AIRCRAFT IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM HAVING A MULTI-BEAM PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1-37. -37. (canceled)
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38. An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and being operable with a TV programming satellite and an Internet data satellite spaced from the TV programming satellite, the IFE system comprising:
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a phased array antenna to be carried by the aircraft and comprising a first plurality of antenna elements operable at a first frequency, and a second plurality of antenna elements operable at a second frequency different than the first frequency; control circuitry to be carried by the aircraft and comprising a first plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said first plurality of antenna elements to generate a first antenna beam having a first boresight directed toward the TV programming satellite for receiving TV programming therefrom, a second plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said second plurality of antenna elements to generate a second antenna beam having a second boresight directed toward the Internet data satellite for receiving Internet data therefrom, and at least one polarization correction module coupled to at least one of said first and second pluralities of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon an aircraft position; and at least one access point to be carried by the aircraft to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for at least one of the TV programming and the Internet data. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and being operable with a TV programming satellite and an Internet data satellite spaced from the TV programming satellite, the IFE system comprising:
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a phased array antenna to be carried by the aircraft and comprising a first plurality of antenna elements operable at a first frequency, and a second plurality of antenna elements operable at a second frequency different than the first frequency; control circuitry to be carried by the aircraft and comprising a first plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said first plurality of antenna elements to generate a first antenna beam having a first boresight directed toward the TV programming satellite for receiving TV programming therefrom, and a second plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said second plurality of antenna elements to simultaneously generate a second antenna beam having a second boresight directed toward the Internet data satellite for receiving Internet data therefrom, a first polarization correction module coupled to said first plurality of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon an aircraft position, and a second polarization correction module coupled to said first plurality of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon the aircraft position; and at least one access point to be carried by the aircraft to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for at least one of the TV programming and the Internet data. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for operating an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and being operable with a TV programming satellite and an Internet data satellite spaced from the TV programming satellite, the IFE system comprising a phased array antenna comprising a first plurality of antenna elements operable at a first frequency, and a second plurality of antenna elements operable at a second frequency different than the first frequency, the method comprising:
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using a first plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with the first plurality of antenna elements to generate a first antenna beam having a first boresight directed toward the TV programming satellite for receiving TV programming therefrom; using a second plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with the second plurality of antenna elements to generate a second antenna beam having a second boresight directed toward the Internet data satellite for receiving Internet data therefrom; using at least one polarization correction module coupled to at least one of the first and second pluralities of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon an aircraft position; and using at least one access point carried by the aircraft to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for at least one of the TV programming and the Internet data. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification