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EP-4738724-A1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD TO TRANSMIT ACARS MESSAGES RECEIVED ON ACARS OVER IP GATEWAY TO HANDHELD DEVICE OR PRIVATE CLOUD SERVER

EP4738724A1EP 4738724 A1EP4738724 A1EP 4738724A1EP-4738724-A1

Abstract

A system comprises a communication management function (CMF) onboard an aircraft and configured to exchange datalink messages including ACARS messages, and CPDLC messages; and an onboard data gateway device in communication with the CMF. The data gateway device includes an ACARS over IP stack and a message decoder that communicates with the ACARS over IP stack. A ground server is configured for ACARS over IP messaging, with the ground server being in communication with the CMF through the data gateway device. At least one external device is in communication with the data gateway device. The external device comprises an onboard mobile device or a private cloud server. When ACARS over IP messages are exchanged between the CMF and the ground server, through the data gateway device, the messages are also routed from the gateway device to the external device comprising the onboard mobile device or the private cloud server.

Inventors

  • JAYARAMAIAH, Anil Sati

Assignees

  • Honeywell International Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251007

Claims (10)

  1. A system comprising: a communication management function (CMF) onboard an aircraft and configured to exchange datalink messages including aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) messages, and controller pilot data link communications (CPDLC) messages; a data gateway device onboard the aircraft and in operative communication with the CMF, the data gateway device including an ACARS over internet protocol (IP) stack and a message decoder that operatively communicates with the ACARS over IP stack; a ground server configured for ACARS over IP messaging, the ground server in operative communication with the CMF through the data gateway device; and at least one external device in operative communication with the data gateway device, the at least one external device comprising an onboard mobile device or a private cloud server; wherein when one or more ACARS over IP messages are exchanged between the CMF and the ground server, through the data gateway device, the one or more ACARS over IP messages are also routed from the gateway device to the at least one external device comprising the onboard mobile device or the private cloud server.
  2. The system of claim 1, wherein: the data gateway device is configured to provide Internet connectivity via cellular mobile data, Wi-Fi, SATCOM, or AeroMACS; and the data gateway device is configured to provide a local access point to which the onboard mobile device can connect.
  3. The system of claim 1, wherein when the one or more ACARS over IP messages are routed to the onboard mobile device: the one or more ACARS over IP messages are translated to a natural language selected by a user of the onboard mobile device, wherein the user comprises a pilot, a co-pilot, or a maintenance crew; or the one or more ACARS over IP messages are converted to a graphical representation for display on the onboard mobile device.
  4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more ACARS over IP messages are displayed, along with the one or more ACARS over IP messages translated to a natural language, side by side on a display screen of the onboard mobile device.
  5. The system of claim 1, wherein when the one or more ACARS over IP messages are routed to the private cloud server: the one or more ACARS over IP messages are translated to a natural language and stored; or the one or more ACARS over IP messages are converted to a graphical representation and stored.
  6. The system of claim 1, wherein when the one or more ACARS over IP messages are received on the onboard mobile device, the one or more ACARS over IP messages are also transferred to the ground server from the onboard mobile device.
  7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more ACARS over IP messages that are routed to the private cloud server are also accessible by third-party users who are subscribed to the private cloud server, the third-party users comprised of smaller aircraft without a CMF, uncrewed aerial vehicles, or ground operators.
  8. The system of claim 1, wherein when the one or more ACARS over IP messages are routed to the onboard mobile device, the one or more ACARS over IP messages are used for flight operations, including fight planning and management, on the onboard mobile device by a pilot or a co-pilot.
  9. A method comprising: generating an aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) uplink message in a ground server; sending the ACARS uplink message from the ground server, over internet protocol (IP), to a data gateway device onboard an aircraft; receiving the ACARS uplink message in an ACARS over IP (AoIP) stack of the data gateway device; determining whether the received ACARS uplink message is valid; in response to determining that the received ACARS uplink message is valid, the method further comprises: transferring the ACARS uplink message from the data gateway device to a communication management function (CMF) of the aircraft; and sending the ACARS uplink message from the AoIP stack to a message decoder in the data gateway device; wherein the method further comprises: transferring the ACARS uplink message from the message decoder to a mobile device, using transmission control protocol (TCP)/IP over a wireless access point; or transferring the ACARS uplink message from the message decoder to a cloud server, using TCP/IP over a wireless internet connection.
  10. A method comprising: generating an aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) downlink message in a communication management function (CMF) of an aircraft; sending the ACARS downlink message from the CMF, over internet protocol (IP), to a data gateway device onboard the aircraft; receiving the ACARS downlink message in an ACARS over IP (AoIP) stack of the data gateway device; determining whether the received ACARS downlink message is valid; in response to determining that the received ACARS downlink message is valid, the method further comprises: transferring the ACARS downlink message from the data gateway device to a ground server; and sending the ACARS downlink message from the AoIP stack to a message decoder in the data gateway device; wherein the method further comprises: transferring the ACARS downlink message from the message decoder to a mobile device, using transmission control protocol (TCP)/IP over a wireless access point; or transferring the ACARS downlink message from the message decoder to a cloud server, using TCP/IP over a wireless internet connection.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Indian Application No. 202411083600 filed on October 31, 2024, same title herewith, the contents of which are incorporated herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND The Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) is a digital datalink system for transmission of messages between aircraft and ground stations via air band radio or satellite communications, such as very high frequency (VHF), high frequency (HF), or SATCOM systems. With the advent of ACARS over IP (Internet Protocol) communications, ACARS messages can be transmitted to ground messaging servers using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/(IP) instead of traditional routes using VHF, HF, or SATCOM systems. This is enabled through TCP/IP gateway devices, which receive the ACARS messages from a Communication Management Function (CMF) of an aircraft, and packages the messages into TCP/IP payloads for transmission. SUMMARY A system comprises a communication management function (CMF) onboard an aircraft and configured to exchange datalink messages including aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) messages, and controller pilot data link communications (CPDLC) messages; and a data gateway device onboard the aircraft and in operative communication with the CMF. The data gateway device includes an ACARS over internet protocol (IP) stack and a message decoder that operatively communicates with the ACARS over IP stack. A ground server is configured for ACARS over IP messaging, with the ground server being in operative communication with the CMF through the data gateway device. At least one external device is in operative communication with the data gateway device. The at least one external device comprises an onboard mobile device or a private cloud server. When one or more ACARS over IP messages are exchanged between the CMF and the ground server, through the data gateway device, the one or more ACARS over IP messages are also routed from the gateway device to the at least one external device comprising the onboard mobile device or the private cloud server. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the drawings. Understanding that the drawings depict only typical embodiments and are not therefore to be considered limiting in scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system for transmitting air/ground datalink messages, according to one embodiment;Figure 2 is a flow diagram of a method for transmitting an uplink ACARS message, such as by using the system of Figure 1, according to one implementation;Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a method for transmitting a downlink ACARS message, such as by using the system of Figure 1, according to another implementation;Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a method for transmitting an ACARS uplink message, according to a further implementation; andFigure 5 is a flow diagram of a method for transmitting an ACARS downlink message, according to an additional implementation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following detailed description, embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. A system and method for transmitting messages received on and ACARS over IP gateway, to handheld devices or private cloud servers, are described herein. The present approach can be employed in an ACARS over IP (AoIP) system, which transmits ACARS messages to/from an aircraft over TCP/IP. The ACARS messages pass through an AoIP gateway device, such as an Integrated Network Server Unit (INSU), which acts as a connectivity bridge for data flows into and out of the aircraft. These ACARS messages can also be captured and transmitted to an external device, such as handheld or mobile devices, which can include an electronic flight bag (EFB) on a tablet or smart phone, as well as private cloud servers such as owned by airlines. With the ACARS data passing through TCP/IP gateways, there is a large quantity of data available on the gateway ports that can be applied to various use cases. Such data can be accessed and used for pilot, copilot, or crew benefits. The ACARS messages transmitted to an onboard mobile device, or to an airline cloud server, provides flexibility for use by the pilot, copilot, or crew of an aircraft. Such flexibility allows for pilot/copilot/crew to have ACARS messages and the logs related thereto on a handheld device, and for airlines to have aircraft tail number-wise ACARS logs of the ACARs messages in a complete fleet available in the