Short messaging method and system for airborne passengers

1. A method for transmitting a call, comprising:

receiving a call at a controller located on an aircraft from an originator at a local terminal located on the aircraft, the call being directed to a ground station;

determining whether sufficient communication bandwidth is available for transmitting the call to the ground station;

storing a recorded message associated with the call in a memory device located on the aircraft;

combining the recorded message with at least one other stored message into a message file in the memory device located on the aircraft; and

transmitting the message file to the ground station when sufficient bandwidth becomes available for transmitting the message file.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of sending a delivery receipt to the controller when the message is delivered to the ground station.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

dividing the message file into a plurality of packets; and

transmitting the message file in packet form.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message is one of a voice message, a data message, a fax message and an e-mail message.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the message is delivered to one of an intended recipient of the message and an answering service.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recorded message and the at least one other stored message are e-mail messages.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recorded message and the at least one other stored message are short data messages.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising multiplexing the message file with other aircraft data service applications.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising parsing the message file into the multiple messages and delivering the multiple messages to respective message destinations.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing delivery status information about at least one of the multiple messages to an originator on the aircraft of the at least one of the multiple messages.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising compressing the message and encrypting the message before transmitting the message to the ground station.

12. A communications system, comprising:

a plurality of local terminal units located on an aircraft;

a transmitter configured to communicate with a ground station;

a control unit located on the aircraft and coupled to the local terminal units, the control unit receiving a call from an originator at one of the plurality of local terminal units and determining whether communication bandwidth is available for transmitting the call;

a memory device, located on the aircraft and coupled to the control unit, configured to store a message associated with the call when transmitter communication bandwidth is unavailable; and

the control unit combining the message with at least one other stored message into a message file and the control unit cooperating with the transmitter to transmit the message file to the ground station.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control unit sends a delivery receipt to the local terminal when the message is received by the ground station.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the stored message is one of a voice message, a data message, a fax message and an e-mail message.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the stored message is an e-mail message.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is configured to multiplex the message file with other aircraft data service applications.

17. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a ground-based server communicating with the transmitter to receive the message file, parse the message file into multiple messages, and deliver the multiple messages to respective message destinations.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the ground-based server provides delivery status information about at least one of the multiple messages to an originator on the aircraft of the at least one of the multiple messages.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is configured to compress the message and encrypt the message before transmitting the message to the ground station.

20. A method for transmitting a call, the method comprising:

receiving a message at a controller located on an aircraft from an originator at a local terminal located on the aircraft, the message being directed to a ground station;

storing the received message in a memory device located on the aircraft;

combining the received message with at least one stored message into a combined message in the memory device located on the aircraft; and

transmitting the combined message to the ground station.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the received message is an e-mail message.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the at least one stored message is an e-mail message.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the received message is a short data message.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one stored message is a short data message.

25. A communication system, comprising:

at least one local terminal unit located on an aircraft;

a memory device, located on the aircraft;

a control unit located on the aircraft and coupled to the at least one local terminal unit and the memory device, the control unit configured to receive a call from a call originator and combine a message associated with the call with a previously stored message; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the combined message to a ground station.

26. The communication system of claim 25 , wherein the call received from the call originator is an e-mail message.

27. The communication system of claim 25 , wherein the call received from the call originator is a short data message.

28. The communication system of claim 25 , wherein the control unit is configured to determine if communication bandwidth is available for communication with the ground station.

29. A method of transmitting a message from an aircraft to a ground station, comprising:

accepting a call from a passenger;

combining the call with at least one previously accepted call in a memory located on the aircraft to produce a combined call; and

transmitting the combined call to the ground station.

30. The method of claim 29 , further comprising determining if communication bandwidth is available for communication with the ground station.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the accepted call is one of an e-mail message and a short data message, and the previously accepted call is one of an e-mail message and a short data message.

32. A method for transmitting a call, comprising:

receiving a call at a controller located on an aircraft from an originator at a local terminal located on the aircraft, the call being directed to a recipient not on the aircraft;

storing the received call in a memory device located on the aircraft; and

transmitting the stored call with at least one other previously stored call during a single communication session to a ground station.

33. The method of claim 32 , further comprising the step of sending a delivery receipt to the local terminal when the stored received call is delivered to the ground station.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein the call is at least one selected from the group of a voice message, a data message, a fax message, and an e-mail message.

35. The method of claim 32 , wherein the call and the at least one other stored call are short data messages.

36. The method of claim 32 , further comprising compressing the call before transmitting to the ground station.

37. The method of claim 32 , further comprising encrypting the call before transmitting to the ground station.

38. The method of claim 32 , further comprising determining whether communication capability is currently available for transmitting the call to the ground station.

39. The method of claim 32 , further comprising forwarding each call to its intended destination via a ground-based server.