Patent ID: 8416732

Claim:
A radio communication system for ACARS messages exchange between an aircraft ( 2 ) and a ground centre ( 20 ) comprising, in the aircraft: a communication management unit ( 4 ) having a plurality of interfaces connecting communication equipments among VHF, HF and SATCOM communication equipments ( 6 , 10 , 14 ), the communication equipments being adapted, via respective bi-directional channels, to each communicate independently with the ground center ( 20 ); and a communication unit ( 24 ) having a first interface ( 32 ) and a second interface ( 38 ), a first communication link ( 34 ) between i) said first interface ( 32 ) and ii) an interface ( 36 ) of the communication management unit ( 4 ), and a second communication link ( 40 ) between i) said second interface ( 38 ) and ii) an interface ( 42 ) of an associated antenna means ( 26 ) for communication with the ground center ( 20 ), said communication unit ( 24 ) including emulating means ( 44 ) for emulating a communication equipment when communicating with the communication management unit ( 4 ) and wireless access means ( 50 ) for communication with a wireless access point ( 28 ) of a ground communication network ( 30 ), wherein, the communication management unit ( 4 ) has one HF interface not fitted with an HF communication equipment, the communication management unit ( 4 ) is connected to each radio communication equipment by a ARINC 429 bus, the communication unit ( 24 ) connected to the control management unit ( 4 ) by the ARINC 429 bus, the emulation means configured to have the communication unit ( 24 ) emulate an HF communication equipment communication equipment ( 6 ) via the one interface of the communication management unit ( 4 ) so that, from the communication management unit ( 4 ), the communication unit ( 24 ) is seen as the HF radio communication equipment; the communication unit ( 24 ), operating under the emulating means, being seen as a wireless terminal when communicating with a ground telecommunication network, the communication carried out on ground through an Internet link, the communication unit ( 24 ), operating under the emulating means, configured for transmitting ACARS messages including ATS messages.