System for connecting a mobile device to a wireless network of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10172171-B2
Application number	US-201514701196-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for connecting a mobile device to a wireless network of an aircraft, for automating and securing the connection of a mobile device to a wireless network of an aircraft. A connection system includes: a management module installed in a secured area of the aircraft and linked to an access point of the wireless network, the management module being configured to generate connection parameters and to configure the access point according to the connection parameters; and a wireless transmission module installed in the secured area and linked to the management module, the transmission module being configured to deliver the connection parameters to the mobile device according to a range restricted to the secured area, the connection parameters being adapted to allow the mobile device to be connected by a simple scan and securely to the wireless network of the aircraft via the access point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for connecting a mobile device to a wireless network of an aircraft, the network comprising a wireless access point, the system comprising:
a management module installed in a secured area of the aircraft and linked to the wireless access point, the management module being configured to generate connection parameters and to configure the wireless access point according to the connection parameters, the management module further comprising a parameterizing unit configured to receive a predefined trigger event and to produce the connection parameters on reception of the trigger event, wherein the trigger event is a change of flight phase, such that the parameterizing unit is configured to produce new connection parameters for the wireless access point in response to the change of flight phase, and wherein the parameterizing unit is programmed to detect the trigger event by detecting a signal from an avionics interface that the airplane is entering a pre-flight phase, such that new connection parameters are generated on each flight, and
a wireless transmission module installed in the secured area and linked to the management module, the wireless transmission module being configured to deliver the connection parameters to the mobile device according to a range restricted to the secured area, the connection parameters being generated by the management module to allow the mobile device to be connected securely to the wireless network of the aircraft via the wireless access point;
wherein the wireless transmission module comprises a wireless transmission module near field communication (NFC) interface in the secured area, wherein the wireless transmission module is configured to deliver the connection parameters for the wireless access point to a mobile device NFC interface of the mobile device in the secured area using the wireless transmission module NFC interface.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the management module comprises a configuration file unit intended to define the trigger event, properties of the connection parameters and a transmitter for transmitting the connection parameters to the wireless transmission module and to the access point.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the management module comprises a pseudo-random number generator configured to generate a random series of digits, the parameterizing unit being configured to produce the connection parameters by using the random series of digits.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the management module comprises an identification generator configured to translate the connection parameters into a language compatible with the transmission mode of the wireless transmission module.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the identification generator is configured to translate the connection parameters to the NFC interface.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the identification generator is configured to translate the connection parameters into a QR matrix code.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the secured area where the connection parameters are delivered to the mobile device is a cockpit, an avionics bay, a load bay, a landing gear bay, a crew rest area, or a passenger cabin.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises the mobile device, the mobile device comprising wireless connection structure and structure for recovering the connection parameters for the wireless access point.

9. An aircraft comprising a system as claimed in claim 1 .

10. A method for connecting a mobile device to a wireless network of an aircraft, the network comprising a wireless access point, the method comprising:
generating connection parameters in a secured area of the aircraft, following the reception of a predefined trigger event, wherein the trigger event is a change of flight phase, and generating connection parameters includes producing new connection parameters for the wireless access point in response to the change of flight phase, and wherein generating connection parameters comprises detecting the trigger event by detecting a signal from an avionics interface that the airplane is entering a pre-flight phase, such that new connection parameters are generated on each flight;
configuring the wireless access point according to the connection parameters; and
delivering, by a wireless transmission module comprising a wireless transmission module near field communication (NFC) interface in the secured area, the connection parameters for the wireless access point to a mobile device NFC interface of the mobile device within the secured area using the mobile device NFC interface, the connection parameters being generated to allow the mobile device to be connected securely to the wireless network of the aircraft via the wireless access point.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Randrianasolo Ndrianina
• Vadot Jean-Michel
• Michalski Mathias

Classifications

• B64D2045/0075

  Adaptations for use of electronic flight bags in aircraft; Supports therefor in the cockpit · CPC title

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title

• H04B5/0025

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G01C23/005

  Flight directors (indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32) · CPC title

• G01P13/025

  indicating air data, i.e. flight variables of an aircraft, e.g. angle of attack, side slip, shear, yaw · CPC title