Patent ID: 6430412
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: H04B,H04W

Abstract:
A method of performing a call handoff of at least one user's call carried on a first traffic service channel, said user being located in an airplane, said user's call being transmitted between an aircraft phone system and a radio base station, said radio base station coupled to a public switched telephone network, comprising the steps of:identifying, with said aircraft phone system, when a second traffic service channel's unused call capacity is not less than a capacity to carry said at least one user's call; duplicating, with said aircraft phone system in response to the step of identifying, said at least one user's call onto said second traffic service channel to create a duplicate call over said second traffic service channel; transferring, with said aircraft phone system, the at least one user's call from said first traffic service channel to said second traffic service channel using the duplicated call; and releasing, with said aircraft phone system, said first traffic service channel.