Signal supplying and receiving system

• US 6,377,188 B1
• Filed: 09/26/1995
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maruyama, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/534,106
• Time in Patent Office: 2,401 Days
• Field of Search: 381/81, 381/86, 340/825.25, 340/825.24, 340/971, 455/5
• US Class Current: 340/4.34
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• 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: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/76 Wired systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

An audio signal supplying device for supplying signals to an operating panel for a passenger provided in each of for many seats of a moving vehicle, such as an aircraft or a train, in which the necessity of providing a dedicated adapter or headphone or a device of a complex structure may be eliminated to save costs. The audio signal supplying device has plural operating units for passengers. For example, an operating unit 3₁ for the passenger has a demultiplexor 12 as a channel selection means for selecting a desired channel and a controller 6₁ for inhibiting part of channel selection executed by the demultiplexor 12 and for canceling such partial inhibition of channel selection by the demultiplexor 12 in response to a remote control signal received by a remote controlled light receiving unit 9₁.

Claims

1. A signal supplying/receiving system comprising:

an operating unit for a passenger provided in association with each of a plurality of seats within a vehicle, and

a supplying device for supplying data signals over a plurality of channels to said operating units,

said plurality of seats being divided into groups, each group comprising at least two seats,

wherein each said operating unit comprises selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of channels supplied from said supplying device,

said selecting means associated with the seats in one of said groups of seats being controlled by controlling means, said controlling means selectively inhibiting selection of one or more of said channels by said selecting means,

said controlling means being connected to a remote control signal receiving unit responsive to a remote control signal,

wherein said remote control signal, received by said receiving unit, identifies one of said seats in the group of seats, and, in response to said remote control signal, said controlling means cease to inhibit selection of said one or more inhibited channels by the selecting means associated with the seat which is identified by said remote control signal.

2. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are three seats in the group of seats and said three seats are respectively identified by said remote control signal as window seat, center seat and aisle seat.

3. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling means resumes inhibiting selection of said one or more channels by said selection means in response to a second remote control signal for the selecting means associated with a seat identified in said second remote control signal.

4. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are two seats in the group of seats and said two seats are respectively identified by said remote control signal as window seat and aisle seat.

5. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a remote controlling signal receiving unit is provided for each group of seats.

6. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a hand-held remote control unit for generating said remote control signal and transmitting said remote control signal to said remote control signal receiving unit.

7. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data signals supplied from said supplying device are audio signals.

8. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said remote control signal is wirelessly transmitted to said remote control signal receiving unit.

9. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said remote controlling signal is an infra-red light beam emitted by a remote controller.

10. The signal supplying/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selecting means may still select one of a plurality of channels when said controlling means inhibits said one or more channels.