Abstract:
A computer system identifies a subset of internet content of interest to a future set of passengers for a particular flight. The computer system compiles the subset of the internet content in advance of the flight and delivers the subset of internet content to a corresponding airport gate. A routing table of individual pages and links in those individual pages is constructed. A computer system with a large data storage element in an aircraft receives the subset of internet content and delivers it to passengers on demand, in flight.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed generally toward internet service in aircraft, and more particularly toward a system for providing offline internet service. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Satellite communication in aircraft generally requires twelve to thirty-six inch Ku and Ka band antennas. Satellite communication is necessary for high speed data communication in an aircraft. Smaller aircraft are limited in size and do not have adequately fuselages space to carry the antennas necessary for high speed Internet access. Thousands of existing single aisle aircraft are capable of hosting on-board wireless access, but are limited to on-board movies and games without any internet connectivity. 
     Consequently, it would be advantageous if an apparatus existed that is suitable for providing internet access in aircraft incapable of housing Ku and Ka band antennas. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a novel method and apparatus for providing internet access in aircraft incapable of housing Ku and Ka band antennas. 
     In at least one embodiment, a computer system in an aircraft comprises a large data storage element for storing a subset of internet data. A predetermined subset of internet data is compiled and stored at an airport for transfer to an aircraft when the aircraft is stationed at the airport gate. A routing table is constructed corresponding to the individual pages in the subset of the internet data and to the links in those individual pages as necessary. 
     In another embodiment, a computer system identifies a subset of internet data of interest to a future set of passengers for a particular flight. The computer system compiles the subset of the internet data in advance of the flight and delivers the subset of internet data to a corresponding airport gate. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a computer system for storing a subset of internet data according to at least one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of a system for delivering a subset of internet data to an aircraft according to at least one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows an environmental block diagram of an aircraft receiving a subset of internet data according to at least one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  shows a flowchart of a method according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims; numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents are encompassed. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the embodiments has not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram of a computer system for storing a subset of internet data according to at least one embodiment of the present invention is shown. In at least one embodiment, a computer system incorporated into an aircraft may include a processor  100 , memory  102  connected to the processor  100  configured to store computer executable program code, a data storage element  104  connected to the processor  100  configured to store a subset of internet data. The computer system may also include one or more antennas  106  connected to the processor  100 ; the one or more antennas  106  configured to transfer the subset of internet data to the data storage element  104  from a corresponding computer system at an airport gate, and further configured to allow access to the subset of internet data by passengers of the aircraft. 
     The memory  102  may also store a routing table corresponding to pages and links in the subset of internet data. The routing table may be configured to redirect requests for internet data received through the one or more antennas  106  to locally stored data in the data storage element  104 , or else to gracefully fail when a passenger attempts to access data that is not stored in the data storage element  104 . Alternatively, the processor  100  may utilize the routing table to identify any attempt to access data not stored in the data storage element and offer a passenger the opportunity to use any available data connection. In that case, the one or more antennas  106  may be further configured for some form of in-air data communication to provide limited real-time internet access. A person skilled in the art may appreciate a “routing table” according to the present invention may comprise any data structure for allowing the translation and routing of general internet addresses to addresses specific to locally stored data. In at least one embodiment, such routing table may comprise a simple methodology for IP translation. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of a system for delivering a subset of internet data to an aircraft according to at least one embodiment of the present invention is shown. An aircraft  200  including a computer system configured to store a subset of internet data is in data communication with a computer system in an airport  202 . In some embodiments, the aircraft  200  computer system may be wirelessly or physically connected to the airport  202  computer system. 
     The airport  202  computer system may receive a subset of internet data designated for upload to the aircraft  200  computer system. In at least one embodiment, the airport  202  computer system may receive the subset of internet data through a satellite enabled data link  204  to a high speed data communication satellite system  206 . The high speed data communication satellite system  206  may be configured to relay subsets of internet data from an airport data distribution system  208 . 
     The subset of internet data may be compiled  210  by an entity such as an internet search provider or other entity that maintains one or more indexes of internet content. The subset of internet data may be compiled  210  based on compilation parameters  214  supplied by an airline. The compilation parameters  214  may be general website popularity metrics, desired websites as indicated by prospective or actual airline passengers, websites that airlines wish to make available to passengers, websites determined to be likely desirable based on passenger profile information gathered by an airline or any other combination of parameters capable of distinguishing desirability of some websites as compared to others. 
     Once the subset of internet data is compiled  210 , the subset of internet data may be distributed  212  to one or more airports through the airport data distribution system  208 . Where the subset of internet data is specific to a particular flight, the distribution  212  may be directed toward a particular gate at a particular airport  202 . Where the subset of internet data is more generalized, the distribution  212  may be directed toward a plurality of airports  202 . Distribution  212  may comprise incorporating one or more routing tables configured to translate website address in the subset of internet data. The routing table may further translate links in websites in the subset of internet data to point to other websites in the subset of internet data where appropriate. 
     Furthermore, websites included in the subset of internet data may incorporate server-side, dynamically generated content such as advertisements. Such dynamically generated content may be identified during compilation  210 , distribution  212  or on-board the aircraft  200  computer system when accessed by a passenger. The identified, dynamically generated content may be replaced by static content. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an environmental block diagram of an aircraft receiving a subset of internet data according to at least one embodiment of the present invention is shown. An aircraft  300  according to at least one embodiment of the present invention includes a server  308  configured to provide a subset of internet data to aircraft  300  passengers through a wireless access point  302 . The wireless access point  302  may comprise one or more antennas  304 ,  306 , at least one of the one or more antennas  304 ,  306  configured to establish a data link connected with an airport gate server system  310  for high speed transfer of the subset of internet data from the airport gate server system  310  to the aircraft  300  server  308  when the aircraft  300  is stationed at an airport gate. In another embodiment, the server  308  may be connected through a physical datalink to the airport gate server  310 . For example, when aircraft  300  are parked at an airport gate, temporary power connections are routinely established to the aircraft  300 . A physical datalink connection may be established between the airport gate server system  310  and the aircraft  300  server  308  through the temporary power connection. Alternatively, a dedicated, temporary, high-bandwidth physical connection may be made alongside existing power connections. 
     The airport gate server system  310  may communicate with one or more service providers  312  such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Baidu or some other entity that maintains one or more indexes of internet data  314 . The one or more service providers  312  may compile a subset of internet data  314  based on parameters provided by an airline for transfer to the server  308  and eventual access by passengers of the aircraft  300  in flight. Furthermore, where some portion of the subset of internet data  314  is determined to be relatively persistent across multiple flights, the airport gate server system  310  may periodically update the subset of internet data  314  to reflect updates to the internet. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a flowchart of a method according to at least one embodiment of the present invention is shown. A computer system may identify  400  a subset of internet data based on parameters supplied by an airline. Such parameters may define what internet content is desired by aircraft passengers generally, or a particular set of aircraft passengers or both. Internet content desired by a particular set of aircraft passengers may be identified based on passenger profiles or specific passenger requests. 
     The desired internet content may then by compiled  402  into a server system in an airport, and in some cases a particular airport gate. The desired internet content may be partially or substantially consistent between flights. In such case, the server system may identify  404  portions of the internet content that have been updated or modified since original compilation  402  and update  406  the modified internet content to reflect the most recent version available. 
     In addition, a compilation of internet content may be generalized such that a basic content set may be compiled  402  for all flights and additional internet content may be identified  408  for a specific passenger set and added  410  to the compiled internet content. 
     Internet locations are generally identified by a domain name system. Because embodiments of the present invention are indented for use in an aircraft without high-speed internet connectivity, an ordinary domain name system may not be available. Therefore, a routing table may be compiled  412  of the subset of internet content to accurately route data traffic. 
     Where the subset of internet content includes dynamically generated features, the dynamically generated features may be replaced  414  by static features stored in a server system. For example, where a website would normally generate advertisements during an initial loading, such advertisements may be replaced by elements stored locally; for example, by static advertisements. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, similar systems and methodologies may be employed in non-aircraft, mobile devices. In such embodiment, a mobile device may connect to a service provider when such a data link connection is available. The mobile device may download a subset of internet data according to one or more preferences of the device owner. The device may maintain a routing table associating the subset of internet data and links within the subset of internet data with websites within the subset of internet data. The mobile device may recognize when no data link connection to the internet is available instead route data access requests according to the routing table. 
     It is believed that the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.