Aircraft Cabin Communication for In-Flight PED Roaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft cabin communication systems do not support seamless roaming for passenger electronic devices (PEDs) between ground-based and aircraft-based mobile network operators, requiring passengers to purchase onboard data plans and limiting Internet access until they do so, which undermines the expectation of seamless connectivity.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft cabin communication system that communicates with a ground-based system to enable PEDs to send and receive text messages and phone calls by querying passengers to authorize charges through the aircraft's operator or the PED's associated mobile network operator (MNO), using a wireless access point and connectivity server to establish secure connections and manage network resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If OMTS equipment is provided onboard the aircraft, then seamless passenger communication is improved, but aircraft cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the communication functionality from dedicated onboard OMTS equipment and relocates it to the passenger's existing PEDs. The aircraft provides only the necessary network infrastructure (wireless access points and gateway systems) while leveraging the communication capabilities already present in passengers' devices, thereby reducing onboard equipment weight while maintaining seamless communication capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes passengers' PEDs serve multiple functions: they act as both the communication terminal and the mobile device with embedded SIM cards. The same PED that passengers use for personal purposes also functions as the communication endpoint for airline services, eliminating the need for separate dedicated communication equipment
2Ease of operation
If PEDs are used for connectivity without onboard data plan, then passenger convenience is improved, but Internet data services are blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication system using the passenger's existing mobile network credentials (SIM card authentication). The aircraft's gateway system acts as a mediator that recognizes the PED's mobile network identity and provides Internet data service access through partnership agreements with mobile network operators, eliminating the need for separate onboard data plan purchases
3Reliability
If airline specified data plans are required, then operator revenue control is improved, but seamless roaming expectation is undermined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the airline's communication service with the passenger's existing mobile network service. By integrating with partnership mobile network operators and using their authentication and billing systems, the airline provides seamless roaming capability while maintaining revenue control through partnership agreements rather than requiring separate onboard data plan purchases
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft cabin communication system includes a wireless access point (WAP) and a connectivity server. The WAP transmits a beacon indicating Hotspot capability and identifying an open SSID, establishes a connection with a first passenger electronic device (PED) carried onboard an aircraft responsive to communications received from the first PED using the open SSID, and provides a list of mobile network operators (MNOs) to the first PED. The connectivity server receive a request to setup a PDU session through the Internet for the first PED. The request identifies a mobile network operator (MNO) associated with the first PED. The connectivity server initiates authentication using extensible authentication protocol (EAP) communications with the first PED and an authorization, authentication, and accounting AAA server associated with a artner MNO connected with the MNO identified by the first PED.