I lllll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
`US007113780B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`McKenna et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`Sep.26,2006
`
`(54) SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING AN
`AIRBORNE WIRELESS CELLULAR
`NETWORK WITH TERRESTRIAL
`WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORKS AND
`THE PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE
`NETWORK
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Daniel Bernard McKenna, Steamboat
`Springs, CO (US); Joseph Cruz,
`Naperville, IL (US); Kenneth Joseph
`Jochim, Boulder, CO (US); Anand K.
`Varadachari, Bartlett, IL (US); Harold
`Grant Saroka, Ashburn, VA (US);
`Dandan Liu, Montreal (CA)
`
`(73) Assignee: Aircell, Inc., Louisville, CO (US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 24 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/730,329
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Dec. 7, 2003
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2004/0142658 Al
`Jul. 22, 2004
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/686,923,
`filed on Oct. 11, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part
`of application No. 09/379,825, filedonAug. 24, 1999,
`now Pat. No. 6,408,180, which is a continuation-in(cid:173)
`part of application No. 08/960,183, filed on Oct. 29,
`1997, now Pat. No. 6,108,539, which is a continua(cid:173)
`tion-in-part of application No. 08/709,417, filed on
`Sep. 6, 1996, now Pat. No. 5,878,346, which is a
`continuation-in-part of application No. 08/027,333,
`filed on Mar. 8, 1993, now Pat. No. 5,444,762, and a
`continuation-in-part of application No. 07/847,920,
`filed on Mar. 6, 1992, now Pat. No. 5,557,656.
`Int. Cl.
`H04Q 7120
`H04B 10100
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(51)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl. ................... 455/431; 455/430; 455/456.3;
`398/115
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................ 455/431,
`455/11.1, 422.1, 456.3, 554.1, 430; 398/115
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`5,123,112 A * 6/1992 Choate ....................... 455/524
`5,408,515 A * 4/1995 Bhagat et al.
`.............. 455/431
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner--George Eng
`Assistant Examiner-Kiet Doan
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Patton Boggs LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`The present non-terrestrial feature transparency system
`spoofs the Air-to-Ground Network and the ground-based
`cellular communication network into thinking that the wire(cid:173)
`less subscriber devices have no special considerations asso(cid:173)
`ciated with their operation, even though the wireless sub(cid:173)
`scriber devices are located on an aircraft in flight. This
`architecture requires that the non-terrestrial feature trans(cid:173)
`parency system on board the aircraft replicate the full
`functionality of a given wireless subscriber device, that has
`a certain predetermined feature set from a ground-based
`wireless service provider, at another wireless subscriber
`device located within the aircraft. This mirroring of wireless
`subscriber device attributes enables a localized cell for
`in-cabin communication yet retains the same wireless sub(cid:173)
`scriber device attributes for the air-to-ground link. The
`Air-to-Ground Network transmits both the subscriber data
`(comprising voice and/or other data) as well as feature set
`data between the Aircraft in-Cabin Network and the ground(cid:173)
`based cellular communication network to thereby enable the
`wireless subscriber devices that are located in the aircraft to
`receive consistent wireless communication services in both
`the terrestrial (ground-based) and non-terrestrial regions.
`
`51 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`AGGREGATED
`CHANNEL(S)
`
`GROUND BASED PORTION OF
`NON· TERRESTRIAL NElWORK
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 1
`
`

`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,519,761 A
`5,590,395 A *
`5,651,050 A *
`5,805,683 A *
`5,887,258 A *
`5,950,129 A *
`6,002,944 A *
`6,055,425 A *
`6,263,206 Bl *
`6,314,286 Bl *
`6,392,692 Bl
`
`511996 Gilhousen
`12/1996 Diekelman ................. 455/13.l
`7/1997 Bhagat et al.
`.............. 455/431
`9/1998 Berberich, Jr .......... 379/142.03
`3/1999 Lemozit et al. ............. 455/431
`9/1999 Schmid et al. .............. 455/431
`12/1999 Beyda ..................... 455/554.1
`412000 Sinivaara .................... 455/431
`7/2001 Potochniak et al.
`........ 455/445
`11/2001 Zicker ........................ 455/431
`512002 Monroe
`
`6,393,281 Bl *
`6,430,412 Bl*
`6,577,419 Bl*
`6,580,915 Bl *
`6,735,438 Bl *
`6,754,489 Bl*
`6,760,778 Bl *
`6,889,042 Bl *
`2002/0045444 Al
`2002/0123344 Al
`
`512002 Capone et al ............... 455/428
`8/2002 Hogg et al. ................. 455/436
`6/2003 Hall et al.
`.................. 398/115
`6/2003 Kroll ....................... 455/456.3
`512004 Sabatino ..................... 455/427
`6/2004 Roux
`......................... 455/431
`7/2004 Nelson et al.
`.............. 709/246
`512005 Rousseau et al ............ 455/431
`412002 Usher et al.
`912002 Criqui et al.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.26,2006
`
`Sheet 1 of 12
`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`
`,...
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 3
`
`

`
`AIRCRAFT
`IN-CABIN
`NETWORK
`
`J
`
`JX
`
`I r
`
`107
`
`\
`
`\
`
`131
`
`v
`
`,132
`
`. -
`GROUND
`
`~/··~
`
`BTS ~ BSC I
`
`1na_
`
`, r .
`BTS I Nth I BSC I
`
`'
`'
`'
`'
`'
`133 ',
`
`'
`'
`'
`'
`'
`',
`'
`
`'
`'
`'
`'
`'
`',
`'
`
`(
`
`.
`I
`-
`l"'f"'IDC ~ICT\Alf"'IDll' \
`
`/
`
`125
`
`I
`I
`
`( ---·· I , __ ---'
`
`'\
`
`EXTERNAL NETWORKS
`PLMN. PSTN,
`ISDN, OTHER
`
`126
`
`INTERNET,
`PSDN
`
`FIG. 2
`
`______..
`
`124
`~
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`('D
`
`1J1 =-('D
`.....
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`0 .....
`....
`N
`
`d
`rJl.
`
`"'--...1
`"'""
`"'"" w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 4
`
`

`
`FIG. 3
`
`301
`I
`
`GPS
`316----..,.
`
`/7
`
`WIRELESS
`CONTROLLER
`POWER I
`CONTROL
`
`303.-1 I •'
`(
`304 .
`
`I
`
`.__I U UAIA A\,;UUl~l I IUN MUUULt
`
`-.1, I
`
`.. J, L_
`
`l'\.\11"11Vll l'\.l.~I IL i
`
`/
`~
`
`. . . I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`I
`I
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`( I
`
`-)\
`
`('D
`
`(.H
`
`1J1 =-('D
`.....
`0 ....
`....
`
`N
`
`127
`L,
`INTERNET
`PROVIDER
`
`101
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'--...l
`""'"'
`""'"' w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 5
`
`

`
`403A~
`
`403C\
`
`4030\
`
`r403B
`
`)'403
`
`1st Channel : Application
`
`: Application
`
`: 1st Channel
`
`1 Presentation
`2 d
`n Channel '
`I
`:
`.
`: Transport
`
`Session
`
`: Presentation
`'
`I
`:
`.
`
`Session
`
`Transport
`
`d
`1 2
`1 n Channel
`I
`'-
`___ __..
`.
`1
`:
`
`I
`1
`I
`
`:
`
`Network
`
`Network
`
`Link
`
`Link
`
`I
`1
`I
`
`:
`
`i - - - - - - - - -1
`
`1 - - - - - - - - -1
`
`Nthchannel :
`
`FIG. 4
`
`~WIRELESS
`
`~ ~ CONNECTION
`TO AIR-TO-GROUND
`NETWORK
`
`IN-CABIN
`RF SIGNALS
`401t~
`
`402
`
`IN-CABIN
`ANTENNA
`SYSTEM
`
`HANDSETS
`
`APPEARS TO THE
`IN-CABIN HANDSETS AS
`A BASE STATION
`
`- - - - - - - 1
`
`<
`
`Physical
`
`Physical
`: Nthchannel
`>
`Transparent Handset Functionality
`Across all Protocol layers
`
`"PSEUDO BASE
`.-- STATION WITH ____...,.___
`TRANSPARENT
`HANDSET SIGNALING"
`
`"MIRRORED
`HANDSET(S)"
`
`____...
`
`FEATURE SET TRANSPARENT
`
`APPEARS AS HANDSETS
`- - - TO THE AIR-TO-GROUND
`NETWORK
`
`j
`
`IN-CABIN NETWORK
`
`AIRBORNE SYSTEM OF
`AIR-TO-GROUND NETWORK
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`('D
`('D
`
`1J1 =(cid:173)
`.....
`.i;...
`
`0 .....
`....
`N
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'-.....l
`"'""
`"'"" w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 6
`
`

`
`FIG. 5
`
`407
`
`408
`
`HLR
`
`CDMA
`PDSN
`
`404
`
`AIR-TO-GROUND
`SIGNALS
`A
`
`( ___ __, -----,
`~ G')
`
`~ c
`z
`0
`
`OJ en
`0
`
`:s:: en
`
`0
`
`~I~
`
`~
`
`~
`
`GROUND SYSTEM OF
`AIR-TO-GROUND NETWORK
`
`TERRESTRIAL NETWORK
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`('D
`('D
`
`1J1 =(cid:173)
`.....
`Ul
`0 .....
`....
`N
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'--...l
`"'""
`"'"" w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 7
`
`

`
`IN-CABIN RF SIGNALS
`
`FIG. 6
`
`GSM BTS,
`BSC & MSC
`
`621
`)
`
`622
`
`l
`
`611--1
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`623
`
`__)_ AIR-TO-GROUND
`RF SIGNALS
`I I~
`
`602
`
`rril -1
`
`ANTENNA
`SYSTEM
`~' I
`
`CDMA BTS,
`BSC & MSC
`
`n
`
`BSC& MSC
`
`~
`-=a
`:::0
`m
`;g
`-
`CJ
`<
`~
`-0
`~
`IDEN BTS, I 11
`0
`:::0 s:
`
`I
`
`0
`)>
`I
`I
`OJ
`:::0
`CJ
`G)
`m
`
`-0
`:r:
`0
`z
`m
`OJ
`)>
`z
`A
`11
`0
`:::0
`~
`G)
`...._..
`
`-
`
`\
`
`)
`~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~____,.. ~
`y
`IN-CABIN NETWORK
`AIRBORNE SYSTEM OF
`AIR-TO-GROUND NETWORK
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`1J1 =-('D
`.....
`~
`
`('D
`
`0 .....
`.....
`N
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'--...l
`""""
`"""" w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 8
`
`

`
`FIG. 7
`
`624
`
`AIR-TO-GROUND
`SIGNALS
`
`A
`
`(
`
`627
`
`HLR
`
`s::
`
`(.})
`()
`
`628
`
`CDMA
`PDSN
`
`'
`~
`~ CHOJ
`~liil
`
`G.>
`
`z
`0
`
`(.})
`()
`
`~
`
`~
`0 0 0
`
`~
`
`y
`GROUND SYSTEM OF
`AIR-TO-GROUND NETWORK
`
`)~
`
`G
`
`y
`TERRESTRIAL NETWORK
`
`G
`
`)
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`('D
`('D
`
`1J1 =(cid:173)
`.....
`-....J
`0 .....
`....
`N
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'--...l
`"'""
`"'"" w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 9
`
`

`
`IN-CABIN RF SIGNALS
`
`TRAFFIC CHANNELS -TC\
`l
`GSM BASE
`STATION n--:--:-1
`811
`
`ANTENNA
`SYSTEM
`
`805
`
`iDEN HANDSETS
`804~
`
`~LI
`
`a
`a
`
`802.11 EQUIPPED DEVICES
`
`iDEN
`STA~~~T I
`ISC
`813
`802.11b/g
`WIRELESS
`ACCESS
`POINT
`
`814
`
`SIGNALING
`CHANNELS
`-SC~-
`
`I CDMABASE
`STATION I c
`812
`
`TC
`
`0
`?=i
`)::>
`(')
`0
`z
`(')
`m
`z
`-I
`~
`
`0
`:::0
`
`SC
`TC
`
`I
`
`I
`
`:
`
`I
`
`COMPOSITE
`DATA
`SIGNAL
`SINGLE
`AIRCRAFT
`
`) 56
`
`)>
`
`I
`G')
`;o
`0
`c
`z
`0
`~
`0
`6
`m p
`
`SC
`
`821
`
`AIRCRAFT IN-CABIN NETWORK
`
`I
`
`AIR-TO-GROUND NETWORK
`
`AIRBORNE SYSTEM
`
`J
`
`FIG. 8
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`AIR-TO-GROUND
`RF SIGNALS
`~ = ~
`~
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`822
`
`~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`1J1 =(cid:173)
`.....
`
`('D
`('D
`
`QO
`
`0 .....
`....
`N
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'--...l
`"'""
`"'"" w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 10
`
`

`
`COMPOSITE
`AIR-TO-GROUND
`DATA SIGNALS
`RF SIGNALS
`MULTIPLE
`~
`AIRCRAFT
`823
`
`G')
`;o
`
`I 825
`~! ;o
`
`~
`~
`a
`
`Ul
`~
`"'-!
`0
`z
`(")
`0 z
`-i ;o
`0
`I
`I m
`;o
`
`~~
`Cl
`0
`m p
`
`~
`
`824
`
`TERRESTRIAL
`TRANSPORT LINKS
`
`TRAFFIC CHANNELS -TC
`
`GSM
`BSC
`
`SC
`TC
`
`831
`
`832
`
`~
`CDMA
`~
`BSC/
`~
`PCF
`~ 1--.---.---.
`m
`'--~~-
`;o
`-"'U
`INTERCONNECT TRAFFIC
`Q
`~
`~
`Z
`I
`)>
`I
`G') 1--1-+-_..._----i
`m
`;o I
`
`•
`:
`
`I
`I
`
`: :
`
`-
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I -
`
`I
`
`I
`
`843
`
`833
`
`l--834
`
`iDEN
`BSC
`
`iDEN
`MPS
`
`,.-835
`
`DISPATCH AND
`PACKET TRAFFIC
`I
`
`AAA
`
`GSM
`MSC/
`VLR
`
`GSM
`SGSN
`
`CDMA
`MSC/
`VLR
`
`iDEN
`MSC/
`VLR
`
`iDEN
`MDG
`
`iDEN SS7
`NETWORK
`
`AIR-TO-GROUND NETWORK
`
`I
`
`TERRESTRIAL NETWORK
`
`y
`GROUND SYSTEM
`
`)
`
`FIG. 9
`
`e .
`00 .
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`"'~
`N
`0
`0
`~
`
`852
`
`853
`
`('D
`('D
`
`1J1 =(cid:173)
`.....
`"° 0 .....
`....
`
`N
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'--...l
`""'"'
`""'"' w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 11
`
`

`
`GSM
`CELL PHONE J---1001
`
`iA
`GSM
`v~PROTOCOL
`
`ONBOARD GSM
`"BASE STATION
`EMULATOR"
`
`~1002
`
`• VOICE
`• MESSAGING CONTROL
`• SIM INFORMATION
`
`FIG. 10
`
`1003
`)
`
`STANDARD LBT, EXCEPT
`ACCEPTS SIM INFO
`
`-.
`
`MODIFIED
`LBT TRANSCEIVER
`
`I
`
`IRIDIUM
`PROTOCOL
`
`1004
`
`PSTN
`
`VOICE CALL
`
`EARTH STATION
`CONFIGURED TO
`ALLOW ROAMERS
`
`GSM INTERFACE
`
`GSM ROAMING
`INFRASTRUCTURE
`
`VLR, BILLING, VERIFICATION
`
`e .
`00 .
`~ a
`~ = ~
`
`1J1
`('D
`'?
`N
`$1'-
`N
`0
`0
`O'I
`
`('D
`('D
`
`1J1 =(cid:173)
`.....
`....
`0
`0 .....
`....
`N
`
`d
`rJl
`
`"'--...l
`"'""
`"'"" w
`~
`
`00 = = N
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 12
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.26,2006
`
`Sheet 11 of 12
`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`
`""""
`
`"""" c; a:
`
`(.)
`en
`C'.J
`
`en
`1--
`C'.J
`
`LL~
`0 0:::
`zO
`05:
`-1-1-w
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`o__.
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`
`__.
`w
`:z: "
`:z: :z:
`<C"'
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`(..)
`
`_J w
`:z: w
`:z: :z:
`:i§O
`
`(..)
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 13
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.26,2006
`
`Sheet 12 of 12
`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`
`N ,....
`cl
`LC
`
`(.)
`CJ)
`co
`
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`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 14
`
`

`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING AN
`AIRBORNE WIRELESS CELLULAR
`NETWORK WITH TERRESTRIAL
`WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORKS AND
`THE PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE
`NETWORK
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`2
`feature set which includes 3-way calling, then this 3-way
`calling feature would be available to them as they transi(cid:173)
`tioned through handoffs from one cell to the next within the
`home wireless service provider's cellular network (intra(cid:173)
`network handoff).
`If the wireless subscriber were to transition inter-network,
`from the coverage area of their home wireless network to a
`network of the same or another wireless service provider
`(termed "roaming wireless service provider" herein), the
`10 wireless subscriber should have the ability to originate and
`receive calls in a unified manner, regardless of their location.
`In addition, it should be possible for a given wireless
`subscriber's feature set to move transparently with them.
`However, for this feature set transportability to occur, there
`15 needs to be database file sharing wherein the home wireless
`service HLR transfers the subscriber's authorized feature set
`profile to the roaming wireless service provider's database,
`often called a Visitor Location Register, or VLR. The VLR
`then recognizes that a given roaming wireless subscriber is
`authorized for a certain feature set and enables the roaming
`wireless service provider network to transparently offer
`these features to the wireless subscriber. In this manner, the
`roaming wireless subscriber retains the same authorized
`feature set, or "subscriber class", as they had on their home
`25 wireless service provider network. The communications
`between the HLR and VLR which transfers this information
`also allows the HLR to "know" which VLR is currently
`serving the subscriber, and allows the home system to cause
`inbound calls and/or messages to the subscriber to be
`30 directed to the roaming wireless service provider for deliv(cid:173)
`ery to the subscriber.
`As wireless networks become more ubiquitous with
`enhanced capability, an unstoppable trend towards universal
`communication mobility is occurring. In its ultimate vision,
`35 the wireless mobility trend means continual access to infor(cid:173)
`mation and access to other wireless networks, the Public
`Switched Telephone Network (PSTN),the Public Switched
`Data Network (PSDN), and Internet independent of a wire(cid:173)
`less subscriber's location. Given then this mobility trend of
`40 access to data or telephony capability "anywhere, anytime",
`a significant hole or gap exists in the spatial wireless
`coverage region to truly enable this visionary mobility trend.
`What is desired is the integration of true mobile communi(cid:173)
`cation access with wireless subscriber devices independent
`45 of location, in both ground-based and non-terrestrial envi(cid:173)
`ronments. More to the point, it is highly desired to retain the
`features and benefits of a given ground-based wireless
`communication network when a subscriber enters the non-
`terrestrial space. This universal, ubiquitous wireless service
`50 capability is termed "One Phone Goes Anywhere" or
`"OPGA".
`When wireless subscribers enter the non-terrestrial space,
`that is they fly in an aircraft independent of the type, it is
`presently not feasible for a subscriber to enjoy transparent or
`seamless feature set portability. The ground-based wireless
`subscriber is presently in a communication vacuum-that is,
`connectivity for telephony and Internet/data access through
`their personal wireless subscriber device is no longer pos(cid:173)
`sible. More to the point, today it is not presently possible to
`60 use a personal wireless subscriber device assigned to a
`ground-based host wireless service provider aboard an air(cid:173)
`craft, much less have transparent access to the authorized
`subscriber feature set or "subscriber class".
`Additionally, ground-based cellular subscriber classes do
`65 not contemplate the support of non-terrestrial classes of
`subscribers and services, such as TSA (Transportation Secu(cid:173)
`rity Administration), Federal Air Marshals, Flight Atten-
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 09/686,923 filed Oct. 11, 2000 titled
`"Aircraft-Based Network for Wireless Subscriber Stations",
`which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/379,825,
`now U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,180 filed Aug. 24, 1999 and titled
`"Ubiquitous Subscriber Station", which is continuation-in(cid:173)
`part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/960,183, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,
`539, filed Oct. 29, 1997 and titled "Non-Terrestrial Sub(cid:173)
`scriber Station", which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser.
`No. 08/709,417, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,346, filed Sep. 6, 20
`1996 and titled "Multi-Dimensional Mobile Cellular Com-
`munication Network," which is a continuation-in-part of
`U.S. Ser. No. 08/027,333, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,762, filed
`Mar. 8, 1993 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Reducing
`Interference Among Cellular Telephone Signals" and U.S.
`Ser. No. 07/847,920, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,656, filed Mar.
`6, 1992 and titled "Mobile Communications".
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to cellular communications and, in
`particular, to a system that enables wireless subscriber
`stations to receive consistent wireless communication ser(cid:173)
`vices in both the terrestrial (ground-based) and non-terres(cid:173)
`trial regions, as well as in other areas not served by existing
`cellular communication networks.
`
`PROBLEM
`
`It is a problem in the field of wireless communications to
`manage the maintenance of the services provided tot he
`wireless subscriber as they roam among cell sites in the
`cellular communication network. This ability to provide
`wireless mobility requires that the wireless subscriber have
`continual access to the Public Switched Telephone Network
`(PSTN), the Public Switched Data Network (PSDN), and the
`Internet, independent of the wireless subscriber's location.
`In addition, the wireless subscriber should have the ability to
`originate and receive calls and/or data messages in a unified
`manner, regardless of their location, and these calls as well
`as any ancillary services should be handled uniformly by
`whatever wireless system is presently serving the wireless
`subscriber. This problem is especially pertinent in cases
`where wireless subscribers a relocated in an environment
`that is not included in the intended service area of terrestrial 55
`wireless systems, such as in aircraft or on off-shore ships.
`In the field of wireless communications, it is common for
`a wireless subscriber to move throughout the area served by
`the network of their home wireless service provider and
`maintain their desired subscriber feature set. Feature set
`availability throughout the home network is managed by the
`home wireless service provider's database, often termed a
`Home Location Register (HLR), with data connections to
`one or more switches (packet or circuit) and various ancil(cid:173)
`lary equipment, such as voicemail and short message serv(cid:173)
`ers, to enable this seamless feature set management. For
`example, if a given subscriber has established their preferred
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 15
`
`

`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`
`3
`dants, Cockpit Crew, First Class Customers, Economy Class
`Customers, In-Flight Medical Emergency services, and
`Flight Operations services. Most important, ground-based
`cellular subscriber classes do not contemplate the necessary
`network functionality for enabling directed non-terrestrial
`emergency signaling such as forward path 911 or E911 or
`reverse path 911 emergency calling capability (forward path
`is base to mobile and reverse path is mobile to base).
`Similarly, the present art for ground-based wireless net(cid:173)
`works does not contemplate the creation of a Virtual Private 10
`Non-terrestrial Network (VPNN). Such capability is an
`essential element for company confidential conveyance of
`information concerning safety and security (TSA/Federal
`Air Marshall) or operational information/data for an airline.
`In addition, th
`Last, the existing wireless networks do not have the
`capability for transparent billing solutions when a subscriber
`becomes "non-terrestrial". This very simple customer cen(cid:173)
`tric feature is necessary to ensure timely market adoption of
`the non-terrestrial service.
`
`15
`
`SOLUTION
`
`4
`This is accomplished by the present Non-Terrestrial Fea(cid:173)
`ture Transparency System, which spoofs the Aircraft In(cid:173)
`Cabin Network and the Ground-Based Network Elements of
`the "Outer Network" into thinking that the wireless sub(cid:173)
`scriber devices have no special considerations associated
`with their operation, even though the wireless subscriber
`devices are located on an aircraft in flight. This architecture
`requires that the non-terrestrial feature transparency system
`located on board the aircraft provide the full functionality of
`a given wireless subscriber's home network, which has a
`certain predetermined feature set from a ground-based wire(cid:173)
`less service provider, at that wireless subscriber's device
`when in a non-terrestrial mode. This mirroring of wireless
`subscriber device attributes enables a localized cell for
`in-cabin communication yet retains the same wireless sub(cid:173)
`scriber device attributes for the air-to-ground link.
`This provision of feature set transparency is accomplished
`in part by the use of an "Inner Network" that connects the
`two segments of the "Outer Network," comprising the
`20 Aircraft In-Cabin Network and the ground-based portion of
`the non-terrestrial cellular communication network. The
`Inner Network transmits both the subscriber traffic (com(cid:173)
`prising voice and/or other data) as well as feature set data
`between the Aircraft in-Cabin Network and the ground-
`25 based cellular communication network to thereby enable the
`wireless subscriber devices that are located in the aircraft to
`receive consistent wireless communication services in both
`the terrestrial (ground-based) and non-terrestrial regions.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The above described problems are solved and a technical
`advance achieved in the field by the present system for
`integrating an airborne wireless cellular network with
`ground-based cellular networks and the Public Switched
`Telephone Network (termed "Non-Terrestrial Feature Trans(cid:173)
`parency System" herein), which enables One Phone Goes
`Anywhere wireless subscriber devices, that are provisioned 30
`with ground-based wireless network and Public Switched
`Telephone Network features, to roam in a transparent and
`seamless mamier to a non-terrestrial wireless network.
`What is desired is an integration of non-terrestrial OPGA
`with ground-based wireless network and PSTN features to 35
`enable transparent and seamless "roaming" to the non(cid:173)
`terrestrial wireless network. However, the realization of this
`architectural functionality is non-trivial and requires sub(cid:173)
`stantive innovation over the present art. Architectural solu(cid:173)
`tions are required for the integration of ground-based and 40
`non-terrestrial networks when a ground-based wireless sub(cid:173)
`scriber becomes non-terrestrial with the following "One
`Phone Goes Anywhere" capabilities:
`Inbound signaling and call termination
`Outbound signaling and call origination
`Transparent feature set portability
`Transparent access to voicemail
`Transparent access to SMS (Short Message Service)
`Transparent subscriber class portability
`Non-terrestrial subscriber classes and services
`Transparent subscriber billing support
`Ground-based HLR to non-terrestrial HLR connectivity
`Ground-based VLR to non-terrestrial HLR connectivity
`Ground-based HLR to non-terrestrial-VLR connectivity
`Non-terrestrial HLR to ground-based VLR connectivity
`Non-terrestrial HLR to ground-based HLR connectivity
`Ground-based line ranges include non-terrestrial networks
`Non-terrestrial to non-terrestrial signaling
`Virtual Private Non-Terrestrial Network (VPNN)
`Handoffs from ground-based wireless communication net(cid:173)
`works to non-terrestrial wireless networks
`Handoffs from non-terrestrial wireless networks to ground(cid:173)
`based wireless communication networks
`Transparent internet access
`Transparent e-mail access
`Transparent multimedia access
`
`45
`
`FIG. 1 illustrates, in block diagram form, the overall
`architecture of a composite air-to-ground network that inter(cid:173)
`connects an Aircraft In-Cabin Network with a Ground(cid:173)
`Based communication Network;
`FIG. 2 illustrates, in block diagram form, the key network
`building blocks for the Non-Terrestrial Feature Transpar(cid:173)
`ency System which provides a feature set transparent Air(cid:173)
`to-Ground network that interconnects an Aircraft In-Cabin
`Network with a Ground-Based communication Network;
`FIG. 3 illustrates, in block diagram form, the architecture
`of a typical embodiment of a typical aircraft-based network
`for wireless subscriber stations as embodied in a multi(cid:173)
`passenger commercial aircraft
`FIGS. 4 & 5 illustrate, in block diagram form, the
`architecture of the Resident Cellular Infrastructure for the
`Full Feature, Single Customer Technology for the Air-to(cid:173)
`Ground Network
`FIGS. 6 & 7 illustrate, in block diagram form, the
`50 architecture of the Prepaid and/or Own Subscriber topology
`for the Air-to-Ground Network;
`FIGS. 8 & 9 illustrate, in block diagram form, the
`architecture of the Full Feature, Multiple Customer topology
`for the Air-to-Ground Network;
`FIG. 10 illustrates, in block diagram form, the GSM
`Handset to Iridium Architecture; and
`FIGS. 11 & 12 illustrate, in block diagram form, the
`architecture of the Moving Cell and Moving Subscriber
`implementations of the Resident Cellular Infrastructure for
`60 the Full Feature, Single Customer Technology for the Air(cid:173)
`to-Ground Network.
`
`55
`
`65
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`Cellular wireless communication systems provide the
`service of connecting wireless communication customers,
`each having a wireless subscriber device, to both land-based
`
`Pet., Exh. 1007, p. 16
`
`

`
`US 7,113,780 B2
`
`5
`customers who are served by the common carrier public
`telephone network as well as other wireless communication
`customers. In such a system, ifthe traffic is circuit switched,
`all incoming and outgoing calls are routed through a wire(cid:173)
`less network switch, commonly referred to as a Mobile
`Switching Center (MSC) or Mobile Telephone Switching
`Office (MTSO), each of which is connected to a Base Station
`Subsystem consisting of one or more Base Station Control(cid:173)
`lers (BSCs), and a plurality of Base Transceiver Stations
`(BTSs ). Each Base Transceiver Station communicates with
`wireless subscriber devices located within its service area,
`with the Base Transceiver Stations geographically arranged
`to collectively provide contiguous service over a large
`service region. Each Base Transceiver Station in the service
`region is connected by communication I inks to a Base
`Station Controller, and the Base Station Controller is con(cid:173)
`nected by additional communications links to the Mobile
`Switching Center Each Base Transceiver Station contains a
`one or more radio transceivers, with the number of trans- 20
`ceivers being dependent upon the subscriber traffic gener(cid:173)
`ated within the coverage area of the Base Transceiver
`Station.
`The terms "cell site" and "cell" are sometimes loosely
`used in the literature, and the term "cell site" generally 25
`denotes the locations of the Base Transceiver Stations, while
`the term "cell" generally denotes the region of space which
`is served by a particular set of transceivers and associated
`antenna system at a cell site. A "sector" generally refers to
`the sector-shaped coverage area created when multiple 30
`directional antenna systems are used at a cell site to provide
`greater capacity and/or coverage by sub-dividing the nomi(cid:173)
`nally circular coverage area surrounding a cell site into a
`corresponding number of cells. The particular technology
`used to implement the communications between wireless 35
`subscriber devices and the transmitter-receiver pairs as well
`as the nature of the data transferred there between, be it
`voice, video, telemetry, computer data, and the like, are not
`limitations to the system which is described herein, since a
`novel system concept is disclosed, rather than a specific 40
`technologically limited implementation of an existing sys(cid:173)
`tem concept. Therefore, the term "cellular" as it is used
`herein denotes a communication system which operates on
`the basis of dividing space into a plurality of volumetric
`sections or cells, and managing communications between 45
`wireless subscriber devices located in the cells and the
`associated transmitter-receiver pairs located at the cell site
`for each of these cells.
`
`Existing Cellular Technologies
`There are several cellular standards or Common Air
`Interfaces which have widespread use in the wireless indus(cid:173)
`try. The following are examples of typical characteristics of
`such systems, which all share the common trait of reusing
`RF charmels with a "cellular" reuse pattern.
`Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) utilizes an
`analog Frequency Modulation on a pair of radio frequency
`carriers for each cellular call and is therefore a member of
`the Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) class of
`cellular services. The AMPS network has a control channel 60
`allocation on a per cell/sector basis. The wireless subscriber
`device "camps on" to the shared control channel when
`inactive and exchanges signaling information required to
`assign dedicated traffic charmels when required in order to
`complete inbound or outbound calls. AMPS calls are then
`set-up to the desired destination as described below. Hand(cid:173)
`offs of a wireless subscriber device between adjacent cells/
`
`10
`
`6
`sectors in AMPS are require that the subscriber device
`performs a frequency change as service changes from one
`cell/sector to the next.
`In contrast, the IS-136 standard (also called NA-TDMA),
`uses a combination of FDMA and Time Division Multiple
`Access (TDMA) for its access scheme, with each pair of
`carriers supporting up to three calls on separate time slots.
`The wireless subscriber device camps on a control channel
`that is defined as a particular timeslot on a particular RF
`channel. When the subscriber device requires a traffic chan(cid:173)
`nel to originate or complete a call, it is provided with an RF
`channel and one of the three available timeslots on that
`channel to set-up and communicate its traffic. TDMA Radio
`Frequency charmel bandwidths are the same as for AMPS
`15 and handoffs of the wireless subscriber device in TDMA are
`similar to AMPS, requiring that the subscriber device per(cid:173)
`form a frequency change when handing off from one cell/
`sector to the next.
`GSM, or Global System for Mobile communications, also
`utilizes FDMA and TDMA access, but with marked differ(cid:173)
`ences in the management of the RF channel. For a given "RF
`channel", there are a plurality of timeslots available. The
`first RF channel utilized in a cell will have at least one
`timeslot assigned as the common control channel, which
`continuously broadcasts various signals required for system
`management as well as signals intended for specific sub-
`scriber devices. Timeslots not used for control channel
`purposes are available for use as traffic channels. Handoffs
`in GSM require a change of RF charmel sequence and time
`slots when the subscriber device moves to an adjoining cell.
`Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems use yet
`another basic form of multiple access. Central to the opera(cid:173)
`tion of CDMA is the development of a system of special
`code sequences (such as Walsh Codes) that are used to
`digitally modulate individual the digital traffic signals. The
`code sequences have the unique property of being "orthogo-
`nal" to each other, that is, each on can be completely
`distinguished from any of the others by mathematical
`manipulation of the signals-a property survives after
`modulation by the digital traffic signals. This allows multiple
`modulated code sequences to be used to modulate a single
`RF carrier and a receiver to be able to demodulate the
`complex signal and identify each of the original digitally
`coded "channels". Each of the original digital traffic signals
`is thereby recovered. Signaling channels for used to broad(cid:173)
`cast common information and information for specific sub-
`scriber devices are handled us