Optical Communication System And Method For Distributing Content Aboard A Mobile Platform During Travel
First Claim
1. An optical distribution system suitable for use with a vehicle information system installation aboard a passenger vehicle, comprising:
- a first optical transceiver system that receives a first encoded electrical communication signal from a head end system of the vehicle information system and converts the first encoded electrical communication signal into a downstream optical communication signal, the first encoded electrical communication signal including viewing content intended for presentation via a selected user interface system of the vehicle information system, the viewing content being encoded with address information associated with the selected user interface system;
an optical splitter system that includes an aggregation port that receives the downstream optical communication signal and a predetermined number of fraction ports, said optical splitter system uniformly routing the downstream optical communication signal to each of said fraction ports; and
a plurality of second optical transceiver systems each receiving the downstream optical communication signal via a relevant fraction port and converting the downstream optical communication signal to recover the first encoded electrical communication signal, each of said second optical transceiver systems providing the first encoded electrical communication signal to an associated user interface system,wherein the associated user interface system is associated with a unique address and compares the address information with the unique address, the associated user interface system presenting the viewing content if the address information matches the unique address and discarding the viewing content if the address information does not match the unique address.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical distribution system for vehicle information systems installed aboard passenger vehicles, such as automobiles and aircraft, and methods for manufacturing and using same. Each system resource of the vehicle information system couples with the optical distribution system via an optical transceiver system. The optical transceiver systems provide a link interface between the system resources and the optical distribution system for supporting the transmission and reception of optical communication signals among the system resources via the optical distribution system. The optical distribution system couples the system resources via fiber optic communication connections that can support high data transfer rates. Being light weight, compact, and requiring little, if any, electrical power, the optical distribution system advantageously supports full communications among the system resources of the vehicle information system, while reducing the costs of operating and transporting the vehicle information system aboard the passenger vehicle.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An optical distribution system suitable for use with a vehicle information system installation aboard a passenger vehicle, comprising:
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a first optical transceiver system that receives a first encoded electrical communication signal from a head end system of the vehicle information system and converts the first encoded electrical communication signal into a downstream optical communication signal, the first encoded electrical communication signal including viewing content intended for presentation via a selected user interface system of the vehicle information system, the viewing content being encoded with address information associated with the selected user interface system; an optical splitter system that includes an aggregation port that receives the downstream optical communication signal and a predetermined number of fraction ports, said optical splitter system uniformly routing the downstream optical communication signal to each of said fraction ports; and a plurality of second optical transceiver systems each receiving the downstream optical communication signal via a relevant fraction port and converting the downstream optical communication signal to recover the first encoded electrical communication signal, each of said second optical transceiver systems providing the first encoded electrical communication signal to an associated user interface system, wherein the associated user interface system is associated with a unique address and compares the address information with the unique address, the associated user interface system presenting the viewing content if the address information matches the unique address and discarding the viewing content if the address information does not match the unique address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for distributing viewing content within a vehicle information system installation aboard a passenger vehicle, comprising:
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receiving a first encoded electrical communication signal from a head end system of the vehicle information system, the first encoded electrical communication signal including viewing content intended for presentation via a selected user interface system of the vehicle information system, the viewing content being encoded with address information associated with the selected user interface system; converting the first encoded electrical communication signal into a downstream optical communication signal; splitting the downstream optical communication signal into a predetermined number of uniform downstream optical communication signals; converting the downstream optical communication signal to recover the first encoded electrical communication signal; and providing the recovered first encoded electrical communication signal to an associated user interface system, wherein the associated user interface system is associated with a unique address and compares the address information with the unique address, the associated user interface system presenting the viewing content if the address information matches the unique address and discarding the viewing content if the address information does not match the unique address.
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12. An optical distribution system suitable for use with a vehicle information system installation aboard a passenger vehicle, comprising:
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first and second optical transceiver systems that receive a first encoded electrical communication signal from a head end system of the vehicle information system and converts the first encoded electrical communication signal into a downstream optical communication signal, the first encoded electrical communication signal including viewing content intended for presentation via a selected user interface system of the vehicle information system, the viewing content being encoded with address information associated with the selected user interface system; first and second optical splitter systems respectively coupled with said first and second optical transceiver systems, each of said optical splitter system including an aggregation port that receives the downstream optical communication signal and uniformly routing the downstream optical communication signal to each of a predetermined number of fraction ports; and a plurality of third and fourth optical transceiver systems respectively coupled with said first and second optical splitter systems, said third and fourth optical transceiver systems each receiving the downstream optical communication signal via a relevant fraction port, converting the downstream optical communication signal to recover the first encoded electrical communication signal, said third optical transceiver system providing the first encoded electrical communication signal to a first associated user interface system, said fourth optical transceiver system providing the first encoded electrical communication signal to a second associated user interface system, wherein the first and second associated user interface systems each are associated with a unique address and compares the address information with the unique address, the first and second associated user interface systems presenting the viewing content if the address information matches the unique address and discarding the viewing content if the address information does not match the unique address.
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13. A vehicle information system suitable for installation aboard a passenger vehicle, comprising:
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a head end system; a plurality of user interface system; and an optical distribution coupling said head end system with said user interface system and comprising; a first optical transceiver system that receives a first encoded electrical communication signal from said head end system and converts the first encoded electrical communication signal into a downstream optical communication signal, the first encoded electrical communication signal including viewing content intended for presentation via a selected user interface system, the viewing content being encoded with address information associated with said selected user interface system; an optical splitter system that includes an aggregation port that receives the downstream optical communication signal and a predetermined number of fraction ports, said optical splitter system uniformly routing the downstream optical communication signal to each of said fraction ports; and a plurality of second optical transceiver systems each receiving the downstream optical communication signal via a relevant fraction port and converting the downstream optical communication signal to recover the first encoded electrical communication signal, each of said second optical transceiver systems providing the first encoded electrical communication signal to an associated user interface system, wherein said associated user interface system is associated with a unique address and compares the address information with said unique address, said associated user interface system presenting the viewing content if the address information matches said unique address and discarding the viewing content if the address information does not match said unique address.
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14. An aircraft, comprising:
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a fuselage and a plurality of passenger seats arranged within the fuselage; and a vehicle information system coupled with said fuselage and comprising; a head end system that provides overall system control functions for the vehicle information system and that includes a content source; a plurality of user interface system each including a user input system for selecting viewing content available from said head end system and a content presentation system for presenting the selected viewing content; and an optical distribution coupling said head end system with said user interface system and comprising; a first optical transceiver system that receives a first encoded electrical communication signal from said head end system and converts the first encoded electrical communication signal into a downstream optical communication signal, the first encoded electrical communication signal including viewing content intended for presentation via a selected user interface system, the viewing content being encoded with address information associated with said selected user interface system; an optical splitter system that includes an aggregation port that receives the downstream optical communication signal and a predetermined number of fraction ports, said optical splitter system uniformly routing the downstream optical communication signal to each of said fraction ports; and a plurality of second optical transceiver systems each receiving the downstream optical communication signal via a relevant fraction port and converting the downstream optical communication signal to recover the first encoded electrical communication signal, each of said second optical transceiver systems providing the first encoded electrical communication signal to an associated user interface system, wherein said associated user interface system is associated with a unique address and compares the address information with said unique address, said associated user interface system presenting the viewing content if the address information matches said unique address and discarding the viewing content if the address information does not match said unique address.
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Specification