Aircell LLC

Jerry H Polson

Kenneth Joseph Jochim

Daniel Bernard McKenna

Scott P Gregoire

The signal translating repeater is located in the aircraft and enables a traditional ground-based mobile subscriber station to provide wireless telecommunication services to a subscriber in both the terrestrial (ground-based) and non-terrestrial regions. The signal translating repeater receives frequency translated cell site cellular signals, comprising cellular radio frequency communication signals from a cell site that are in a mode compatible with ground-based cellular communications but shifted in frequency from the standard ground-based cellular radio frequency communication signals to other radio frequencies that are allocated for non-terrestrial cellular communications. The signal translating repeater automatically translates the received frequency translated cell site cellular signals into the ground-based cellular signals, comprising radio frequency communication signals that are in a mode compatible with ground-based cellular communications, used by the ground-based mobile subscriber stations located in the aircraft.

Signal translating repeater for enabling a terrestrial mobile subscriber station to be operable in a non-terrestrial environment

The present signal translating repeater is located in an aircraft and provides service to mobile subscriber stations that are located in the aircraft, using the ground-based cellular communication paradigm. The present signal translating repeater converts these ground-based cellular communication signals into signals pursuant to the non-terrestrial cellular telecommunication format and transmits these signals to the non-terrestrial cell site(s) presently serving the aircraft. In this manner, the subscribers in the aircraft can use their existing ground-based mobile subscriber stations in a manner that is consistent with use in communicating with the ground-based cell sites, while the aircraft communicates with the non-terrestrial cell site(s) presently serving the aircraft in a manner that is consistent with non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations.

The ubiquitous mobile subscriber station of the present invention enables the subscriber to receive wireless cellular mobile telecommunication services in a unified manner in both the terrestrial (ground-based) and non-terrestrial regions. The ubiquitous mobile subscriber station extends the usage of existing cellular mobile telecommunication frequencies allocated for ground-based cellular communications to non-terrestrial cellular communications in a manner that avoids the possibility of signal interference between the ground-based and non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations. In particular, the ubiquitous mobile subscriber station automatically transitions between the communications paradigm used in ground-based cellular communications and the communications paradigm used in non-terrestrial cellular communications as a function of the present location of the ubiquitous mobile subscriber station. The subscriber therefore can use the ubiquitous mobile subscriber station in all locations for uninterrupted wireless communications services. In addition, the non-terrestrial capabilities of the ubiquitous mobile subscriber station can be used to implement data transmission capabilities for use in the aircraft to provide Flight Information Services, real time monitoring of aircraft operation, as well as enhanced data communication services for the passengers in the aircraft.

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Longmont, CO, United States of America

Jerry H Polson