Passenger control unit for an in-flight entertainment system

• US 20080157997A1
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Thompson, Mark, Kandel, Robert, Bleacher, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 8,605,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.24
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00155 Individual entertainment or communication system remote controls therefor, located in or connected to seat components, e.g. to seat back or arm rest
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand

Abstract

A hand-held passenger control unit for use by a passenger on an aircraft or any other type of vehicle is provided. The control unit may include a controller, a memory, and a display panel. The control unit may have a first and a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the control unit controls its own display panel. In the second mode of operation, the control unit controls a remote video display unit that is disposed proximate to the passenger. The control unit may also have an integrated audio player, thereby permitting passengers to bring their own audio content aboard the aircraft without having to bring their own audio players.

Claims

1. A hand-held passenger control unit for use by a passenger on an aircraft, the control unit comprising:

a controller;

a memory; and

a display panel,

wherein the control unit has at least a first and a second mode of operation,

wherein in the first mode of operation the control unit controls the display panel disposed on the control unit, and wherein in the second mode of operation, the control unit controls a video display unit that is separate from the control unit and disposed proximate to the passenger.

2. The control unit of claim 1, wherein, in response to a user'"'"'s manipulation, the control unit performs steps comprising controlling the volume of an amplifier that is external to the control unit.

3. The control unit of claim 2, wherein the control unit performs further steps comprising displaying a heading indicative of volume on the display panel.

4. The control unit of claim 2, wherein the control unit performs further steps comprising transmitting a signal to limit the volume of the amplifier during a passenger announcement or public address.

5. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the control unit, in response to manipulation by the user, performs steps comprising controlling a menu displayed on the video display unit.

6. The control unit of claim 5, further comprising a substantially X-shaped keypad.

7. The control unit of claim 1, further comprising a port for receiving a portable external memory containing audio content.

8. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the display panel is an OLED or LCD display, the control unit further comprising a system interface through which data or a stereo audio signal is provided to an in-flight entertainment system of the aircraft.

9. The control unit of claim 1, further comprising an audio decoder.

10. The control unit of claim 1, further comprising a call attendant mechanism and an associated LED, wherein activation of the call attendant mechanism causes illumination of the LED.

11. The control unit of claim 10, wherein the control unit is communicatively linked to an in-flight entertainment system of the aircraft, and wherein a signal received by the control unit from the in-flight entertainment system turns the LED off.

12. A method of delivering multimedia content to an aircraft passenger, the method comprising:

receiving the connection of a video display unit, the video display unit being disposed proximate to the passenger;

receiving the connection of a hand-held audio player;

receiving the connection of a headset;

receiving video content from an on-board computer network;

transmitting the video content to the video display unit;

the video display unit displaying the video content to the passenger;

the audio player receiving the connection of an external memory device;

the audio player downloading audio content from the external memory device;

receiving audio content from the hand-held audio player; and

transmitting the audio content through the headset.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the audio player detecting the audio content on the external memory device and displaying data regarding the audio content on a display screen integrated with the audio player.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving steps are performed by an electronics box disposed proximate to the passenger'"'"'s seat, the electronics box being separate from the video display unit and the hand-held audio player.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the audio content is an audio data file and further comprising selecting by title the audio data file to download.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing power to the external memory device.

17. A system for providing in-flight entertainment to a passenger on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a computer network;

a video display unit disposed proximate to a passenger seat on the aircraft, the video display unit being communicatively linked to the computer network, the video display unit receiving multimedia content from the computer network; and

a passenger control unit communicatively linked to the video display unit, the passenger control unit executing software for downloading audio files and transmitting them to a speaker and for permitting the passenger control unit to control the functioning of the video display unit.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a temperature sensor and a device to monitor voltages provided to the passenger control unit.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the passenger control unit further comprises a display panel, a controller, a memory, a USB interface and a user input mechanism.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising an external device that can be connected to the passenger control unit by the USB interface and from which the audio files can be downloaded into the passenger control unit.