×

Controlling wireless access point handover and/or transmissions mode based on person proximity

  • US 10,172,055 B2
  • Filed: 03/01/2017
  • Issued: 01/01/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An in-flight entertainment system comprising:

  • a plurality of wireless access points (WAPs) spaced apart within an aircraft and mounted to structures of the aircraft, each of the WAPs connected to an antenna used by the WAP for transmission of communication sessions to communication terminals;

    a plurality of proximity sensors, each mounted adjacent to a different one of the antennas and configured to generate a proximity alert signal indicating that a passenger is proximately located to the antenna; and

    a WAP controller configured to control radio transmission from the WAPs of traffic in communication sessions, the WAP controller comprising;

    a network interface that communicates with the WAPs through a network;

    a processor coupled to the network interface; and

    a memory coupled to the processor and storing program code that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

    receiving a proximity alert signal from one of the proximity sensors indicating that a passenger is proximately located to a first one of the antennas used by a first one of the WAPs for transmission of a communication session;

    identifying a remedial action responsive to evaluating a WAP handover/mode-change rule based on the proximity alert signal and characteristics of the communication session; and

    performing the remedial action as one of;

         1) initiating handover of the communication session from the first one of the WAPs to a second one of the WAPs to satisfy the WAP handover/mode-change rule; and

         2) initiating a change in transmission mode that will be used by the first one of the WAPs for continued transmission of the communication session to satisfy the WAP handover/mode-change rule.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×