Multi-channel audio distribution for aircraft passenger entertainment and information systems
First Claim
1. A passenger entertainment system for use in distributing audio and video channels to passenger entertainment stations on an aircraft, the passenger entertainment system comprising:
- a data network on the aircraft;
a video system on the aircraft which modulates each of a plurality of video channels on one of a plurality of different radio frequency (RF) carrier signals, and which transmits the plurality of video modulated RF carrier signals to the passenger entertainment stations over the data network;
digital encoding circuitry on the aircraft configured to receive a multiplicity of audio channels and to digitally encode each of the multiplicity of audio channels to thereby provide a multiplicity of digital audio channels;
first layer time division multiplexers on the aircraft each receiving a different plurality of the multiplicity of digital audio channels as inputs, wherein each of the first layer time division multiplexers combines its corresponding plurality of digital audio channels with a synchronization and control channel into a single sub-channel having a data rate higher than a data rate of the digital audio channels;
a second layer time division multiplexer on the aircraft receiving as inputs the sub-channels from each of the first layer time division multiplexers, wherein the second layer time division multiplexer combines the sub-channels with a synchronization and control channel into a composite data stream having a data rate higher than the data rate of the sub-channels; and
modulation circuitry on the aircraft coupled to the second layer time division multiplexer and to the data network, the modulation circuitry modulating a first RF carrier signal with the composite data stream to generate an audio modulated RF carrier signal and transmitting the audio modulated RF carrier signal over the data network with the plurality of video modulated RF carrier signals from the video system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of distributing audio channels to passengers of an aircraft includes digitally encoding a multiplicity of audio channels into a corresponding multiplicity of digital audio channels. Different groups of the digital audio channels are combined into sub-channels having a data rate higher than a data rate of the digital audio channels. The sub-channels are combined into a composite data stream having a data rate higher than the data rate of the sub-channels. A first radio frequency (RF) carrier signal is modulated with the composite data stream to generate a modulated RF signal audio output. The modulated RF signal output containing a large number of audio channels is transmitted over a data network, such as a coaxial cable network, along with a multiplicity of video channel modulated RF carrier signals.
18 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A passenger entertainment system for use in distributing audio and video channels to passenger entertainment stations on an aircraft, the passenger entertainment system comprising:
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a data network on the aircraft; a video system on the aircraft which modulates each of a plurality of video channels on one of a plurality of different radio frequency (RF) carrier signals, and which transmits the plurality of video modulated RF carrier signals to the passenger entertainment stations over the data network; digital encoding circuitry on the aircraft configured to receive a multiplicity of audio channels and to digitally encode each of the multiplicity of audio channels to thereby provide a multiplicity of digital audio channels; first layer time division multiplexers on the aircraft each receiving a different plurality of the multiplicity of digital audio channels as inputs, wherein each of the first layer time division multiplexers combines its corresponding plurality of digital audio channels with a synchronization and control channel into a single sub-channel having a data rate higher than a data rate of the digital audio channels; a second layer time division multiplexer on the aircraft receiving as inputs the sub-channels from each of the first layer time division multiplexers, wherein the second layer time division multiplexer combines the sub-channels with a synchronization and control channel into a composite data stream having a data rate higher than the data rate of the sub-channels; and modulation circuitry on the aircraft coupled to the second layer time division multiplexer and to the data network, the modulation circuitry modulating a first RF carrier signal with the composite data stream to generate an audio modulated RF carrier signal and transmitting the audio modulated RF carrier signal over the data network with the plurality of video modulated RF carrier signals from the video system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of distributing audio channels to passengers of an aircraft, the method comprising:
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digitally encoding a multiplicity of audio channels into a corresponding multiplicity of digital audio channels; combining each of different pluralities of the digital audio channels in the multiplicity of digital audio channels into a different sub-channel having a data rate higher than a data rate of the digital audio channels; combining the different sub-channels into a composite data stream having a data rate higher than the data rate of the sub-channels; modulating a first radio frequency (RF) carrier signal with the composite data stream to generate an audio modulated RF carrier signal; modulating each of a plurality of video channels on a different one of a plurality of RF carrier signals to generate a plurality of video modulated RF carrier signals; and transmitting the audio modulated RF carrier signal and the plurality of video modulated RF carrier signals to passenger entertainment stations on the aircraft over a data network on the aircraft, the data network coupling audio and video modulating circuitry on the aircraft to the passenger entertainment stations. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification