Aircraft in-flight entertainment system receiving terrestrial television broadcast signals and associated methods

• US 20030200547A1
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LiveTV LLC (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Live TV Incorporated
• Inventors: Frisco, Jeffrey A., Keen, Robert M., Latta, Glenn S.
• Application Number:
  US10/428,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200547A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2146 located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An aircraft in-flight entertainment system includes an adaptive antenna, a terrestrial television (TV) receiver connected to the adaptive antenna for receiving TV programming channels from more than one terrestrial TV transmitter, and at least one display connected to the terrestrial TV receiver. A controller is connected to the adaptive antenna for determining a desired terrestrial TV transmitter, and for directing the adaptive antenna towards the desired terrestrial TV transmitter. If a new desired terrestrial TV transmitter is determined by the controller, then the controller redirects the adaptive antenna towards the new desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

Claims

1. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system comprising:

an adaptive antenna;

a terrestrial television (TV) receiver connected to said adaptive antenna for receiving TV programming channels from a plurality of terrestrial TV transmitters;

a plurality of displays for displaying the TV programming channels;

a signal distribution network connecting said terrestrial TV receiver to said plurality of displays; and

a controller connected between said terrestrial TV receiver and said adaptive antenna for

determining a desired terrestrial TV transmitter, and

directing said adaptive antenna for the desired terrestrial TV transmitter, and if a new desired terrestrial TV transmitter is determined, then redirecting said adaptive antenna for the new desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

2. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 1 wherein said controller determines the desired terrestrial TV transmitter by discriminating among received terrestrial TV signals.

3. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 2 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of a frequency domain analysis and a time domain analysis of the received terrestrial TV signals.

4. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 2 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of an amplitude and phase of the received terrestrial TV signals.

5. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a memory for storing positions of the plurality of terrestrial TV transmitters;

and wherein said controller determines the desired terrestrial TV transmitter based upon a position of the aircraft with respect to the stored positions of the plurality of terrestrial TV transmitters.

6. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 5 wherein said controller comprises a position determining system for determining the position of the aircraft.

7. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 6 wherein said position determining system comprises a GPS receiver.

8. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 1 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a plurality of spaced apart antennas each providing a respective antenna beam;

and wherein said controller selects one of the antennas having its beam directed towards the desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

9. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 1 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a phased array antenna.

10. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of displays comprise a plurality of seatback displays.

11. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 1 further comprising a satellite TV receiver connected to said signal distribution network.

12. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 11 wherein said satellite TV receiver comprises a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) receiver.

13. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system comprising:

an adaptive antenna;

a terrestrial television (TV) receiver connected to said adaptive antenna for receiving TV programming channels from a plurality of terrestrial TV transmitters;

a plurality of displays for displaying the TV programming channels;

a signal distribution network connecting said terrestrial TV receiver to said plurality of displays; and

a controller connected between said terrestrial TV receiver and said adaptive antenna for

determining a desired terrestrial TV transmitter based upon a position of the aircraft with respect to stored positions of the plurality of terrestrial TV transmitters, and

directing said adaptive antenna for the desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

14. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein if said controller determines a new desired terrestrial TV transmitter based upon a new position of the aircraft, then said controller redirects said adaptive antenna for the new desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

15. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein said controller comprises a memory for storing the positions of the plurality of terrestrial TV transmitters.

16. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein said controller comprises a position determining system for determining the location of the aircraft.

17. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 16 wherein said position determining system comprises a GPS receiver.

18. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a plurality of spaced apart antennas each providing a respective antenna beam;

and wherein said controller selects one of the antennas having its beam directed toward the desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

19. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a phased array antenna.

20. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein said plurality of displays comprise a plurality of seatback displays.

21. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 13 further comprising a satellite TV receiver connected to said signal distribution network.

22. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 21 wherein said satellite TV receiver comprises a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) receiver.

23. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system comprising:

an adaptive antenna;

a terrestrial television (TV) receiver connected to said adaptive antenna for receiving TV programming channels from a plurality of terrestrial TV transmitters;

a plurality of displays for displaying the TV programming channels;

a signal distribution network connecting said terrestrial TV receiver to said plurality of displays; and

a controller connected between said terrestrial TV receiver and said adaptive antenna for

determining a desired terrestrial TV transmitter by discriminating among received terrestrial TV signals, and

directing said adaptive antenna for a desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

24. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 23 wherein if said controller determines a new desired terrestrial TV transmitter based upon a new position of the aircraft, then said controller redirects said adaptive antenna for the new desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

25. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 23 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of a frequency domain analysis and a time domain analysis of the received terrestrial TV signals.

26. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 23 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of an amplitude and phase of the received terrestrial TV signals.

27. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 23 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a plurality of spaced apart antennas each providing a respective antenna beam;

and wherein said controller selects one of the antennas having its beam directed towards the desired terrestrial TV transmitter.

28. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 23 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a phased array antenna.

29. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 23 wherein said plurality of displays comprise a plurality of seatback displays.

30. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 23 further comprising a satellite TV receiver connected to said signal distribution network.

31. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 30 wherein said satellite TV receiver comprises a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) receiver.

32. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system comprising:

an adaptive antenna;

a terrestrial receiver connected to said adaptive antenna;

a plurality of passenger control units;

a signal distribution network connecting said terrestrial receiver to said plurality of passenger control units; and

a controller connected between said terrestrial receiver and said adaptive antenna for

determining a desired terrestrial transmitter, and

directing said adaptive antenna for the desired terrestrial transmitter, and if a new desired terrestrial transmitter is determined, then redirecting said adaptive antenna for the new desired terrestrial transmitter.

33. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 wherein said signal distribution network comprises at least one of a cable network, a wireless network, and a combined cable and wireless network.

34. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 wherein each passenger control unit comprises a headphone connection for interfacing with a passenger headphone.

35. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 wherein each passenger control unit comprises a selector for selecting a desired audio channel.

36. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 further comprising a plurality of passenger displays for displaying images from said terrestrial receiver;

said signal distribution network connecting said terrestrial receiver to said plurality of passenger displays.

37. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 wherein said controller determines the desired terrestrial transmitter by discriminating among received terrestrial signals.

38. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 37 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of a frequency domain analysis and a time domain analysis of the received terrestrial signals.

39. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 37 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of an amplitude and phase of the received terrestrial signals.

40. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 wherein said controller comprises a memory for storing positions of the plurality of terrestrial transmitters;

and wherein said controller determines the desired terrestrial transmitter based upon a position of the aircraft with respect to the stored positions of the plurality of terrestrial transmitters.

41. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a plurality of spaced apart antennas each providing a respective antenna beam;

and wherein said controller selects one of the antennas having its beam directed towards the desired terrestrial transmitter.

42. An aircraft in-flight entertainment system according to claim 32 wherein said adaptive antenna comprises a phased array antenna.

43. A method for operating an aircraft in-flight entertainment system comprising an adaptive antenna, a terrestrial receiver connected to the adaptive antenna, a plurality of passenger control units, a signal distribution network connecting the terrestrial receiver to the plurality of passenger control units, and a controller connected between the terrestrial receiver and the adaptive antenna, the method comprising:

receiving information from a plurality of terrestrial transmitters;

determining a desired terrestrial transmitter; and

directing the adaptive antenna for the desired terrestrial transmitter, and if a new desired terrestrial transmitter is determined, then redirecting the antenna system for the new desired terrestrial transmitter.

44. A method according to claim 43 wherein determining the desired terrestrial transmitter comprises discriminating among received terrestrial signals.

45. A method according to claim 44 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of a frequency domain analysis and a time domain analysis of the received terrestrial signals.

46. A method according to claim 44 wherein the discriminating is based upon at least one of an amplitude and phase of the received terrestrial signals.

47. A method according to claim 43 wherein the in-flight entertainment system further comprises a controller connected between the terrestrial receiver and the adaptive antenna for performing the determining, directing and redirecting, the controller comprising a memory for storing positions of the plurality of terrestrial transmitters;

and wherein determining the desired terrestrial transmitter is based upon a position of the aircraft with respect to the stored locations of the plurality of terrestrial transmitters.

48. A method according to claim 47 wherein the controller further comprises a position determining system for determining the position of the aircraft.

49. A method according to claim 48 wherein the position determining system comprises a GPS receiver.

50. A method according to claim 43 wherein the adaptive antenna comprises a plurality of spaced apart antennas each providing a respective antenna beam;

and wherein the directing comprises selecting one of the antennas having its beam directed towards the desired terrestrial transmitter.

51. A method according to claim 43 wherein the adaptive antenna comprises a phased array antenna.