The Boeing Company

David W Bogart

Michael De La Chapelle

Ioan Leuca

Thomas R Ott

Loan Leuca

A method for monitoring and controlling operation of wireless personal electronic devices (PEDs) present on a mobile platform (MP). The method may involve defining at least one phase of operation of the MP where the use of wireless PEDs is prohibited. A wireless communications system on the MP may monitor and detect signals being transmitted by wireless PEDs present on the MP. The system may detect a transmission from a wireless PED located on the MP that occurs during the one phase of operation. An identification code associated with a specific one of the wireless PEDs that is detected as operating during the one phase of operation may be recorded in a file. The file may thereafter be checked during a second phase of operation where use of the wireless PEDs is permitted, and access may be denied to any wireless PED whose identification code is stored in the database.

Method and apparatus for actively monitoring personal cellular devices and controlling access to a celluar communications network with an airborne mobile platform

A communications system and method for providing a cellular communications link between a user traveling on a mobile platform (or at a remote location) and a terrestrial based segment. The system and method uses a radio access segment located on board the mobile platform (or at the remote location) to interface with the user's personal communications device. The bearer terminal facilitates the transmission of information to and from the radio access segment, via an off-platform system, to the terrestrial segment. The terrestrial segment manages the communications link between one or more cellular service providers who are accessing the terrestrial segment and the mobile platform (or a remote site). The system does not limit access to the terrestrial segment to only one cellular service provider but instead allows virtually any number of cellular service providers to access the terrestrial segment and to participate in providing a cellular link to the mobile platform (or a remote site).

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

David W Bogart