SERIAL NETWORKING FIBER-TO-THE-SEAT INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An inflight entertainment system, comprising:
- a plurality of head end line replaceable units physically interconnected to each other with fiber optic cables; and
a plurality of serially-connected networking line replaceable units physically interconnected in a serial configuration with fiber optic cables,wherein two of the serially-connected networking line replaceable units at the edge of the serial configuration are physically interconnected with fiber optic cables with two of the head end line replaceable units, respectively,wherein one or more loop-free serially-connected networking data paths are maintained between at least one of the two head end line replaceable units and active networking line replaceable units by regulating link participation in the serially-connected networking data paths.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An entertainment system that has improved failure recovery characteristics and reduces the connection components is disclosed. In one aspect, an inflight entertainment system comprises a plurality of physically interconnected head end line replaceable units and a plurality of serially-connected networking line replaceable units physically interconnected in a serial configuration, wherein two of the serially-connected networking line replaceable units at the edge of the serial configuration are physically interconnected with two of the head end line replaceable units, respectively, wherein a loop-free head end data path is maintained between active head end line replaceable units by regulating link participation in the head end data path, and wherein one or more loop-free serially-connected networking data paths are maintained between at least one of the two head end line replaceable units and active serially-connected networking line replaceable units by regulating link participation in the serially-connected networking data paths.
13 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An inflight entertainment system, comprising:
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a plurality of head end line replaceable units physically interconnected to each other with fiber optic cables; and a plurality of serially-connected networking line replaceable units physically interconnected in a serial configuration with fiber optic cables, wherein two of the serially-connected networking line replaceable units at the edge of the serial configuration are physically interconnected with fiber optic cables with two of the head end line replaceable units, respectively, wherein one or more loop-free serially-connected networking data paths are maintained between at least one of the two head end line replaceable units and active networking line replaceable units by regulating link participation in the serially-connected networking data paths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A video display unit base for an inflight communication system, comprising:
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a video display; a network interface; one or more processors operatively coupled with the network interface; and electrical contacts operatively coupled with at least one of the processors, wherein the base is adapted to interchangeably receive and render operative via the electrical contacts a first detachable module having a first set of user interface elements and a second detachable module having a second set of user interface elements, thereby facilitating ready exchange between the first set and the second set, wherein the first and second sets include different user interface elements, thereby facilitating selection of which user interface elements the video display unit includes. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification