On-Board Vessel Entertainment System

• US 20080141315A1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alaska Airlines Incorporated (Alaska Air Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Virgin America Incorporated (Alaska Air Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ogilvie, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,997,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• 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 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• 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 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An improved user experience is provided for passengers on a vessel such as an airplane, train or ship. Passengers can customize their travel experience ahead of time by accessing a web-based server system to indicate preferences with respect to a number of in-flight entertainment options. The passenger'"'"'s experience is also enhanced by allowing passengers to share preferences such as media playlists with others. Meals can be ordered on-demand once on board, and seat-to-seat chat as well as group chatting is also made available through an in-seat or other proximate entertainment device.

Claims

1. A method for providing personalized content to a vessel passenger, the method comprising:

receiving a set of passenger preferences from the passenger prior to departure of the vessel;

receiving on board the vessel an indication that the passenger is aboard the vessel; and

configuring an electronic entertainment device on board the vessel in accordance with the received passenger preferences.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel is an airplane.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel is a train.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel is ship.

5. A method for collaborative viewing of content aboard a vessel, the method comprising:

determining which of a plurality of passengers aboard the vessel are viewing a stream of video content, each passenger viewing the content on an entertainment device;

creating a chat room allowing electronic messages to be multicast among each of the passengers viewing the stream; and

displaying the chat room and the video content simultaneously on each entertainment device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the vessel is an airplane.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the vessel is a train.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the vessel is ship.

9. A method for providing service items to a vessel passenger, the method comprising:

receiving electronically inventory indicia, the inventory indicia including a quantity available on board the vessel of each of a plurality of service items;

receiving electronically a request from a passenger for one of the plurality of service items; and

responsive to the received request, automatically decrementing the inventory indicia for the requested service item.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing the requested service item to the passenger.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising electronically receiving payment from the passenger for the requested service item.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the requested service item is a food item.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the requested service item is a shopping catalogue item.

15. A system for providing personalized content to a vessel passenger, comprising:

a first server adapted to receive a plurality of preferences from a passenger;

a communications server, communicatively coupled to the first server, adapted to communicate the received preferences to a vessel synchronization module;

a vessel synchronization module adapted to receive the plurality of passenger preferences from the communications server; and

an entertainment device, adapted to receive the plurality of passenger preferences from the vessel synchronization module, and to display user interface pages personalized according to the received passenger preferences.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of preferences includes a language preference.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of preferences includes an audio playlist.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of preferences includes a video playlist.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising a seat-to-seat chat server adapted to allow the passenger to communicate with a plurality of other passengers aboard the vessel.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the vessel is an airplane.