Patent ID: 6353779
Filing Date: 2002-03-05
Classification: H04B,H04W

Abstract:
Method of managing communications modes for an exchange, in digital form, of messages between the ground and an aircraft provided with transmission equipment suitable for aeronautical digital telecommunications with ACARS and ATN networks and transmission sub-networks of said ACARS and ATN networks, said aircraft equipped with a computer managing communications of the aircraft within the ACARS and ATN networks, said computer equipped with a man-machine interface allowing a pilot to dialogue with said computer, said method comprising the steps of:providing said computer with a database including, an updated status of the communications modes via one of the transmission sub-networks of the ACARS and ATN networks available to the aircraft at a desired moment of said exchange of messages, said updated status taking in account capabilities of the transmission equipment on a ground area overflown by the aircraft and said transmission equipment of the aircraft, directives expressed by the pilot by way of said man-machine interface and framing a configuration choice of said communications modes, a pre-established routing policy, and costs, performance levels, and qualities of service of said communications modes; and selecting, via the computer, one of the communication modes via said one of the transmission sub-networks by application of a predefined rule accounting for an order of preference among said communications modes via one of said transmission sub-networks, a selected transmission sub-network established on a basis of elements of said database, including, actual availabilities, at the desired moment of the exchange, of the communications modes via one of said transmission sub-networks, directives expressed by the pilot and framing a communications choice of a communications mode via one of said transmission sub-networks to be used, pre-established routing policy, costs, performance levels, and qualities of service of said communications modes, offered by said ACARS and ATN transmission networks via one of said transmission sub-networks.