Inflight entertainment system with screen configurable video display unit roles
First Claim
1. An inflight entertainment (IFE) system, comprising:
- a head end system; and
a plurality of video display units (VDUs) communicatively coupled with the head end system, wherein the head end system generates a role specification for a first VDU based on user inputs received on at least one of the VDUs and enables a role specific service set for the first VDU based on the role specification.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inflight entertainment (IFE) system provides screen configurable video display unit (VDU) roles. Screen configurable VDU roles allow a role for each VDU in the system to be specified in the field through user inputs on the VDU and advertised to the head end system to create awareness of the specified role. Screen configurable VDU roles can reduce the number of discrete VDU line replaceable unit (LRU) types deployed on a single aircraft and across a fleet of aircraft, reducing hardware and software upgrade and sparing costs, while adding substantial flexibility to the system by removing cabin positioning restrictions on certain VDU types and facilitating system reconfiguration.
-
Citations
44 Claims
-
1. An inflight entertainment (IFE) system, comprising:
-
a head end system; and a plurality of video display units (VDUs) communicatively coupled with the head end system, wherein the head end system generates a role specification for a first VDU based on user inputs received on at least one of the VDUs and enables a role specific service set for the first VDU based on the role specification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A VDU for an IFE system, comprising:
-
a user interface; a network interface; and a processor communicatively coupled with the user interface and the network interface, wherein under control of the processor the VDU transmits to a head end system a role specification generated based on user inputs on the user interface and in response receives from the head end system via the network interface services within a role specific service set enabled by the head end system based on the role specification. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A method for VDU role provisioning in an IFE system, comprising the steps of:
-
inputting on a VDU user inputs; generating on the VDU a role specification based on the user inputs; transmitting from the VDU to a head end system the role specification; and enabling by the head end system a role specific service set for the VDU based on the role specification. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
Specification