power density of test pitch and signal measurements). In these embodiments, method 700 may further include causing an indication of the calculated path loss to be displayed via one or more GUIs. Furthermore, method 700 may include comparing the calculated path loss with a predetermined threshold for a detected communication connection. If the calculated path loss is below the threshold, and therefore the connection is correct, method 700 may still further include causing an airborne modem to update a stored path loss calibration for the detected communication connection, and / or communicating with one or more other network elements (e.g., ground-based system elements) to update the path loss calibration, thereby calibrating the system.

[0053] For example, method 700 may be performed, for instance, during antenna installation (e.g., the initial installation of the antenna to a vehicle, or, for instance, the reinstallation of the antenna after maintenance or repair of the vehicle). Additionally or alternatively, method 70 may be performed at startup time of the onboard modem and / or other network hardware components (e.g., for each transmission made by the vehicle).

[0054] In performing certain actions of method 700, the mountable antenna does not need to be actually mounted to the vehicle. For example, before the antenna is fully mounted to the vehicle (i.e., physically secured to the vehicle in a manner suitable for transport, such as via bolts, pins, adhesives, etc.), the installer can wire the antenna to the onboard network hardware components (and test the communication connection according to the methods described herein).

[0055] It should be understood that method 700 may include [the following]: Figure 7 Additional, fewer, and / or alternative actions to those actions described herein, including any suitable actions described in this detailed description. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the order of actions in method 700 may vary. In some embodiments, method 700 is executed by one or more processors from data stored in a computing device (e.g., Figure 1 Device 110 or Figure 6implemented by instructions at one or more non-transitory computer-readable media or one or more computer memories of the device 600.

[0056] Additional Considerations Throughout this specification, plural instances can implement a single instance, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations can be performed concurrently, and nothing requires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functionality presented as separate components in example configurations can be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component can be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter of this document.

[0057] As used herein, any reference to “one embodiment” or “the embodiment” means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0058] Some embodiments can be described using the expression “coupled” and “connected” along with their derivatives. For example, some embodiments can be described using the term “coupled” to refer to two or more elements that are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, it should be understood that “coupled” also can mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other. Embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0059] As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but can include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

[0060] Also, the use of “a” or “an” to describe elements and components herein is merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the reference in which it is used. This specification and the claims should be construed to cover one or at least one of the items described, and the singular also include the plural, unless it is otherwise expressly stated.

[0061] When implemented, any of the methods and techniques described herein, or portions thereof, can be implemented by executing software stored in one or more non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage media or memories, such as a magnetic disk, laser disk, optical disk, semiconductor memory, biological memory, other memory device, or any other storage medium, etc., in a computer or processor's RAM or ROM.

[0062] This detailed description should be interpreted in the light of examples rather than describing every possible embodiment, as describing every possible embodiment, even if not impossible, would be impractical. Numerous alternative embodiments can be implemented using current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. By way of example and not limitation, at least the following aspects are contemplated herein: 1. A computer-implemented method for configuring an antenna to a modem of a communication network on a vehicle, executed via one or more processors of a computing device, the method comprising: causing, via a first communication connection, a test tone to be communicated via a first port from a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of an on-board modem of the vehicle and an antenna that is mountable to the vehicle; causing, via a second communication connection, a signal measurement to be performed at one or more ports from a second device among the set of on-board devices; detecting, based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and a second port among the one or more ports from the second device; determining, based on a comparison of the detected communication connection to hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection among the set of devices, whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices; and / or causing an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed at an electronic computing device of a user via a graphical user interface.

[0063] 2. The method of aspect 1, further comprising: calculating, based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device; and / or causing an indication of the calculated path loss to be displayed via the graphical user interface.

[0064] 3. The method of aspect 2, further comprising: comparing the calculated path loss to a predetermined threshold for the detected communication connection; and / or causing the on-board modem to update a stored path loss calibration for the detected communication connection in response to the calculated path loss being below the predetermined threshold.

[0065] 4. The method of any of aspects 1-3, wherein the causing to transmit the test tone is performed at a time of installation of the antenna.

[0066] 5. The method of any of aspects 1-4, wherein the causing to transmit the test tone is performed at a time of startup of the onboard modem.

[0067] 6. The method of any of aspects 1-5, wherein the causing to perform the signal measurement at the one or more ports of the second device comprises: identifying, based on the hardware configuration information, a particular port to be connected to the first port of the first device, the particular port being identified from among the one or more ports of the second device based on the hardware configuration information; and / or causing to perform the signal measurement at the particular port.

[0068] 7. The method of any of aspects 1-6, wherein the first device from among the set of devices is the onboard modem, and the second device from among the set of devices is the antenna.

[0069] 8. The method of any of aspects 1-7, wherein the first device from among the set of devices is the antenna, and the second device from among the set of devices is the onboard modem.

[0070] 9. The method of any of aspects 1-8 in combination with any other suitable aspect of aspects 1-8.

[0071] 10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed via one or more processors, cause one or more computing devices to: cause, via a first communication connection, transmission of a test tone via a first port of a first device from among a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of an onboard modem of the vehicle and an antenna that is mountable to the vehicle; cause, via a second communication connection, performance of a signal measurement at one or more ports of a second device from among the set of onboard devices; detect, based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and a second port from among the one or more ports of the second device; determine, based on a comparison of the detected communication connection to hardware configuration information indicative of a correct communication connection among the set of devices, whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices; and / or cause display, via a graphical user interface, of an indication at an electronic computing device of a user of whether the detected communication connection is correct.

[0072] 11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of aspect 10, wherein the instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the one or more computing devices to: calculate, based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device; and / or cause an indication of the calculated path loss to be displayed via the graphical user interface.

[0073] 12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of aspect 11, wherein the instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the one or more computing devices to: compare the calculated path loss to a predetermined threshold for the detected communication connection; and / or in response to the calculated path loss being below the predetermined threshold, cause the onboard modem to update a stored path loss calibration for the detected communication connection.

[0074] 13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of any of aspects 10-12, wherein the instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted comprise instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted at a time of installation of the antenna.

[0075] 14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of any of aspects 10-13, wherein the instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted comprise instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted at a time of startup of the onboard modem.

[0076] 15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of any of aspects 10-14, wherein the instructions to cause the signal measurement to be performed at the one or more ports of the second device comprise instructions to: identify, based on the hardware configuration information, a particular port to be connected to the first port of the first device, the particular port being identified from among the one or more ports of the second device based on the hardware configuration information; and / or cause the signal measurement to be performed at the particular port.

[0077] 16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of any of aspects 10-15, wherein the first device from among the set of devices is the onboard modem and the second device from among the set of devices is the antenna.

[0078] 17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of any of aspects 10 to 15, wherein the first device from among the set of devices is the antenna and the second device from among the set of devices is the onboard modem.

[0079] 18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of any of aspects 10 to 17, comprising instructions as described in any other suitable aspect of aspects 10 to 17.

[0080] 19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of any of aspects 10 to 18, comprising instructions to perform the method of any suitable aspect of aspects 1 to 9.

[0081] 20. A computing system associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the system comprising: an antenna that is mountable to a vehicle; an onboard modem of the vehicle; one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory memories storing instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: via a first communication connection, cause a test tone to be communicated via a first port of a first device from among a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of the onboard modem and the antenna; via a second communication connection, cause signal measurements to be performed at one or more ports of a second device from among the set of onboard devices; based on the test tone and the signal measurements, detect a communication connection between the first port of the first device and a second port from among the one or more ports of the second device; based on a comparison of the detected communication connection to hardware configuration information indicative of correct communication connections among the set of devices, determine whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices; and / or cause an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed at an electronic computing device of a user via a graphical user interface.

[0082] 21. The computing system of aspect 20, wherein the instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to: based on the test tone and the signal measurements, calculate a path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device; and / or cause an indication of the calculated path loss to be displayed via the graphical user interface.

[0083] 22. The computing system of aspect 21, wherein the instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to: compare the computed path loss to a predetermined threshold for the detected communication connection; and / or cause the on-board modem to update a stored path loss calibration for the detected communication connection in response to the computed path loss being below the predetermined threshold.

[0084] 23. The computing system of any of aspects 20-22, wherein the instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted comprise instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted at a time of installation of the antenna.

[0085] 24. The computing system of any of aspects 20-23, wherein the instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted comprise instructions to cause the test tone to be transmitted at a time of startup of the on-board modem.

[0086] 25. The computing system of any of aspects 20-24, wherein the instructions to cause the signal measurements to be performed at the one or more ports of the second device comprise instructions to: identify, based on the hardware configuration information, a particular port to be connected to the first port of the first device, the particular port being identified from among the one or more ports of the second device based on the hardware configuration information; and / or cause the signal measurements to be performed at the particular port.

[0087] 26. The computing system of any of aspects 20-25, wherein the first device from among the set of devices is the on-board modem, and the second device from among the set of devices is the antenna.

[0088] 27. The computing system of any of aspects 20-25, wherein the first device from among the set of devices is the antenna, and the second device from among the set of devices is the on-board modem.

[0089] 28. The computing system of any of aspects 20-27, configured to perform the actions of any other suitable aspect of aspects 20-27.

[0090] 29. The computing system of any of aspects 20-28, comprising the non-transitory instructions of any suitable aspect of aspects 10-19.

[0091] 30. The computing system of any of aspects 20-29, configured to perform the method of any suitable aspect of aspects 1-9.

[0092] 31. Any of aspects 1 to 30 in combination with any other suitable aspect of aspects 1 to 30.

[0093] Many modifications and variations of the technology and structures described and illustrated herein are possible and will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the methods and devices described herein are merely illustrative and are not limiting to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, executed via one or more processors of a computing device, for configuring an antenna onto a communication network of a vehicle, the method comprising: A test tone is transmitted via a first port of a first device from a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of an onboard modem of the vehicle and an antenna that can be mounted to the vehicle. Signal measurements are performed at one or more ports of a second device from the group of airborne devices via a second communication connection; Based on the test pitch and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and the second port from one or more ports of the second device is detected; Based on a comparison of the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection among the group of devices, it is determined whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the group of devices; and This allows an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed on the user's electronic computing device via a graphical user interface.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: Based on the test pitch and the signal measurement, calculate the path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device; as well as This enables the display of an indication of the calculated path loss via the graphical user interface.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, further comprising: The calculated path loss is compared with a predetermined threshold for the detected communication connection. as well as In response to the calculated path loss being lower than the predetermined threshold, the airborne modem updates the stored path loss calibration of the detected communication connection.

4. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The test tone is transmitted during the installation of the antenna.

5. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The test tone is transmitted during the startup time of the onboard modem.

6. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, Performing the signal measurement at one or more ports of the second device includes: Based on the hardware configuration information, a specific port to be connected to the first port of the first device is identified, the specific port being identified from one or more ports of the second device based on the hardware configuration information; and This enables the signal measurement to be performed at the specific port.

7. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The first device from the set of devices is the airborne modem, and the second device from the set of devices is the antenna.

8. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The first device from the set of devices is the antenna, and the second device from the set of devices is the airborne modem.

9. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed via one or more processors, cause one or more computing devices to: A test tone is transmitted via a first port of a first device from a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices consisting of an onboard modem of the vehicle and an antenna that can be mounted to the vehicle. Signal measurements are performed at one or more ports of a second device from the group of airborne devices via a second communication connection; Based on the test pitch and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and the second port from one or more ports of the second device is detected; Based on a comparison of the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection among the group of devices, it is determined whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the group of devices; and This allows an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed on the user's electronic computing device via a graphical user interface.

10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 9, wherein, When the instructions are executed via the one or more processors, they further cause one or more computing devices to: Based on the test pitch and the signal measurement, calculate the path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device; as well as This enables the display of an indication of the calculated path loss via the graphical user interface.

11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 10, wherein, When the instructions are executed via the one or more processors, they further cause the one or more computing devices to: The calculated path loss is compared with a predetermined threshold for the detected communication connection. as well as In response to the calculated path loss being lower than the predetermined threshold, the airborne modem updates the stored path loss calibration of the detected communication connection.

12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9-11, wherein, The instructions for transmitting the test tone include instructions for transmitting the test tone at the installation time of the antenna.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9-12, wherein, The instructions for causing the transmission of the test tone include instructions for causing the transmission of the test tone at the startup time of the onboard modem.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9-13, wherein, The instructions for causing the signal measurement to be performed at one or more ports of the second device include instructions for the following operations: Based on the hardware configuration information, a specific port to be connected to the first port of the first device is identified, the specific port being identified from one or more ports of the second device based on the hardware configuration information; and This enables the signal measurement to be performed at the specific port.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9-14, wherein, The first device from the set of devices is the airborne modem, and the second device from the set of devices is the antenna.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9-15, wherein, The first device from the set of devices is the antenna, and the second device from the set of devices is the airborne modem.

17. A computing system associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the system comprising: Antennas that can be fitted onto vehicles; The vehicle's onboard modem; One or more processors; as well as One or more non-transitory memories storing instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: A test tone is transmitted via a first port of a first device from a set of physical devices associated with a vehicle-based communication network, the set of devices comprising the airborne modem and the antenna; Signal measurements are performed at one or more ports of a second device from the group of airborne devices via a second communication connection; Based on the test pitch and the signal measurement, a communication connection between the first port of the first device and the second port from one or more ports of the second device is detected; Based on a comparison of the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection among the group of devices, it is determined whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the group of devices; and This allows an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct to be displayed on the user's electronic computing device via a graphical user interface.

18. The computing system according to claim 17, wherein, When the instructions are executed via the one or more processors, the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to: Based on the test pitch and the signal measurement, calculate the path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device; as well as This enables the display of an indication of the calculated path loss via the graphical user interface.

19. The computing system according to claim 18, wherein, When the instructions are executed via the one or more processors, the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to: The calculated path loss is compared with a predetermined threshold for the detected communication connection; and In response to the calculated path loss being lower than the predetermined threshold, the airborne modem updates the stored path loss calibration of the detected communication connection.

20. The computing system according to any one of claims 17-19, wherein, The instructions for transmitting the test tone include instructions for transmitting the test tone at the installation time of the antenna.

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