Aircraft passenger seat and in-flight entertainment integrated electronics

• US 6,899,390 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Condon, Joseph P., Sanfrod, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US10/021,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20030107248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 297/214.4, 297/217.1, 297/217.3, 244/122.R, 244/118.5, 244/118.6
• US Class Current: 297/217.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00151 Permanently mounted seat back monitors
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

An aircraft seat assembly including at least one electronic component usable by a passenger and a single integrated electronics system which provides signal decoding, signal routing, data management, built in test, and power conversion for each user accessible electronic component which is installed in the seat assembly. The integrated electronics system provides power conversion, signal routing, data management and other electronic requirements for each of the electronic components. The integrated electronics system not only integrates power conversion and signal management responsibilities into one system, but also is integrated into the seat assembly.

Claims

1. A single integrated electronics system for an airline seat assembly comprising:

a seat assembly including at least one seat portion;

a plurality of user accessible electronic components;

a single electronics distribution system placed into said seat portion;

an interconnection system that operably interconnects said plurality of user accessible electronic components and single said electronics system; and

wherein said single electronics system provides all power conversion requirements for each of said plurality of user accessible electronic components;

wherein said interconnection system comprises a ribbon cable adapted to substantially reduce electrical interference inside and outside said interconnection system.

2. The single integrated electronics system of claim 1, further comprising a personal control unit, wherein said personal control unit is a part of said single electronics distribution system.

3. The single integrated electronics system of claim 2, wherein said at least one seat portion includes a seat-back and said single electronics distribution system is formed into said seat-back.

4. The single integrated electronics system of claim 3, wherein said single electronics distribution system comprises a power converter or a router for each of said electronic components.

5. The single integrated electronics system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said user accessible components is located in a seat back of said seat assembly.

6. The single integrated electronics system of claim 1, wherein said seat assembly includes a plurality of seat assemblies, wherein said ribbon cable comprises a physical interconnection between said plurality of seat assemblies and supplies power to said plurality of user accessible electronic components.

7. The single integrated electronics system of claim 1, wherein said interconnection system carries an amount of power and a signal to said plurality of user accessible electronic components.

8. The single integrated electronics system of claim 7, wherein said seat assembly includes a sub-plurality of said user accessible electronic components of said plurality of user accessible electronic components, wherein said single electronics distribution system transfers said amount of power and said signal from said interconnection system to each of said plurality of user accessible electronic components.

9. The single integrated electronics system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of components comprises a personal control unit, a video display, an audio outlet, and a telephone;

and wherein said personal control unit allows a user to control the plurality of components.

10. The single integrated electronics system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of components includes a video display unit, an audio interface, a computer interface, and a telephone.

11. The single integrated electronics system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said user accessible components is located in an arm portion of said seat assembly.

12. An aircraft seat assembly architecture comprising;

a seat assembly including at least one arm portion and one back portion;

a seat component extending from said seat assembly including;

a video display unit;

a telephone;

a unitary electronics distribution system including a ribbon cable integrated into said seat assembly; and

wherein said unitary electronics distribution system provides a power and information management system for each of said video display unit, said telephone.

13. The aircraft seat assembly architecture of claim 12, further comprising a control unit that produces a signal, operably interconnecting said seat component and said unitary electronics distribution system wherein said signal from said control unit allows a user to manipulate the signal distributed by said unitary electronics distribution system.

14. The aircraft seat assembly architecture of claim 12, further comprising an interconnection system that operably interconnects said unitary electronics distribution system and said seat component.

15. The aircraft seat assembly architecture of claim 14, wherein said interconnection system is a ribbon cable.

16. The aircraft seat assembly architecture of claim 15, wherein said interconnection system interconnects a plurality of said unitary electronics distribution systems in a plurality of individual airline seats.

17. A seat assembly for an aircraft comprising:

a seat portion including at least one of a seat back and a seat cushion adapted to be used by a passenger in an aircraft;

a support structure that suspends said seat portion above a surface;

a plurality of passenger usable electronic components, including at least one of a video display unit, a telephone, an audio output, and a personal computer port, extending from said seat portion;

a single power converter to transmit power to each of said plurality of electronic components; and

a ribbon cable operably associated with a power supply and including a plurality of conductors that transmit power through at least one of said plurality of conductors to said single power converter.

18. The seat assembly of claim 17, further comprising a single router to at least one of transmit an appropriate data signal to and transmit an appropriate data signal from each of said plurality of passenger usable electronic components;

and

wherein at least one other of said plurality of conductors carries a signal to said single router.

19. The seat assembly of claim 18 wherein said seat portion includes a plurality of said seat portions wherein said ribbon cable operably interconnects said plurality of passenger usable electronic components extending from said plurality of seat portions.