Abstract: An embodiment of a communication management unit (CMU) includes emulator and data-mining circuits. The emulator circuit is configured to generate a data request having a same format as a data request from a vehicle communications center, to send the data request to a subsystem disposed on a vehicle, and to receive data sent by the subsystem in response to the data request. The data-mining circuit is configured to provide at least some of the received data to a determining circuit configured to determine information in response to the provided data. For example, such a CMU can request flight-plan data from a flight management subsystem (FMS) by sending, to the FMS, an emulated data-request message having the same format as a data-request message from a ground-based aircraft operations center. That is, the CMU can “fool” the FMS into “thinking” that the data-request message originated from the ground-based aircraft operations center.

Abstract: A communication system is provided. The communication system comprises a communication management unit (CMU) comprising a processor, a memory and an input/output port; wherein the processor is configured to run a distribution application operable to: when data is received from a ground system at the input/output port, transmit the data to a designated first device and transmit selected data of the data received at the input/output port to at least one designated second device; and when data is received from the first device or the second device, transmit the data to the other of the first and second device as well as an intended recipient of the data.

Abstract: A communication system is provided. The communication system comprises a communication management unit (CMU) comprising a processor, a memory and an input/output port; wherein the processor is configured to run a distribution application operable to: when data is received from a ground system at the input/output port, transmit the data to a designated first device and transmit selected data of the data received at the input/output port to at least one designated second device; and when data is received from the first device or the second device, transmit the data to the other of the first and second device as well as an intended recipient of the data.

Abstract: An embodiment of a communication management unit (CMU) includes emulator and data-mining circuits. The emulator circuit is configured to generate a data request having a same format as a data request from a vehicle communications center, to send the data request to a subsystem disposed on a vehicle, and to receive data sent by the subsystem in response to the data request. The data-mining circuit is configured to provide at least some of the received data to a determining circuit configured to determine information in response to the provided data. For example, such a CMU can request flight-plan data from a flight management subsystem (FMS) by sending, to the FMS, an emulated data-request message having the same format as a data-request message from a ground-based aircraft operations center. That is, the CMU can “fool” the FMS into “thinking” that the data-request message originated from the ground-based aircraft operations center.

Abstract: An avionics display system is provided that modifies the appearance of an uplink message when the uplink message is affected by a flight information message. The avionics display system comprises a display device; and a processing device configured to: determine whether a flight information message affects an uplink message; and modify the displayed appearance of the uplink message on a display device when the uplink message is affected by the flight information message; wherein the display device is communicatively coupled to the processing device and located onboard an aircraft.