Projection cassette assemblies and related systems for use with aircraft seats

• US 10,640,216 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Salazar, Lori Elizabeth, Everhart, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Satti, Humam M
• Application Number:
  US15/408,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20170210472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00152 Seat back fixtures for removable monitors, e.g. tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/62 Translucent screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

A projection system for use with an aircraft seat includes a cassette frame defining an open ended cavity, a front panel configured to couple to a front of the cassette frame to enclose the cavity, and a projector system held in the cavity. The cassette frame includes a rear panel, an upper panel extending outwardly away from the rear panel, a lower panel extending outwardly away from the rear panel, and first and second side panels extending outwardly from the rear panel. The rear panel, the upper panel, the lower panel and the first and second side panels define an open ended cavity. The projector system and the front panel are configured such that an image and/or video projected by the projector system is projected from the cavity through the front panel. The cassette frame is sized and configured to be received and releasably held in an aircraft seatback.

Claims

1. A projection system for use with an aircraft seat, the projection system comprising:

a cassette frame comprising a rear panel, an upper panel extending outwardly away from the rear panel, a lower panel extending outwardly away from the rear panel, and first and second side panels, the rear panel, the upper panel, the lower panel and the first and second side panels defining an open ended cavity;

a front panel configured to couple to a front of the cassette frame to enclose the cavity, the front panel comprising first and second opposite surfaces with the first surface facing the cavity when the front panel is coupled to the front of the cassette frame; and

a projector system held in the cavity;

wherein the projector system and the front panel are configured such that an image and/or video projected by the projector system is projected from the cavity through the front panel;

wherein the projected image and/or video impinges on the first surface of the front panel and is viewable on the second surface of the front panel; and

wherein the cassette frame is sized and configured to be received and releasably held in an aircraft seatback.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cassette frame is sized and configured to be received and releasably held in the aircraft seatback with the second surface of the front panel facing outwardly toward a passenger facing the seatback.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the front panel comprises fabric and/or plastic.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the projector system comprises a pico projector.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the projector system comprises an LED light source, an image generating chip and/or focusing optical devices.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a camera and a controller, wherein the camera is configured to record gestures at the front panel and the processor is configured to interpret the recorded gestures and control the image and/or video based on the gestures.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a mirror held in the cavity, wherein the projector system is configured to project an image to the mirror such that the image is projected through the front panel.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the projector system is at a top portion of the cavity and the mirror is at a bottom portion of the cavity.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the mirror is curved concavely relative to the front panel.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the front panel is curved.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the front panel is curved such that at least a portion of the front panel second surface is convex relative to a passenger facing the front panel second surface.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller, wherein:

the mirror is curved concavely relative to the front panel;

the front panel is curved such that at least a portion of the front panel first surface is curved; and

the controller is configured to distort the image such that a corresponding image projected to the curved mirror and/or the curved first surface appears undistorted.

13. The system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of projector systems configured to project a plurality of tiled images and/or video as the image and/or video.

14. A projection system for use with an aircraft seat, the projection system comprising:

a cassette frame defining an open ended cavity;

a front panel or surface configured to couple to a front of the cassette frame to enclose the cavity; and

a projector system held in the cavity;

wherein the projector system and the front panel are configured such that an image and/or video projected by the projector system is projected from the cavity through the front panel;

wherein the front panel comprises first and second opposite sides with the first side facing the cavity when the front panel is coupled to the front of the cassette frame, and wherein the projected image and/or video impinges on the first side of the front panel and is viewable on the second side of the front panel;

wherein the cassette frame is sized and configured to be received and releasably held in an aircraft seatback with the second side of the front panel facing outwardly toward a passenger facing the seatback.

15. The system of claim 14,

wherein the mirror is curved concavely relative to the front panel, and

wherein the projector system comprises a controller configured to distort the image such that a corresponding image projected to first surface appears undistorted on the first surface from a perspective of a passenger facing the seatback.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the front panel is curved such that at least a portion of the front panel second surface is convex relative to a passenger facing the front panel second surface.

17. The system of claim 14, the cassette frame further defining a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses sized and configured to receive a latch member of a mounting structure of the seatback to hold the cassette assembly in the mounting structure when the cassette frame is releasably mounted in the aircraft seatback.

18. A projection system for use with an aircraft seat, the projection system comprising:

a cassette frame defining a cavity;

a front panel coupled to a front of the cassette frame to enclose the cavity, the front panel comprising a first side facing the cavity and a second side, wherein the cassette frame is configured to be releasably mounted in an aircraft seatback with the second side of the front panel facing outwardly from the seatback;

a mirror coupled to the cassette frame within the cavity; and

a projector coupled to the cassette frame within the cavity, the projector configured to project an image toward the mirror so that the projected image impinges on the mirror, the mirror configured to reflect the image toward the first side of the front panel to that the projected image impinges on the first side of the front panel and is viewable on the second side of the front panel by a passenger facing the seatback when the cassette frame is releasably mounted in the aircraft seatback.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the mirror is curved concavely relative to the front panel.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the projector comprises a controller configured to distort the image such that a corresponding image projected to first surface appears undistorted on the first surface to a passenger facing the seatback when the cassette frame is releasably mounted in the aircraft seatback.