IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT AND CABIN INTEGRATION SERVICE ORIENTED SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE AND METHOD

• US 20080313259A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Correa, Paulo
• Application Number:
  US12/112,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• 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 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A software architecture for integrating an in-flight entertainment system and a vehicle cabin functions system. A first network serves the in-flight entertainment system, and a second network serves the vehicle cabin functions system. A first set of common functions is available via the first network, and a second set of common functions is available via the second network. At least one interface links the first and second sets of common functions and is adapted to link at least one additional service to at least one of the first and second networks.

Claims

1. A system comprising a software architecture for integrating an in-operation entertainment system and a vehicle cabin functions system, comprising:

a first network serving the in-operation entertainment system;

a second network serving the vehicle cabin functions system;

a first set of common functions being available via the first network;

a second set of common functions being available via the second network; and

at least one interface linking the first and second sets of common functions, the at least one interface being adapted to link at least one additional service to at least one of the first and second networks.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each additional service operates independently of any other additional service and of any other common function.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional service is interchangeably connected to the at least one interface.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional service is linked by the at least one interface to the first network, and the at least one additional service comprises at least one of access to audio and video on demand, access to games, and worldwide web access.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the common functions comprise functions for implementing at least one of quality of service, topology discovery, security, directory, billing, provisioning, presence, and network management.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the common functions comprise a function for implementing a quality of service that differentiates system services according to a passenger classification or designation.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising a load balancer that distinguishes between passengers on information in request packets, the load balancer providing at least one of directing the passengers to a server or group of servers and setting priority bits in an IP packet to provide a designated class of service.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second network, the second set of common functions, and an additional service of the second network take priority over the first network, the first set of common functions, and an additional service of the first network.