Patent ID: 11881926
Assignee: ROHDE & SCHWARZ GMBH & CO. KG
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC H  G | IPC G  H

Claim 11:
12. An airborne communication system, the airborne communication system comprising:
an aircraft comprising:
at least one audio unit for communication with an aircraft crew member, and
an airborne communication apparatus within an aircraft, the airborne communication apparatus comprising: at least one aircraft radio unit providing a reductant communication link which is configured to simultaneously receive and transmit redundant voice over IP (VoIP) communication signals and analogue communication signals based on a same audio signal, the aircraft radio unit further comprising: an audio interface which is connectable to the at least one audio unit for communication with the aircraft crew member and a calculation unit which is configured to:
receive the VoIP communication signals by a transmit radio unit of the transceiver and the analogue communication signals by an IP link of the transceiver simultaneously,
evaluate the received VoIP communication signals and a received analogue communication signals based upon a predefined first criterion related to signal quality, and
to decide based on the evaluations of the received VoIP communication signals with a first criterion related to signal quality and the evaluation of the received analogue communication signals with the first criterion which of the received VoIP communication signals or the received analogue communication signals is forwarded via the audio interface to the audio unit,
wherein the airborne communication apparatus is connected via its audio interface to the at least one audio unit;
a ground station in communication with the aircraft via a communication link, the ground station comprising:
at least one communication device which is configured to receive and transmit VoIP communication signals and analogue communication signals to the aircraft via the communication link.