Live Tv, Inc.

Ipr Licensing, Inc.

Interdigital Technology Corporation

Harris Corporation

Thales

Thales Avionics, Inc.

Tantivy Communications, Inc.

Interdigital Corporation

Michael James Lynch

Bing Chiang

Jeffrey A Frisco

Robert M Keen

Griffin Keith Gothard

James Arthur Proctor, Jr

Thomas E Gorsuch

Kenneth Marvin Gainey

Douglas Harold Wood

Brian Anderson

Steven Jeffrey Goldberg

William Robert Palmer

Christopher A Snyder

R Michael Keen

Antoine Jean Rouphael

Govind Rangaswamy Kadambi

John A Regnier

John C Voelkel

Michael Gene Moeller

Thomas Liu

Scott Douglas Easterling

Michael G Moeller

Brandon Schmitt

Kambiz Casey Zangi

Inhyok Cha

Charles Michael Newton

Timothy Earl Durham

Kevin Peter Johnson

James A Proctor, Jr

Carl Wang

Verlin A Hibner

Gregg Arthur Charlton

George M Walley

Ross L Lintelman

James K Conn

Dee M Richeson, Legal Representative

Larry T Holak

Mark W Kishler

Joshua Patterson

Josh Patterson

An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Aircraft in-flight entertainment system having a multi-beam phased array antenna and associated methods

A communications system is for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having PEDs, and the communications system may include a ground-based communications network, and a satellite-based communications network. The system may include at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft to receive a web content request from a given PED and transmit corresponding web content to the given PED. An air-to-ground communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for sending the web content request to the ground-based communications network defining a return link. Further, a satellite communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for receiving the corresponding web content from the satellite-based communications network defining a forward link.

Aircraft web content communications system with air-to-ground and satellite links and associated methods

An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a radome to be carried by the aircraft, and a dual-beam satellite antenna and at least one positioner coupled thereto to be carried by the aircraft and protected by the radome. The dual-beam satellite antenna is to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. The dual-beam satellite antenna includes a first aperture for receiving the television programming, and a second aperture adjacent the first aperture for receiving the Internet data. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the dual-beam satellite antenna to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the dual-beam satellite antenna to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Aircraft in-flight entertainment system having a dual-beam antenna and associated methods

A video file system for an aircraft carrying a person having a personal electronic device (PED) for displaying video files includes a ground-based video server and an aircraft-based video system. The ground-based video server stores video files, with each video file being updatable from an available status to an unavailable status. The aircraft-based video system copies video files from the ground-based video server while the aircraft is on the ground. A determination is made, via communications with the ground-based video server and while the aircraft is on the ground, whether a given video file has been updated from the available status to the unavailable status. The PED is permitted to display the given video file if it has the available status, and is not permitted to display the given video file if it has the unavailable status.

Aircraft communications system with video file library and associated methods

A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least one person having a personal electronic device (PED) includes an aircraft server in the aircraft for determining airborne validation of a ground server address entered via a corresponding PED, and a transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the aircraft server for communicating using the airborne validated ground server address. A ground server on the ground is for determining ground validation of the airborne validated ground server address, and provides ground access for the corresponding PED for which the entered ground server address has both airborne and ground validation.

Aircraft communications system using whitelists to control access and associated methods

A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a ground-based communications network, and a satellite-based communications network. An access point is in the aircraft for providing a WLAN for data communications with the PEDs. An air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network. A satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs. At least one network selection controller determines whether to send data communications to the PEDs through the air-to-ground transceiver or the satellite receiver based on a communications link metric.

Aircraft communications system with network selection controller and associated method

A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a satellite-based communications network that includes a plurality of satellites, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, a plurality of satellite antennas in the aircraft, and a satellite transceiver. The satellite transceiver is coupled to the satellite antennas, and cooperates with the at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs. At least one selection controller is for selecting a satellite among the plurality of satellites, and for selecting a satellite antenna among the plurality of satellite antennas for the selected satellite.

Aircraft communications system with satellite selection controller and associated method

A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a satellite-based communications network that includes a plurality of satellites, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, and a satellite transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs. At least one network selection controller is for selecting a satellite among the plurality of satellites so that data communications is sent to the PEDs through the satellite transceiver based on a needed channel capacity of the data communications to be sent.

Aircraft communications system with satellite network selection controller and associated method

A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least one person having a personal electronic device (PED) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a communications network, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, and a transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the communications network. A data traffic controller is for selectively allocating data communications channel capacity between the PEDs and the communications network based on a data communications channel capacity usage of the PEDs. The data communications channel capacity usage corresponds to bandwidth of the data communications with the PEDs, and when the bandwidth of the data communications for a given PED exceeds a predetermined portion of the data communications channel capacity, then appropriate action is taken.

Aircraft communications system selectively allocating data communications channel capacity and associated methods

A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a ground-based communications network, and an access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs. An air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network. An aircraft data memory cache is in the aircraft and cooperates with the access point for storing common data accessible by the PEDs during flight of the aircraft.

Aircraft communications system with data memory cache and associated methods

A communications system for an aircraft carrying personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) includes a wireless access device in the aircraft for the PEDs, and an aircraft server in the aircraft cooperating with the wireless access device for determining airborne validation of a ground server address entered via a corresponding PED. An air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperates with the aircraft server for communicating over an air-to-ground interface the airborne validated ground server address. A ground server on the ground receives the airborne validated ground server address over the air-to-ground interface, determines ground validation of the airborne validated ground server address, and provides ground access for the corresponding PED for which the entered ground server address has both airborne and ground validation.

A video file system for an aircraft carrying a person having a personal electronic device (PED) for displaying video files includes a ground-based video server and an aircraft-based video system. The ground-based video server stores video files, with each video file being updatable from an available status to an unavailable status. The aircraft-based video system copies video files from the ground-based video server while the aircraft is on the ground. A determination is made, via communications with the ground-based video server and while the aircraft is airborne, whether a given video file has been updated from the available status to the unavailable status. The PED is permitted to display the given video file if it has the available status, and is not permitted to display the given video file if it has the unavailable status.

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Merritt Island, FL, United States of America

Michael James Lynch