Claims
- 1. A method of establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft having a plurality of telephones, the method comprising the steps of:
- correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat having a predetermined telephone;
- receiving a call for the passenger;
- receiving the caller's telephone number;
- transmitting a signal over a predetermined geographic region, said signal including information to alert said passenger to a call;
- receiving said signal at the aircraft;
- alerting said passenger via said predetermined telephone that said signal has been received;
- transmitting a response signal from the aircraft to a ground station in response to said signal; and
- calling the caller's telephone number from the ground station in response to receipt of the response signal.
- 2. A method of establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft having at least one telephone, the method comprising the steps of:
- correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat having the at least one telephone;
- receiving a call from said caller for the passenger at a ground station;
- receiving said caller's telephone number at said ground station; generating at said ground station a signal to alert said passenger to said call; transmitting said signal over a predetermined geographic region; receiving said signal at said aircraft; alerting said passenger via said at least one telephone that said call has been made to said passenger; transmitting a response signal from said aircraft to said ground station; and calling said caller's telephone number from said ground station.
- 3. A method of establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft having a plurality of telephones, the method comprising the steps of:
- correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat associated with a predetermined telephone;
- receiving a call for said passenger;
- receiving said caller's telephone number;
- generating a signal to alert said passenger to said call;
- transmitting said signal over a predetermined geographic region;
- receiving said signal at said aircraft;
- alerting said passenger that said signal has been received;
- transmitting a response signal from said aircraft to a ground station; and
- calling said caller's telephone number to link said passenger to said caller.
- 4. A method of establishing a communication link between a ground-based caller and a passenger on board an aircraft having a plurality of telephones, the method comprising the steps of:
- correlating the passenger to a predetermined aircraft seat associated with a predetermined telephone;
- receiving a call for said passenger at a central computer; receiving said caller's telephone number;
- generating a signal to alert said passenger to said call;
- transmitting said signal over a predetermined geographic region;
- receiving said signal at said aircraft;
- alerting said passenger that said call was made; and
- calling said caller's telephone number if said passenger accepts said call.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/226,394, filed Apr. 12, 1994, which is hereby incorporated by reference, which is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 07/980,756, filed Nov. 24, 1992 (now abandoned), which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/759,626, filed Sep. 16, 1991, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,891, issued Jan. 11, 1994, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/501,430, filed Mar. 22, 1990 (now abandoned), which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/188,557, filed Apr. 29, 1988 (now abandoned).
US Referenced Citations (40)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2749803 |
May 1979 |
DEX |
1-86633 |
Mar 1989 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (4)
Entry |
GTE Airfare, "It's for you . . . ", Oct. 15, 1994. |
Telocator, Nov. 1982. |
Airborne Telecommunications System Description; AMBIT Systems, Inc., Jul. 3, 1991. |
Crump, Jr., "Phone Service In Airplanes: A High-Flying Idea," Mobile Office, Apr. 1992. |
Continuations (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
226394 |
Apr 1994 |
|
Parent |
980756 |
Nov 1992 |
|
Parent |
501430 |
Mar 1990 |
|
Parent |
188557 |
Apr 1988 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
759626 |
Sep 1991 |
|