System and Method for Interfacing a Portable Media Device with a Vehicle Information System

• US 20090119721A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Izadyar, Mehdi, Perlman, Marshal H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,015,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/76
• 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 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/24 Systems for the transmission of television signals using pulse code modulation H04N21/00 takes precedence

Abstract

An information system suitable for use in cooperation with portable media devices, such as an Apple iPod® digital electronic media device, and methods for manufacturing and using same. The information system provides a user-friendly communication interface for coupling with a portable media device and can perform a plurality of integration tasks simultaneously, enabling the personal media device to become fully integrated with the information system. Viewing content thereby can be selected from video and/or audio viewing content stored internally within the personal media device, and the selected viewing content can be communicated from the personal media device to the information system for presentation via a video presentation system and/or an audio presentation system of the information system. The personal media device likewise can receive control commands and/or operating power from the information system. Thereby, the personal media device advantageously can become a seamless part of the information system.

Claims

1. A communication cable assembly for coupling a personal media device with an information system, comprising:

a communication cable;

a system communication connector that is provided on said communication cable and that cooperates with an access point of the information system; and

a device communication connector that is provided on said communication cable and that cooperates with a communication port of the personal media device,

wherein, when the personal media device and the information system communicate via the communication cable assembly, the information system performs a plurality of integration tasks simultaneously, enabling the personal media device to become fully integrated with the information system such that the personal media device becomes a seamless part of the information system and selected viewing content is transmitted from the personal media device to the information system for presentation.

2. The communication cable assembly of claim 1, wherein said system communication connector is provided on an end region of said communication cable.

3. The communication cable assembly of claim 1, wherein said system communication connector comprises a nine-pin mini-DIN connector.

4. The communication cable assembly of claim 1, wherein said device communication connector is provided on an end region of said communication cable.

5. The communication cable assembly of claim 1, wherein said device communication connector comprises a thirty-pin iPod®

connector.

6. The communication cable assembly of claim 1, wherein said communication cable includes a bundle of conductors.

7. The communication cable assembly of claim 6, wherein said bundle of conductors comprises twisted conductors.

8. The communication cable assembly of claim 6, wherein said bundle of conductors is disposed within a shield.

9. The communication cable assembly of claim 6, wherein said bundle of conductors is suitable for transmitting signals selected from a signal group consisting of audio signals, video signals, data signals, control signals, and power signals.

10. A method for integrating a personal media device with an information system, comprising:

providing a communication cable assembly having;

a communication cable;

a system communication connector that is provided on said communication cable and that cooperates with an access point of the information system; and

a device communication connector that is provided on said communication cable and that cooperates with a communication port of the personal media device;

when the personal media device and the information system communicate via the communication cable assembly,

performing a plurality of integration tasks simultaneously to enable the personal media device to become fully integrated with the information system such that the personal media device becomes a seamless part of the information system; and

receiving selected viewing content from the personal media device for presentation via the information system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said receiving the selected viewing content includes receiving signals selected from a signal group consisting of audio signals, video signals, data signals, control signals, and power signals.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a control signal from the information system to the personal media device, wherein said control signal selects the selected viewing content.

13. An information system suitable for installation aboard a vehicle, comprising:

a headend system that provides overall system control functions for the vehicle information system;

a content presentation system that presents viewing content;

an access point;

a distribution system that communicates with said headend system, said content presentation system, and said access point; and

a communication cable assembly that couples a personal media device with said access point,

wherein, when the personal media device and said information system communicate via said communication cable assembly, said headend system performs a plurality of integration tasks simultaneously, enabling the personal media device to become fully integrated with said information system such that the personal media device becomes a seamless part of said information system and selected viewing content is transmitted from the personal media device to said information system for presentation via said content presentation system.

14. The information system of claim 13, wherein said headend system includes a content source.

15. The information system of claim 13, wherein said headend system communicates with a remote content source.

16. The information system of claim 15, wherein the remote content source provides Internet content to said information system for presentation via said content presentation system.

17. The information system of claim 13, wherein said content presentation system includes an audio presentation system that presents an audio portion of the selected viewing content.

18. The information system of claim 13, wherein said content presentation system comprises a video presentation system that presents a video portion of the selected viewing content.

19. The information system of claim 13, wherein said access point includes a communication connector, and wherein said communication cable assembly includes a system communication connector that cooperates with said communication connector of said access point.

20. The information system of claim 19, wherein said system communication connector removably couples with said communication connector.

21. The information system of claim 19, wherein said communication connector and said system communication connector each comprise nine-pin mini-DIN connectors.

22. The information system of claim 19, wherein said communication cable assembly includes a device communication connector that cooperates with a communication connector of the personal media device.

23. The information system of claim 22, wherein said device communication connector comprises a thirty-pin iPod®

connector.

24. The information system of claim 13, wherein said access point provides operating power to the personal media device via said communication cable assembly.

25. The information system of claim 13, wherein said distribution system comprises a wired distribution system.

26. The information system of claim 13, further comprising a user control system that controls selection and presentation of the selected viewing content.

29. The information system of claim 13, wherein the personal media device is selected from a device group consisting of a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) device, an iPod®

digital electronic media device, and an iPhone®

digital electronic media device.

30. The information system of claim 13, wherein the information system is suitable for installation aboard an aircraft.

27. The information system of claim 27, wherein the user control system is separate from the personal media device.

28. The information system of claim 27, wherein the user control system provides a control signal to the personal media device via said communication cable assembly, said control signal controlling operation of the personal media device.

31. An aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage and a plurality of passenger seats arranged within the fuselage; and

a vehicle information system, said vehicle information system coupled with said fuselage and comprising;

a content source;

a headend system that provides overall system control functions for the vehicle information system;

a content presentation system that presents viewing content;

an access point provided at a selected passenger seat; and

a distribution system that communicates with said headend system, said content presentation system, and said access point; and

a communication cable assembly that couples a personal media device with said access point,

wherein, when the personal media device and said vehicle information system communicate via said communication cable assembly, the headend system performs a plurality of integration tasks simultaneously, enabling the personal media device to become fully integrated with said vehicle information system such that the personal media device becomes a seamless part of said vehicle information system and selected viewing content is transmitted from the personal media device to said vehicle information system for presentation via said content presentation system.

32. The aircraft of claim 31, further comprising a storage compartment that stores the personal media device, said storage compartment being disposed at one of said passenger seats.

33. The aircraft of claim 32, wherein said storage compartment is disposed adjacent to an armrest of said selected passenger seat.

34. The aircraft of claim 32, wherein said storage compartment is disposed on one of a seatback and a headrest of an adjacent passenger seat.

35. The aircraft of claim 31, further comprising a user control system that controls selection and presentation of the selected viewing content.

36. The aircraft of claim 35, wherein the user control system is separate from the personal media device.

37. The aircraft of claim 35, wherein the user control system is provided at an armrest of said selected passenger seat.

38. The aircraft of claim 35, wherein the user control system is disposed on one of a seatback and a headrest of an adjacent passenger seat.

39. The aircraft of claim 35, wherein the user control system comprises a handheld user control system.

40. The aircraft of claim 35, wherein the user control system provides a control signal to the personal media device via said communication cable assembly, said control signal controlling operation of the personal media device.