PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE (PED) COOPERATING WITH AN AIRCRAFT IFE SYSTEM FOR REDEEMING AN IN-FLIGHT COUPON AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20110314487A1
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiveTV LLC (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Live TV Incorporated
• Inventors: KEEN, R. MICHAEL, FRISCO, JEFFREY A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,806,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/23
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards

Abstract

A communications system for an aircraft includes an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger. The aircraft IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, and an IFE controller. The TEE controller selectively displays video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, and generates a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display. The PED includes a PED optical sensor, a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller. The PED controller communicates with the IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image so that the PED controller is registered with the IFE controller. After registration, the PED controller provides the stored in-flight coupon to the IFE controller for redemption.

Claims

1. A communications system for an aircraft comprising:

an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system comprising

at least one IFE video entertainment source,

a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays,

at least one IFE wireless transceiver, and

at least one IFE controller for selectively displaying video from said at least one IFE entertainment source on said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, for generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, and for communicating via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver;

at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger and comprising

a PED optical sensor,

a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight,

a PED wireless transceiver, and

a PED controller for communicating with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver based upon said PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image so that said PED controller is registered with said at least one IFE controller, and after registration, providing the stored in-flight coupon to said at least one IFE controller for redemption.

2. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said aircraft IFE system further comprises at least one cabin display coupled to said at least one IFE controller for displaying a passenger'"'"'s coupon that is to be redeemed.

3. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said PED wireless transceiver receives the in-flight coupon for storing in said PED memory prior to the passenger boarding the aircraft.

4. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one IFE controller provides the in-flight coupon to said PED memory by communicating with said PED wireless transceiver via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver after registration.

5. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said aircraft IFE system further comprises an in-flight coupon generator coupled to said at least one IFE controller for providing the in-flight coupon thereto.

6. The communications system according to claim 5 wherein said in-flight coupon generator provides the in-flight coupon based on a passenger database.

7. The communications system according to claim 6 wherein said in-flight coupon generator comprises a memory for storing the passenger database.

8. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one IFE video entertainment source provides at least one premium video package, and wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary access the at least one premium movie package.

9. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive a set of headphones.

10. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive at least one of food and an alcoholic beverage.

11. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said optical sensor comprises a camera.

12. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein the registration token image is configured as a bar code.

13. The communications system according to claim 1 further comprising a registration token image generator coupled to said at least one IFE controller for generating the respective registration token images.

14. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said PED wireless transceiver comprises a PED radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and said at least one IFE wireless transceiver comprises at least one IFE RF transceiver.

15. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one IFE controller comprises a plurality of IFE seat electronic box (SEB) controllers arranged throughout the aircraft;

and wherein said at least one IFE wireless transceiver comprises at least one IFE SEB wireless transceiver in each IFE SEB controller.

16. An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for use with at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, the at least one PED comprising a PED optical sensor, a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor, the PED memory and the PED wireless transceiver, the aircraft IFE system comprising:

at least one IFE video entertainment source;

a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays;

at least one IFE wireless transceiver; and

at least one IFE controller for

selectively displaying video from said at least one IFE entertainment source on said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays,

generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, and

communicating via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the PED wireless transceiver with the PED controller based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image so that said PED controller is registered with said at least one IFE controller, and after registration, providing the stored in-flight coupon to said at least one IFE controller for redemption.

17. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 16 further comprising at least one cabin display coupled to said at least one IFE controller for displaying a passenger'"'"'s coupon that is to be redeemed.

18. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 16 wherein the PED wireless transceiver receives the in-flight coupon for storing in the PED memory prior to the passenger boarding the aircraft.

19. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 16 wherein said at least one IFE controller provides the in-flight coupon to the PED memory by communicating with the PED wireless transceiver via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver after registration.

20. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 16 wherein said at least one IFE video entertainment source provides at least one premium video package, and wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary access the at least one premium movie package.

21. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 16 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive a set of headphones.

22. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 16 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive at least one of food and an alcoholic beverage.

23. A personal electronic device (PED) to be carried by an aircraft passenger and for use with an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system comprising at least one IFE video entertainment source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver, and at least one IFE controller for selectively displaying video from the at least one IFE entertainment source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, and communicating via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver, the PED comprising:

a PED optical sensor for sensing a registration token image displayed on an IFE passenger seat display;

a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight;

a PED wireless transceiver; and

a PED controller coupled to said PED optical sensor, said PED memory and said PED wireless transceiver for

communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver based upon said PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image so that said PED controller is registered with the at least one IFE controller, and after registration, providing the stored in-flight coupon to the at least one IFE controller for redemption.

24. The PED according to claim 23 wherein the aircraft IFE system further comprises at least one cabin display coupled to the at least one IFE controller for displaying a passenger'"'"'s coupon that is to be redeemed.

25. The PED according to claim 23 wherein said PED wireless transceiver receives the in-flight coupon for storing in said PED memory prior to the passenger boarding the aircraft.

26. The PED according to claim 23 wherein the at least one IFE controller provides the in-flight coupon to said PED memory by communicating with said PED wireless transceiver via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver after registration.

27. The PED according to claim 23 wherein the at least one IFE video entertainment source provides at least one premium video package, and wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary access the at least one premium movie package.

28. The PED according to claim 23 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive a set of headphones.

29. The PED according to claim 23 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive at least one of food and an alcoholic beverage.

30. A method for operating an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system with at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, the at least one PED comprising a PED optical sensor, a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor, the PED memory and the PED wireless transceiver;

the aircraft IFE system comprising at least one IFE video entertainment source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver, and at least one IFE controller coupled to the at least one IFE video entertainment source, the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, and the at least one IFE wireless transceiver, the method comprising;

operating the at least one IFE controller for

selectively displaying video from the at least one IFE entertainment source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays,

generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, and

communicating via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the PED wireless transceiver with the PED controller based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image so that the PED controller is registered with the at least one IFE controller, and after registration, providing the stored in-flight coupon to the at least one IFE controller for redemption.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the aircraft IFE system further comprises at least one cabin display coupled to the at least one IFE controller for displaying a passenger'"'"'s coupon that is to be redeemed.

32. The method according to claim 30 wherein the PED wireless transceiver receives the in-flight coupon for storing in the PED memory prior to the passenger boarding the aircraft.

33. The method according to claim 30 wherein the at least one IFE controller provides the in-flight coupon to the PED memory by communicating with the PED wireless transceiver via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver after registration.

34. The method according to claim 30 wherein the at least one IFE video entertainment source provides at least one premium video package, and wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary access the at least one premium movie package.

35. The method according to claim 30 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive a set of headphones.

36. The method according to claim 30 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive at least one of food and an alcoholic beverage.

37. A method for operating a personal electronic device (PED) to be carried by an aircraft passenger and for use with an aircraft IFE system comprising at least one IFE video entertainment source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver, and at least one IFE controller for selectively displaying video from the at least one IFE entertainment source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, and communicating via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver;

the PED comprising a PED optical sensor, a PED memory, a PED wireless transceiver and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor, the PED memory and the PED wireless transceiver, the method comprising;

storing in the PED memory an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight;

operating the PED optical sensor for sensing a registration token image displayed on an IFE passenger seat display; and

operating the PED controller for

communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image so that the PED controller is registered with the at least one IFE controller, and after registration, providing the stored in-flight coupon to the at least one IFE controller for redemption.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein the aircraft IFE system further comprises at least one cabin display coupled to the at least one IFE controller for displaying a passenger'"'"'s coupon that is to be redeemed.

39. The method according to claim 37 wherein the PED wireless transceiver receives the in-flight coupon for storing in the PED memory prior to the passenger boarding the aircraft.

40. The method according to claim 37 wherein the at least one IFE controller provides the in-flight coupon to the PED memory by communicating with the PED wireless transceiver via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver after registration.

41. The method according to claim 37 wherein the at least one IFE video entertainment source provides at least one premium video package, and wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary access the at least one premium movie package.

42. The method according to claim 37 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive a set of headphones.

43. The method according to claim 37 wherein the in-flight coupon permits the passenger to complimentary receive at least one of food and an alcoholic beverage.