ASIG Announces Issuance of US Patent for Aircraft-COTS Tablet Integration

Avionics Systems & Integration Group

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North Little Rock, AR 72113

Phone: (866) 890-2744 or (501) 771-9388
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Web: www.asigllc.com | www.flyTab.aero

ASIG Announces Issuance of US Patent for Aircraft-COTS Tablet Integration

  

Little Rock, AR | May 18, 2016 - Avionics & Systems Integration Group (ASIG), an aerospace systems integrator, manufacturer and FAA Repair Station focused on smart solutions that empower the 21^st century of flight, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued US Patent 9,335,796 covering the method and apparatuses associated with the integration of commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) tablet computers with aircraft avionics systems and sensor equipment.  This proprietary technology is applicable to the system attachment of COTS tablets and other personal electronic devices (PED’s), including but not limited to Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface devices, when deployed as a portable Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). 

ASIG has pioneered the use of tablet computers as EFB’s having developed the world’s first environmental qualification test plan for the Apple iPad in November 2010, and later that same year (December 2010) achieving the FAA’s first A061 OpSpec approval for the paperless flight operations using an iPad in lieu of paper charts, plates and manuals on behalf of their customer N-Jet to use an iPad as a paper replacement across their entire fleet.  In 2011 ASIG became Apple, Inc.’s. first MFi manufacturer of Apple MFi approved accessories for installed avionics equipment, after which the company began full-scale design and development effort of the flyTab XFB hardware; software and SaaS service offerings through their flyTab Consortium.  Following the 2013 announcement that the flyTab Aircraft Interface Module (AIM) has received RTCA/DO-178B Lvl. C design assurance and later TSO-C115c approval by the FAA, ASIG was awarded FAA AML-STC ST11156SC in January 2014 by the FAA’s Fort Worth Aircraft Certification Office’s Special Certification Directorate approving the full system integration of iPad’s with aircraft power and data interfaces on aircraft type certificated under Part 25, including turbo-props, regional jets and heavy transport aircraft operating in commercial service.  These milestones solidified ASIG’s leading position as the premier tablet integrator for aerospace and defense applications.  

The recently issued patent, citing a provisional application date of March 8, 2012, provides an aerospace grade data converter capable of receiving multiple digital inputs including, but not limited to, ARINC 429 and 717, MIL-STD-1553 as well as analogue discrete, pulse/ flux, serial and other data and electrical formats, concentrating them into a singular data stream and aggregating them to tablet computers either wirelessly or via a secure wired interface.  Further, the company’s new patent includes intellectual property protections for electromechanical aircraft tablet mounting and a palletized API software library known as a software developer’s kit (SDK).  The newly issued patent compliments the company’s existing patent portfolio of powering conditioning solutions for use with tablet computers and other PEDs that are deployed as EFB devices.  The patent names Richard Luke Ribich of Maumelle, AR as the inventor of record and notes that the patent has been assigned to ASIG, LLC.

“We are confident that ASIG’s extensive thought leadership and patent estate, combined with ASIG’s current exclusive right to the use of the flyTab technology portfolio, will provide our flyTab XFB product with long-term market opportunity as well as new areas of revenue through new product licensing and related patent enforcement actions.” Said Imtiaz Ahmed, CEO of ASIG.  “This patent represents an important component of ASIG’s formidable IP portfolio covering the integration of IoT enabling technologies in aircraft and other platform types.”

ASIG management believes that the application of IoT enabling technologies, and specifically tablet computer technologies, to aviation, aerospace and defense platforms will transform organization workflows, increase the value of data in enterprise analysis and resource allocation while providing the necessary level of data security and privacy pilot and operator collective bargaining agreements require.  ASIG has committed considerable resources to the development of IoT enabling technologies over the last 5 years in anticipation that technology will accelerate and that the use of COTS devices, enabling hardware and smart applications will experience strong growth for the foreseeable future.  The company further asserts that the use of COTS hardware and software will shorten adoption project spans while enabling best-in-class and custom app solutions development for airline/ fleet flight ops faster, reducing total risk and associated costs.

About the Avionics & Systems Integration Group
ASIG specializes in system integration and supplemental engineering, installation kit and component manufacturing and other system design and certification requirements in support of COM/NAV, IFE, Situational Awareness and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM); maintenance, modification and AMOC/non-SRM repair compliance activities.  ASIG also performs design research and development of emerging technologies in support of aircraft and rotorcraft operations for civil, commercial, government and foreign flight departments.  Additionally, ASIG is the lead developer and technology owner for the flyTab™ Class 2 EFB solutions for use with Apple® iPad™.  Organizations interested in patent licensing, or for additional information regarding ASIG's operating activities, products, and services, visit them online at www.asigllc.com or subscribe to the company’s information and technical journal, “Wired – An Avionics & Integration Weblog” at http://asigllc.blogspot.com.  To obtain technical details and other information about the flyTab Class 2 iPad EFB visit ASIG’s product website at www.flyTab.aero. – END OF RELEASE

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