Method for displaying interactive flight map information

• US 6,661,353 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Gopen, Nathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/811,317
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 340/973, 340/990, 340/989, 340/995, 340/988, 340/996, 340/981, 340/963, 340/964, 340/946, 340/948, 701/200, 701/16, 701/120
• US Class Current: 340/973
• 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: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

An interactive flight map is provided to a passenger, through which information on the areas overflown can be accessed and utilized. A map of the portion of the flight path near the airplane, where the map has one or more identifiers, is displayed to a passenger. Selection of an identifier from the passenger may be received, and in response information associated with the selected identifier is displayed to the passenger. The identifiers may be icons, text or other unique identifying symbols, associated with points of interest, map locations, tourist facilities, or other particular locations or facilities. The map may be scrolled to view other areas of the ground. In response to the selection of a particular identifier by a passenger, information may be displayed to the passenger in a variety of formats, such as HTML or video. A software program executing the method of displaying interactive flight map data is adapted to interface with other applications to transmit data to or receive data from such applications as appropriate.

Claims

1. A method for displaying interactive flight map information to one or more passengers on an aircraft over an in-flight entertainment system, said in-flight entertainment system including a server and a client, comprising:

displaying a map showing the flight path of the aircraft and a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with features proximal to the flight path during a flight;

receiving a request to scroll the map in a direction;

scrolling the map in the direction;

displaying the scrolled map, the scrolled map comprising a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with additional points of interest;

receiving a selection of a selectable point of interest identifier, said selection being made by a passenger wherein the passenger can select the selectable point of interest identifier throughout the flight;

retrieving data associated with said received selected point of interest identifier; and

displaying said retrieved data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request to display a map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving is performed from a content storage unit located on the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said point of interest identifiers are associated with points of interest on the ground.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said point of interest identifiers are associated with events at a particular location on the ground.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said data transmitted to the client comprises markup language.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said data transmitted to the client includes markup language defining at least two links, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of a particular link;

retrieving data associated with said link; and

displaying said retrieved data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said data transmitted to the client comprises graphics data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said data transmitted to the client comprises video data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said data transmitted to the client is audio data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises moving a cursor over the particular point of interest identifier.

12. A method for transferring interactive flight map data between a server and a client-based application adapted to present data to and collect input from a user, the server and client forming an in-flight entertainment system on an aircraft, comprising:

transmitting to the client-based application map data comprising the flight path of the aircraft and a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with features proximal to the flight path during a flight;

receiving from the client-based application a request to scroll the map in a direction;

transmitting to the client-based application scrolled map data comprising a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with additional points of interest;

receiving from the client-based application a selection of a selectable point of interest identifier wherein the selection of the selectable point of interest identifier can be made throughout the flight;

retrieving data associated with said received selected point of interest identifier; and

transmitting to the client-based application said retrieved data.

13. A computer program product, comprising:

instructions for displaying a map showing the flight path of the aircraft and a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with features proximal to the flight path during a flight;

instructions for receiving a request to scroll the map in a direction;

instructions for scrolling the map in a the direction;

instructions for displaying the scrolled map, the scrolled map comprising a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with additional points of interest;

instructions for receiving a selection of a selectable point of interest identifier wherein the selection of the selectable point of interest identifier can be made throughout the flight;

instructions for retrieving data associated with said received selected point of interest identifier; and

instructions for displaying said retrieved data.

14. The product of claim 13, further comprising instructions for receiving a request to display a map.

15. The product of claim 13, wherein said instructions for retrieving further comprise instructions for retrieving data associated with said received selected identifier from a content storage unit located on the aircraft.

16. The product of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for placing a link in said retrieved data;

instructions for receiving a selection of a particular link;

instructions for retrieving data associated with said link; and

instructions for displaying said retrieved data.

17. A method for displaying interactive flight map information to one or more passengers on an aircraft over an in-flight entertainment system, comprising:

displaying a first map and a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with points of interest proximal to the flight path during a flight;

receiving a request from the passenger for a second map;

displaying the second map, the second map comprising a plurality of selectable point of interest identifiers associated with additional points of interest;

receiving a selection of a selectable point of interest identifier, wherein said selection comprises receiving an instruction from a passenger and wherein the particular selectable point of interest identifier can be selected by the passenger throughout the flight;

retrieving data associated with said received identifier; and

displaying said retrieved data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said selection comprises moving a cursor over the particular point of interest identifier.