Method for controlling an in-flight entertainment system

• US 7,114,171 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Norton, Lyle K., Brady, Kenneth A. Jr., Van Rafelghem, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Son P.
• Application Number:
  US10/145,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20030217363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 725 75- 77, 725/82, 725/87, 725/114, 725 91- 93, 725/138, 719/311, 718/105
• US Class Current: 725/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2146 located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A method for controlling an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system using network protocols, such as TCP/IP, HTTP, or FTP. Control of a plurality of functions, including in-seat and broadcast audio and video, overhead reading light control, and flight attendant call, are implemented using a network client, a network server, and a network server program, each communicating with network protocols. The network client may be visible or invisible to a user of the in-flight entertainment system, depending on whether a web browser or a virtual web browser is used as a network client. The software for each line replaceable unit (LRU) may be designed, redesigned, or tested independently from other components within the IFE system. Particular functions of the IFE system can be made available only to particular parts of the IFE system, allowing different levels of access to the IFE system for different passenger classes.

Claims

1. A network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system, comprising:

head-end equipment, including controller equipment that control the in-flight entertainment system;

a plurality of line-replaceable units separate from the head-end equipment and coupled to the head-end equipment, at least one line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units being an electronics box located at a seat, said electronics box comprising;

a processor for processing an input signal generated by a user interface connected with a line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units, and for generating a control activation signal in response to the input signal;

a network client program running on the processor for receiving the control activation signal, and for generating a network sewer request in a network protocol format;

a network server program running on the processor for receiving the network server request, and for controlling a function of the in-flight entertainment system by executing at least one instruction on another of the line-replaceable units of the plurality of line-replaceable units that is remote from said electronics box in accordance with the received network server request.

2. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the network server program also generates a network client response providing to the network client information about the function performed by the network server program.

3. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the network client program is a virtual web browser.

4. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the network client program is a web browser.

5. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the network server request follows Hyper Text Transfer Protocol.

6. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein each line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units comprises at least one of a network client program in communication with the network server program of said electronics box and a network server program in communication with the network client program of said electronics box.

7. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the network server program is implemented with a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script.

8. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with an audio radio-frequency broadcast.

9. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with an overhead video radio-frequency broadcast.

10. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with an in-seat power supply.

11. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with an in-seat audio stream.

12. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with an in-seat video stream.

13. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with interactive game playing.

14. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with access to the Internet.

15. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with an overhead reading light.

16. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with a flight-attendant call system.

17. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with a climate adjustment system.

18. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with a seat adjustment system.

19. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with a surveillance system.

20. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with a cabin audio announcement system.

21. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with a cabin video announcement system.

22. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with a display of passenger flight information.

23. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is associated with an in-seat telephone.

24. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the function controlled is available only to a particular group of users of the in-flight entertainment system.

25. The network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system of claim 1:

wherein at least one of said plurality of line-replaceable units comprises a distribution device that connects the electronics box to the head-end equipment and to said at least one line-replaceable unit remote from said electronics box, said distribution device communicating signals from the electronics box to control at least one additional function on at least one of the line-replaceable units.

26. A method of performing a function of an in-flight entertainment system using network protocols, the method comprising the steps of:

providing head-end equipment, including controller equipment that control the in-flight entertainment system;

providing a plurality of line-replaceable units separate from the head-end equipment, wherein at least one line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units is an electronics box located at a seal, said electronics box comprising a processor, a network client program running on the processor and a network server program running on the processor

connecting the plurality of line-replaceable units wit said head-end equipment such that said network server program is operable control a hardware resource of at least one line-replaceable unit remote from said electronics box;

receiving an input signal from a user interface device connected with a line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units, the input signal associated with a selected function of the in-flight entertainment system,

the processor, generating a control activation signal corresponding to the input signal;

sending the control activation signal to the network client program;

generating at the network client program a network server request in a network protocol format in accordance with the control activation;

sending the network server request from the network client program to a the network server program; and

the network server program executing on said at least one line-replaceable unit remote from said electronics box an instruction for controlling a function of the in-flight entertainment system in accordance with the network server request.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the network server request follows Hyper text Transfer Protocol.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the network server program is implemented with a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with an audio radio-frequency broadcast.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with an overhead video radio-frequency broadcast.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with an in-seat power supply.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with an in-seat audio stream.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled in associated with an in-seat video stream.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with interactive game playing.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with access to the Internet.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with an overhead reading light.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with a flight-attendant call system.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with a climate adjustment system.

39. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with a seat adjustment system.

40. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with a surveillance system.

41. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with a cabin audio announcement system.

42. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with a cabin video announcement system.

43. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with a display of passenger flight information.

44. The method of claim 26, wherein, in the step of executing, the function controlled is associated with an in-seat telephone.

45. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

at said at least one line-replaceable unit remote from said electronics box, generating a network client response acknowledging execution of the instruction; and

said at least one line-replaceable unit remote from said electronics box sending the network client response to the network client program.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the steps of:

the network client program processing the network client response in order to produce a processed network client response; and

the network client program displaying the processed network client response on a display connected with said electronics box.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of:

making a particular function of the in-flight entertainment system available only to a particular group of users of the in-flight entertainment system.

48. The method of claim 26 wherein

each line-replaceable unit of the plurality comprises at least one of a client server program substantially similar to the client server program of the electronics box and a network server program substantially similar to the network server program of the electronics box.

49. A network protocol enabled in-flight entertainment system, comprising:

head-end equipment including controller equipment that control the in-flight entertainment system;

a plurality of line-replaceable units separate from the head-end equipment and coupled to the head-end equipment, at least one line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units being an electronics box located at a seat, said electronics box comprising;

a processor for processing an input signal generated by a user interface connected with a line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units, and for generating a control activation signal in response to the input signal;

a network client program running on the processor for receiving the control activation signal, and for generating a network server request in a network protocol format;

a network sewer program running on the processor for receiving the network server request, and for controlling a function of the in-flight entertainment system by executing at least one instruction on another of the line-replaceable units of the plurality of line-replaceable units that is remote from said electronics box in accordance with the received network server request; and

wherein the function includes at least one of the following;

a function controlled associated with an in-seat power supply;

a function associated with an overhead reading light;

a function associated with a flight-attendant call system;

a function associated wit a climate adjustment system;

a function associated with a seat adjustment system; and

a function controlled associated with a surveillance system.

50. A method of performing a function of an in-flight entertainment system using network protocols, the method comprising the steps of:

providing head-end equipment, including controller equipment that control the in-flight entertainment system;

providing a plurality of line-replaceable units separate from the head-end equipment wherein at least one line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units is an electronics box located at a seat, said electronics box comprising a processor, a network client program running on the processor and a network server program running on the processor;

connecting the plurality of line-replaceable units with said head-end equipment such that said network sewer program is operable control a hardware resource of at least one line-replaceable unit remote from said electronics box

receiving an input signal from a user interface device connected with a line-replaceable unit of the plurality of line-replaceable units, the input signal associated with a selected function of the in-flight entertainment system;

the processor, generating a control activation signal corresponding to the input signal;

sending the control activation signal to the network client program;

generating at the network client program a network server request in a network protocol format in accordance with the control activation signal;

sending the network server request from the network client program to a the network server program; and

the network server program executing on said at least one line-replaceable unit remote from said electronics box an instruction for controlling a function of the in-flight entertainment system, wherein the function includes at least one of the following;

a function controlled associated with an in-seat power supply;

a function associated with an overhead reading light

a function associated with a flight-attendant call system;

a function associated with a climate adjustment system;

a function associated with a seat adjustment system; and

a function controlled associated with a surveillance system.