Abstract: A method and apparatus for restraining cargo items on an aircraft is disclosed. The apparatus may include a base that attaches to the cargo item, a lever coupled to the base, and a foot coupled to the lever, wherein the foot is placed into a seat track attached to the aircraft, the seat track having a cutout portion and a cavity beneath the cutout portion, and the lever is moved to turn the foot within the cavity to lock down the cargo item to the seat track to restrain its movement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating electronic training jackets is disclosed. The method may include receiving a request from a user to generate an electronic training jacket for an individual, retrieving qualification information for the individual from at least one of one or more remote qualification databases and one or more local qualification databases, generating the electronic training jacket from the retrieved qualification information, and automatically outputting the generated electronic training jacket to the user using an output device. The qualification information may be aviation-related and shipboard-related qualification information and the aviation-related and the shipboard-related qualification information may include at least one of medical qualification information, job training qualification information, and education information.

Abstract: A method and system that receives and processes ADS-B data from one or more aircraft is disclosed. The system may include one or more ground stations that receives data from one or more aircraft and converts the received aircraft ADS-B data to XML format, determines the lowest cost communication mode available, and transmits the XML data over TCP/IP to an aircraft data server. The aircraft data server receives the aircraft ADS-B data in XML format from the one or more ground stations, processes the received ADS-B data to extract aircraft data and eliminate duplicate aircraft data; determines aircraft data missing from the processed aircraft data, receives supplemental aircraft data from other sources to provide aircraft data missing from the processed aircraft data, and outputs the processed aircraft data and the received supplemental aircraft data to one or more processing devices for processing and display.

Abstract: A multi-modal portable communications gateway for operation in an airport environment is disclosed.

Abstract: A low-cost display bank that displays travel-related information in a public travel-related area and includes one or more slave low-cost display units, and a master low-cost display unit that includes a communication interface that receives travel-related information, a display bank control unit that sends identification information to a display bank data management unit through the communication interface, receives a display bank unit profile containing display parameters based on the identification information through the communication interface, receives travel-related information from the display bank data management unit in accordance with the received display parameters through the communication interface, sends the received travel-related information intended to be displayed on the one or more slave low-cost display units to the one or more slave low-cost display units, and displays the received travel-related information on the master low-cost display unit and the one or more slave low-cost display un

Abstract: A method and apparatus that generates a 4D flight plan that takes in account weather, metrological data, and safety of flight information for 360 degree horizontal layer at all relevant altitudes and times is disclosed. The method may include receiving a flight plan request from a user, the flight plan including user preferences, receiving meteorological information and safety-of-flight information based on the user's origin, destination and preferences, generating a 4D flight plan based on the meteorological information, safety-of-flight information, and user preferences, and outputting the 4D flight plan for the user.

Abstract: A display data management unit that receives and formats data and sends the formatted data to one or more low-cost display units for display to at least one of passengers and customers is disclosed and may include a communication interface that facilitates the sending and receiving of travel data, and a display content management unit that receives travel data through the communication interface that contains travel-related content from one or more data sources, determines which travel-related content is to be displayed on each particular low-cost display unit, determines in what format the travel-related content is to be displayed on each particular low-cost display unit, formats the travel-related content for display, and sends the formatted travel-related content to one or more low-cost display units through the communication interface for display to one of passengers and customers.

Abstract: A system in a method are provided for sending and receiving messages between a point located on the ground and a point located on an aircraft via an Iridium Short Burst Data Service. The messages may conform to Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) Specification 618. The messages may be ground-to-air messages or air-to-ground messages. The messages may be ACARS messages and at least some of the messages may have a length exceeding a maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. ACARS messages, which exceed the maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service may be segmented and each of the segments may be sent in respective Iridium Short Burst Data messages via the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. When the separate Iridium Short Burst Data messages are received, the segments may be combined to reconstruct the ACARS message for delivery to an intended destination.

Abstract: A system in a method are provided for sending and receiving messages between a point located on the ground and a point located on an aircraft via an Iridium Short Burst Data Service. The messages may conform to Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) Specification 618. The messages may be ground-to-air messages or air-to-ground messages. The messages may be ACARS messages and at least some of the messages may have a length exceeding a maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. ACARS messages, which exceed the maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service may be segmented and each of the segments may be sent in respective Iridium Short Burst Data messages via the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. When the separate Iridium Short Burst Data messages are received, the segments may be combined to reconstruct the ACARS message for delivery to an intended destination.

Abstract: A method for generating a flight plan for a user's aircraft using Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) outage information is disclosed. The method may include receiving a flight plan request from the user, obtaining RAIM outage information, comparing the requested flight plan against the obtained RAIM outage information, determining if any RAIM outages contained in the RAIM outage information affect the requested flight plan, wherein if it is determined that any RAIM outages affect the requested flight plan, generating one or more flight plan options based on the determined RAIM outages, prompting the user to select at least one of the one or more generated flight plan options, receiving the user's one or more selections, generating a modified flight plan based on the user's one or more selections, and outputting the modified flight plan to the user and storing the modified flight plan in a flight plan database.

Abstract: A system and method to detect changes in composite structures using RF signal pattern data interpretation. An RF signal is transmitted from a composite material manufactured structure and a plurality of sensors are employed to measure the RF signal. The measured RF signal is compared to a stored baseline RF signal for the particular structure. Deviations in the measured RF pattern for the structure, or for a structurally-similar composite structure, are automatically analyzed to detect non-visually-detectable defects or other changes in the composite structure. A baseline RF signature is developed for a structure by transmitting a reference RF signal from the composite structure. RF signals are detected by a variety of methods, and the detected signals are compiled and translated into reference and/or test RF signal patterns for the structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restraining cargo items on an aircraft is disclosed. The apparatus may include a base that attaches to the cargo item, a lever coupled to the base, and a foot coupled to the lever, wherein the foot is placed into a seat track attached to the aircraft, the seat track having a cutout portion and a cavity beneath the cutout portion, and the lever is moved to turn the foot within the cavity to lock down the cargo item to the seat track to restrain its movement.

Abstract: A sub-network device and a method of communicating using a sub-network, interconnect device and a network as a backbone within a communications system includes receiving a request for information at the interconnect device from a wireless communications device to communicate with the interconnect device, the interconnect device interconnects the wireless communications device to the sub-network, transmitting the request for information from the wireless communications device to the network, the network including terrestrial communications and being connected to a public safety agency network, receiving the requested information at the sub-network from the public safety agency network over the network in response to the transmitted request for information and transmitting the requested information back to the wireless communications device through the interconnect device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that automatically selects one or more stopover airports (or “technical stops”) for flight planning is disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for communicating data content using different protocols. The systems and methods may include intercepting a transmission from a first transceiver containing a first data content, using a first protocol. The first protocol may be identified and an assessment made whether the first protocol is compatible with a second transceiver. Based on the assessment that the first protocol is not compatible with the second transceiver, data content may be converted to a second protocol. The data content may be transmitted to the second transceiver using the second protocol. The systems and methods may automatically convert the data content to the second protocol based on information associated with the first or second transceivers.

Abstract: A method and system that receives and processes ADS-B data from one or more aircraft is disclosed. The system may include one or more ground stations that receives data from one or more aircraft and converts the received aircraft ADS-B data to XML format, determines the lowest cost communication mode available, and transmits the XML data over TCP/IP to an aircraft data server. The aircraft data server receives the aircraft ADS-B data in XML format from the one or more ground stations, processes the received ADS-B data to extract aircraft data and eliminate duplicate aircraft data; determines aircraft data missing from the processed aircraft data, receives supplemental aircraft data from other sources to provide aircraft data missing from the processed aircraft data, and outputs the processed aircraft data and the received supplemental aircraft data to one or more processing devices for processing and display.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating substantially seamless interface between individual component systems for sensor fusion, data exchange, and communication across a broad spectrum of component systems in a vehicle without implicating hardware or software upgrade within individual legacy systems and/or sensors. A universal translator is provided to interface between individual system components that exchange data in a seamless manner between legacy data formats and specific data formats advantageously employed by newly-developed, procured and installed individual component systems.

Abstract: A system in a method are provided for sending and receiving messages between a point located on the ground and a point located on an aircraft via an Iridium Short Burst Data Service. The messages may conform to Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) Specification 618. The messages may be ground-to-air messages or air-to-ground messages. The messages may be ACARS messages and at least some of the messages may have a length exceeding a maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. ACARS messages, which exceed the maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service may be segmented and each of the segments may be sent in respective Iridium Short Burst Data messages via the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. When the separate Iridium Short Burst Data messages are received, the segments may be combined to reconstruct the ACARS message for delivery to an intended destination.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method may be provided by which a user aboard an aircraft may use a processing device to communicate with another device, which is not located aboard the aircraft, via an air-to-ground network connection. A communication satellite may provide connectivity for the air-to-ground network connection. As the aircraft approaches an end of a satellite coverage area, the air-to-ground network connection may seamlessly transition to a second communication satellite or a second communication medium. Some communication satellites may communicate via a first frequency range and other communication satellites may communicate via a second frequency range. In one mode of operation, the air-to-ground network connection may be via a communication satellite communicating via a first frequency range. A transition to a communication medium communicating via a second frequency range may occur automatically only during the one mode of operation.

Abstract: A wireless runway incursion system is disclosed. The wireless runway incursion system method may include a runway traffic management unit that manages aircraft traffic on and around an airport's runways, a plurality of wireless relay devices located between the runway access points and the runway traffic management unit that relay wireless signals to the runway traffic management unit, and a plurality of wireless runway incursion sensors that are located in proximity of at least one airport runway that detect metallic objects. If a metallic object is detected, the wireless runway incursion sensors that detect the metallic object send signals to the runway traffic management unit, the wireless signal being an indication that the metallic object is one of entering the runway and leaving the runway.