Aircraft service system with a central control system for attendant call lights and passenger reading lights
First Claim
1. An aircraft service system, including:
- (a) a plurality of attendant call lights each servicing a different passenger seat in an aircraft;
(b) a plurality of reading lights each serving a different one of the passenger seats;
(c) a plurality of switch units, each controlling at least one of the attendant call lights and at least one of the reading lights;
(d) a plurality of terminal units, each provided at a different one of the passenger seats, each terminal unit having an attendant call key, a reading light key, a means for generating an address identifying one of the passenger seats, a means for generating a request signal including the address in response to operation of at least one of the attendant call key and the reading light key;
(e) a head end apparatus including a control signal generating means, wherein said control signal generating means is capable of generating an attendant call light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the attendant call keys and a reading light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the reading light keys, and wherein each said control signal includes a seat address identifying one of said attendant call and reading lights;
(f) a means for transmitting said each request signal from said each terminal unit to the control signal generating means; and
(g) a means for transmitting said each control signal to the switch unit controlling the light identified by the seat address included in said each control signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing service in an aircraft having a plurality of passenger seats. The system of the invention includes a plurality of attendant call lights each serving a different one of the passenger seats, a plurality of reading lights each serving a different one of the passenger seats, a plurality of switch units each for controlling one of the attendant call lights and one of the reading lights, and a plurality of terminal units each provided at a different one of the passenger seats. Each terminal unit has an atttendant call key, a reading light key, and an address generator, and is capable of generating a request signal including an address in response to operation of the attendant call key or the reading light key. The inventive system also includes a head end apparatus capable of generating a control signal for controlling one of the attendant call lights or reading lights in response to each request signal. Each such control signal includes a seat address identifying one of the lights.
117 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An aircraft service system, including:
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(a) a plurality of attendant call lights each servicing a different passenger seat in an aircraft; (b) a plurality of reading lights each serving a different one of the passenger seats; (c) a plurality of switch units, each controlling at least one of the attendant call lights and at least one of the reading lights; (d) a plurality of terminal units, each provided at a different one of the passenger seats, each terminal unit having an attendant call key, a reading light key, a means for generating an address identifying one of the passenger seats, a means for generating a request signal including the address in response to operation of at least one of the attendant call key and the reading light key; (e) a head end apparatus including a control signal generating means, wherein said control signal generating means is capable of generating an attendant call light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the attendant call keys and a reading light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the reading light keys, and wherein each said control signal includes a seat address identifying one of said attendant call and reading lights; (f) a means for transmitting said each request signal from said each terminal unit to the control signal generating means; and (g) a means for transmitting said each control signal to the switch unit controlling the light identified by the seat address included in said each control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An aircraft service method, including the steps of:
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(a) at each of a plurality of terminal units provided at a respective plurality of passenger seats, generating a request signal identifying at least one of an attendant call light and a reading light serving the passenger seat at which the terminal unit is provided; (b) transmitting each said request signal form the terminal unit at which it is generated to a head end apparatus; (c) in response to each said request signal, generating at the head end apparatus a control signal for controlling the light identified by the request signal, each said control signal including a seat address identifying the light identified by the request signal; (d) digitally encoding each said control signal at the head end apparatus; (e) transmitting each said digitally encoded control signal from the head end apparatus to a plurality of switch units, each provided at a respective one of the plurality of passenger seats, and each capable of controlling at least one of the reading lights and at least one of the attendant call lights. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification