System and method for providing content to portable devices

• US 8,369,848 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Airlines Incorporated (American Airlines Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Airlines Incorporated (American Airlines Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lopes, Veronica M., Backelin, Doug, Miller, Erik, Joyner, Henry, Gaspar, David, Dolan, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US13/433,446
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/431
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• 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: 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10

Abstract

The present disclosure introduces a system and method for distributing content. Content is stored on a server located on a vehicle prior to departure by the vehicle for a destination. A portable device is provided by a passenger on the vehicle. A communication link is established between the server and the portable device, and the content is transmitted to the portable device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of content on a server located on a vehicle prior to departure by the vehicle for a destination location;

sending a communication signal from the server to at least one portable device located within the vehicle;

transmitting software from the server to the at least one portable device so that the software is stored on the at least one portable device, the software comprising a digital rights management platform, wherein the digital rights management platform manages access to at least one of the plurality of content;

receiving an input selecting a first content of the plurality of content;

permitting access to the first content on the server using the digital rights management platform stored on the at least one portable device; and

transmitting the first content to the at least one portable device during travel to the destination location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an airplane;

and

wherein the at least one portable device is provided by a passenger on the airplane.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving payment information after transmitting the first content to the at least one portable device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the first content to be consumed after the airplane has arrived at the destination location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the first content transmits the first content by streaming the first content to the at least one portable device.

6. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a computer readable medium operably coupled to the one or more processors; and

a plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium and executable by the one or more processors, the plurality of instructions comprising;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to store a plurality of content on a server located on a vehicle prior to departure by the vehicle for a destination location;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to send a communication signal from the server to at least one portable device located within the vehicle;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit software from the server to the at least one portable device so that the software is stored on the at least one portable device, the software comprising a digital rights management platform, wherein the digital rights management platform manages access to at least one of the plurality of content;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive an input selecting a first content of the plurality of content;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to permit access to the first content on the server using the digital rights management platform stored on the at least one portable device; and

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit the first content to the at least one portable device during travel to the destination location.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle is an airplane;

wherein the at least one portable device is provided by a passenger on the vehicle; and

wherein the server comprises at least one of the one or more processors.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive payment information after the first content is transmitted to the at least one portable device.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the one or more processors to enable the first content to be consumed after the vehicle has arrived at the destination location.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit the first content by streaming the first content to the at least one portable device.

11. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of content on one or more servers prior to departure by a vehicle for a destination location;

sending a communication signal from at least one of the one or more servers to at least one portable device located within the vehicle;

transmitting a digital rights management platform from the at least one of the one or more servers to the at least one portable device so that the digital rights management platform is stored on the at least one portable device, wherein the digital rights management platform manages access to at least one of the plurality of content;

receiving an input selecting a first content of the plurality of content;

permitting access to the first content on the one or more servers using the digital rights management platform stored on the at least one portable device;

transmitting the first content from the at least one of the one or more servers to the at least one portable device during travel to the destination location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving payment information after transmitting the first content to the at least one portable device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising enabling the first content to be consumed after the vehicle has arrived at the destination location.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a computer readable medium operably coupled to the one or more processors; and

a plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium and executable by the one or more processors, the plurality of instructions comprising;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to store a plurality of content on one or more servers prior to departure by a vehicle for a destination location;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to send a communication signal from at least one of the one or more servers to at least one portable device located within the vehicle;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit a digital rights management platform from the at least one of the one or more servers to the at least one portable device so that the digital rights platform is stored on the at least one portable device, wherein the digital rights management platform manages access to at least one of the plurality of content;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive an input selecting a first content of the plurality of content;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to permit access to the first content on the one or more servers using the digital rights management platform stored on the at least one portable device; and

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit the first content from the at least one of the one or more servers to the at least one portable device during travel to the destination location.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive payment information after the first content is transmitted to the at least one portable device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the one or more processors to enable the first content to be consumed after the vehicle has arrived at the destination location.

17. A method comprising:

locating an access point within a vehicle prior to departure by the vehicle for a destination location;

sending a communication signal from the access point to at least one portable device located within the vehicle;

transmitting a digital rights management platform to the at least one portable device so that the digital rights management platform is stored on the at least one portable device, wherein the digital rights management platform manages access to at least one of a plurality of content;

receiving an input selecting a first content of the plurality of content;

permitting access to the first content using the digital rights management platform stored on the at least one portable device; and

transmitting the first content from the access point to the at least one portable device during travel to a destination location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the access point comprises at least one of a router, a switch, a wireless access point, a fixed access point, and an intermediate access point.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the digital rights management platform is transmitted from the access point to the at least one portable device so that the digital rights management platform is stored on the at least one portable device.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving payment information after transmitting the first content to the at least one portable device.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising enabling the first content to be consumed after the vehicle has arrived at the destination location.

22. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a computer readable medium operably coupled to the one or more processors; and

a plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium and executable by the one or more processors, the plurality of instructions comprising;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to send a communication signal from an access point located within a vehicle to at least one portable device located within the vehicle;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit a digital rights management platform to the at least one portable device so that the digital rights management platform is stored on the at least one portable device;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive an input selecting a first content of the plurality of content;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to permit access to the first content using the digital rights management platform stored on the at least one portable device; and

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit the first content from the access point to the at least one portable device during travel to a destination location.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the digital rights management platform is transmitted from the access point to the at least one portable device so that the digital rights management platform is stored on the at least one portable device.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive payment information after the first content is transmitted to the at least one portable device.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the one or more processors to enable the first content to be consumed after the vehicle has arrived at the destination location.