DC-BASED PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK FOR AIRCRAFT
First Claim
1. A passenger control unit (PCU) network for a passenger aircraft having passenger seats in a plurality of zones, each zone having at least one column of seats, and each column having at least one row of seats, the network comprising:
- a direct current (DC) power distribution system;
a plurality of wired PCUs, one PCU associated with each passenger seat, coupled to the DC power distribution system, each PCU having a processor and system memory and a standard data and power interface, the processor being programmed for differential peer-to-peer communication with adjacently interconnected PCUs throughout the PCU network and with an external system of the aircraft;
a PCU of one seat of each row being serially coupled to all PCUs in the respective row, and designated as a row master PCU;
a PCU of one seat of each column being serially coupled to all row master PCUs in the respective column, and designated as a column master PCU;
a PCU of one seat of each zone being serially coupled to all column master PCUs in the respective zone, and designated as a zone master PCU;
one zone master PCU designated as a PCU system master and connected to the external system; and
two-conductor data wires coupling all PCUs within the PCU network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A passenger control unit (PCU) network is provided for a passenger aircraft having passenger seats in a plurality of zones, each zone having at least one column of seats, and each column having at least one row of seats. The PCU network includes a direct current (DC) power distribution system, and a plurality of wired PCUs, one PCU associated with each passenger seat and coupled to the DC power distribution system. Each PCU has a processor and system memory and a standard data and power interface, the processor being programmed for differential peer-to-peer communication with adjacently interconnected PCUs throughout the PCU network and with an external system of the aircraft. A PCU of one seat of each row is serially coupled to all PCUs in the respective row, and designated as a row master PCU; a PCU of one seat of each column is serially coupled to all row master PCUs in the respective column, and designated as a column master PCU; a PCU of one seat of each zone is serially coupled to all column master PCUs in the respective zone, and designated as a zone master PCU; and one zone master PCU is designated as a PCU system master and connected to an external system. Two-conductor data wires couple all PCUs within the PCU network.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A passenger control unit (PCU) network for a passenger aircraft having passenger seats in a plurality of zones, each zone having at least one column of seats, and each column having at least one row of seats, the network comprising:
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a direct current (DC) power distribution system; a plurality of wired PCUs, one PCU associated with each passenger seat, coupled to the DC power distribution system, each PCU having a processor and system memory and a standard data and power interface, the processor being programmed for differential peer-to-peer communication with adjacently interconnected PCUs throughout the PCU network and with an external system of the aircraft; a PCU of one seat of each row being serially coupled to all PCUs in the respective row, and designated as a row master PCU; a PCU of one seat of each column being serially coupled to all row master PCUs in the respective column, and designated as a column master PCU; a PCU of one seat of each zone being serially coupled to all column master PCUs in the respective zone, and designated as a zone master PCU; one zone master PCU designated as a PCU system master and connected to the external system; and two-conductor data wires coupling all PCUs within the PCU network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17)
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13. An aircraft, comprising:
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a plurality of passenger seats, arranged into one or more zones, each zone having one or more columns, each column having one or more rows of contiguous seats; an overhead device associated with each passenger seat; a plurality of wired, direct current-(DC) powered passenger control units (PCUs), interconnected to each other with two-conductor data wires in a hierarchical peer-to-peer network, one PCU associated with each passenger seat, each PCU having a processor and system memory and a standard data and power interface, the processor being programmed for differential peer-to-peer communication with adjacently interconnected PCUs throughout the peer-to-peer network, and having passenger operable controls for at least the overhead device; exactly one PCU of each seat row being a row master PCU, coupled to all PCUs in the row; exactly one PCU of each seat column being a column master PCU, coupled to all row master PCUs in the column; exactly one PCU of each seat zone being a zone master PCU, coupled to all column master PCUs in the zone; exactly one zone master PCU being a PCU system master, coupled to all zone master PCUs, the PCU system master providing a single connection of the peer-to-peer network to a network of overhead devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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18. A passenger control unit (PCU), configured for association with a passenger seat of an aircraft, comprising:
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a processor and system memory, the processor being programmed for differential peer-to-peer communication with adjacently interconnected PCUs throughout a hierarchical data network and with an external system of the aircraft; a passenger operable control for the external system; a standard data and power interface, couplable to a direct current (DC) power source, having a plurality of two-wire data interfaces for receiving and transmitting data with the adjacently interconnected PCUs, whereby any PCU is interchangeable with any other PCU within the hierarchical data network, and functions depending upon its position in the hierarchical data network. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification