Registration Server for In-Flight Cellular Communications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for providing cellular-based communications on vehicles, such as airplanes, require expensive on-board infrastructure and can interfere with ground-based cellular systems, and do not enable native terrestrial features like roaming, texting, or voice calls.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for securely registering electronic devices with a non-terrestrial network using a two-part registration process, where the first part occurs on a ground-based network and the second part on a non-ground-based network, allowing devices to roam and send/receive cellular-based communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If on-board cellular base stations are installed to support native terrestrial features, then cellular communications capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a registration server as an intermediary component that mediates between the mobile device and the cellular network. The registration server handles device verification, certificate issuance, and network registration processes, eliminating the need for complex on-board base station infrastructure while maintaining cellular communications capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the core registration and authentication functions from the traditional cellular base station infrastructure and relocates them to a cloud-based registration server. This separation allows mobile devices to access cellular networks without requiring physical base stations on-board vehicles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If on-board cellular base stations are installed to provide cellular communications, then native terrestrial features are enabled, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, permanent on-board base station infrastructure with a software-based registration system that uses existing cellular network resources. The registration server implements lightweight authentication mechanisms that incur minimal cost compared to deploying and maintaining physical base stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The registration server provides multiple functions including device verification, certificate issuance, network registration, and authentication management within a single system. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate infrastructure components for each function, reducing overall cost.
3Reliability
If mobile devices increase transmission power to connect to ground-based cell sites, then cellular connectivity is improved, but harmful interference to ground-based systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary device verification and registration through the registration server before allowing mobile devices to connect to cellular networks. Devices receive digital certificates and authentication credentials in advance, enabling them to establish connections using authorized transmission parameters that prevent interference with ground-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The registration server provides feedback mechanisms that monitor and control device connections to the cellular network. By maintaining registration records and authentication states, the system can regulate transmission behavior and prevent unauthorized high-power transmissions that would cause harmful interference.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are provided for registering an electronic device of a subscriber for cellular-based communications. According to certain aspects, the cellular-based communications may be facilitated by a data center while the electronic device is not easily within range of a cellular network, such as when the electronic device is traveling on an aircraft. The registration includes associating a subscription identification of a cellular services plan with an identification of the electronic device, from which a registration server may create an account associated with the cellular-based communications. Further, the registration server may generate a digital certificate using the electronic device identification and issue the digital certificate to the electronic device.