Detachable Seat Mounted Audio-Visual Entertainment System with Locally Storable, Selectable, and Updatable Content

• US 20140292047A1
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Burrana IP And Assets, LLC
• Original Assignee: Digecor IP and Assets Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Boyer, William J. Jr., Henson, Robert Ray
• Granted Patent: US 10,059,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/217.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00151 Permanently mounted seat back monitors
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00155 Individual entertainment or communication system remote controls therefor, located in or connected to seat components, e.g. to seat back or arm rest
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0647 Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• 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 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A detachable seat mounted audio-visual entertainment system. The system has locally storable, selectable, and updatable content. The passenger in-flight entertainment device terminal has passenger selectable controls, a video display, an audio output, storage media such as a magnetic or “hard disk”, and a payment interface device such as a card swipe, all located in a seat which has been wired with power, local network, and audio wiring. A local, transport vehicle mounted local host computer provides supports the local network, and may be used to collect revenue slips resulting from passenger input to the payment interface device. Revenue slips may be posted to a remote server during a trip segment via satellite or direct radio frequency communication to receiving facilities providing connection to the internet, or alternately collected and posted batchwise.

Claims

1. A passenger seat, comprising:

a video display;

passenger selectable controls;

a media storage unit; and

a communication link with a local network.

2. The passenger seat of claim 1, further comprising a passenger terminal, and wherein the video display, passenger selectable controls, media storage unit and communication link are included in the passenger terminal.

3. The passenger seat of claim 2, further comprising a seat back in which the passenger terminal is located.

4. The passenger seat of claim 2, wherein the passenger terminal includes a payment interface.

5. The passenger seat of claim 3, wherein the payment interface includes a card swipe reader.

6. The passenger seat of claim 2, wherein the passenger terminal is configured to communicate with the local network through a wired or a wireless link.

7. The passenger seat of claim 1, further comprising an audio output jack.

8. A passenger seating arrangement, comprising:

a first passenger seat, the first passenger seat including a first seat back and a first video display located in the seat back and a first passenger terminal, the first passenger terminal configured to (i) control operation of a video display, (ii) store video content and (iii) communicate with a local network; and

a second passenger seat positioned behind the first passenger seat and facing the first video display, the second passenger seat including a second seat back and a second video display located in the second seat back and a second passenger terminal, the second passenger terminal configured to (i) control operation of the first video display, (ii) store video content and (iii) communicate with the local network.

9. The passenger seating arrangement of claim 8, wherein both the first and second passenger terminals include a payment interface.

10. The passenger seating arrangement of claim 8, wherein both the first and second passenger terminals are configured to communicate with the local network through a wired or a wireless link.

11. The passenger seating arrangement of claim 8, wherein both the first and second passenger seats further comprise an audio output jack.

12. The passenger seating arrangement of claim 9, wherein each payment interface includes a card swipe reader.

13. The passenger seating arrangement of claim 8, further comprising a third passenger seat positioned behind the second passenger seat and facing the second video display, the third passenger seat including a third passenger terminal, the third passenger terminal configured to (i) control operation of the second video display, (ii) store video content and (iii) communicate with the local network.

14. The passenger seating arrangement of claim 8, wherein the second passenger terminal comprises a control unit, a media storage unit, a local network communication link and the first video display.

15. A passenger seating system for inflight entertainment on a passenger aircraft, comprising:

a plurality of passenger seats;

a video display associated with each passenger seat; and

a passenger terminal associated with each passenger seat, each passenger terminal having (i) passenger selectable controls, (ii) a storage unit and (iii) a local network communication link.

16. The passenger seating system of claim 15, wherein each storage unit is configured to store video content.

17. The passenger seating system of claim 16, wherein the local network communication link associated with each passenger seat is configured to send and receive data between a local network and the storage unit associated with each seat.

18. The passenger seating system of claim 17, wherein each local network communication link comprises a wired or a wireless link.

19. The passenger seating system of claim 18, wherein each passenger seat includes an audio output jack.

20. The passenger seating system of claim 19, wherein each passenger terminal includes a payment interface.

21. An inflight passenger entertainment system, the system comprising:

a first passenger seat, the first passenger seat including a first video display and a first passenger terminal, the first passenger terminal configured to (i) control operation of a video display, (ii) store video content and (iii) communicate with a local network; and

a second passenger seat, the second passenger seat including a second video display and a second passenger terminal, the second passenger terminal configured to (i) control operation of a video display, (ii) store video content and (iii) communicate with the local network;

wherein the local network is configured for communication with a content storage device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the content storage device is configured to update video content stored on the first and second passenger terminals via the local network.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first and second passenger terminals are configured to communicate with the local network through a wired or wireless link.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising a host computer connected to and configured to support the local network.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the first and second passenger terminals include payment interfaces.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a host computer connected to the local network and configured to collect electronic revenue slips resulting from passenger inputs to one or more of the payment interfaces.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the second passenger seat is positioned behind the first passenger seat and facing the first video display and wherein the second passenger terminal is configured to control operation of the first video display.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first and second passenger terminals are configured to communicate with the local network through a wired or wireless link.

29. A passenger entertainment system, the system comprising:

a first passenger seat, the first passenger seat including a first video display, first passenger selectable controls, a first media storage unit and a first communication link with a local network; and

a second passenger seat, the second passenger seat including a second video display, second passenger selectable controls, a second media storage unit and a second communication link with the local network;

wherein the local network is configured for communication with a content storage device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the content storage device is configured to update video content stored on the first and second passenger terminals via the local network.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first and second passenger terminals are configured to communicate with the local network through a wired or wireless link.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising a host computer connected to and configured to support the local network.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second passenger terminals include a payment interface.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising a host computer connected to the local network and configured to collect electronic revenue slips resulting from passenger inputs to one or more of the payment interfaces.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a first passenger terminal, the first passenger terminal configured to (i) control operation of the first video display, (ii) store video content on the first media storage unit and (iii) communicate with the local network; and

a second passenger seat, the second passenger terminal configured to (i) control operation of the second video display, (ii) store video content on the second media storage unit and (iii) communicate with the local network.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the second passenger seat is positioned behind the first passenger seat and facing the first video display and wherein the second passenger terminal is configured to control operation of the first video display.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the content storage device is portable.