Detachable seat mounted audio-visual entertainment system with locally storable, selectable, and updatable content

• US 8,403,411 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Burrana IP And Assets, LLC
• Original Assignee: digEcor Incorporated (Burrana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyer, William J. Jr., Henseon, Robert Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abraham, Tania
• Application Number:
  US10/737,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,389 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 297/220, 297/369, 297/367, 297/DIG.6
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00151 Permanently mounted seat back monitors
• 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: 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: B64D 11/0647 Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• 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 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A detachable seat mounted audio-visual entertainment system. The system has locally storable, selectable, and updatable content. The passenger in-flight entertainment device terminal has passenger selectable controls, a video display, an audio output, storage media such as a magnetic or “hard disc”, and a payment interface device such as a card swipe, all located in a seat which has been wired with power, local network, and audio wiring. A local, transport vehicle mounted local host computer provides supports the local network, and may be used to collect revenue slips resulting from passenger input to the payment interface device. Revenue slips may be posted to a remote server during a trip segment via satellite or direct radio frequency communication to receiving facilities providing connection to the internet, or alternately collected and posted batch wise.

Claims

1. A combination of an existing seat having an upper seat back portion, and detachable enclosure for housing a passenger terminal for an in-flight entertainment device system, the passenger terminal further comprising one or more cables extending therefrom, the detachable enclosure comprising:

a backing board, the backing board having one or more apertures therein for passage therethrough of one or more cables extending from an in-flight entertainment device;

a mounting pan affixed to the backing board, the mounting pan having one or more apertures therein for passage therethrough of one or more cables extending from the in-flight entertainment device, the mounting pan sized and shaped to pivotally secure thereto a selected in-flight entertainment device;

a foam cushion, the foam cushion mounted to the backing board in matched relationship rearwardly from the backing board, and having an inner perimeter edge confiningly surrounding the mounting pan and providing padding adjacent thereto; and

a slip-on cover, the slip on-cover adapted to fit over a selected existing upper seat back portion in a secure close fitting relationship, the slip-on cover comprising a rear portion having first and second lower end portions, wherein the first and the second lower end portions are adapted to straddle, in a spaced apart relationship, an existing tray table lock mount; and

affixed to the slip-on cover and to the upper seat back, one or more complementary hook and loop fastener portions to releasably secure the detachable enclosure to the upper seat back.

2. A detachable enclosure for housing a passenger terminal for an in-flight entertainment device system, wherein the passenger terminal comprises a case having one or more cables extending therefrom, wherein the detachable enclosure is adapted for mounting to an upper seat back portion of an existing seat, wherein the detachable enclosure comprises:

a backing board, the backing board having one or more apertures therein for passage therethrough of one or more cables extending from an in-flight entertainment device;

a mounting pan affixed to the backing board, the mounting pan having one or more apertures therein for passage therethrough of one or more cables extending from the in-flight entertainment device, the mounting pan sized and shaped to pivotally secure thereto a selected in-flight entertainment device;

a foam cushion, the foam cushion mounted to the backing board in matched relationship rearwardly from the backing board, and having an inner perimeter edge confiningly surrounding the mounting pan and providing padding adjacent thereto; and

a slip-on cover, the slip on-cover adapted to fit over a selected existing upper seat back portion in a secure close fitting relationship, the slip-on cover comprising a rear portion having first and second lower end portions, wherein the first and the second lower end portions are adapted to straddle, in a spaced apart relationship, an existing tray table lock mount; and

affixed to the slip-on cover and to the upper seat back, one or more complementary hook and loop fastener portions to releasably secure the detachable enclosure, including the backing board, the mounting pan and the foam cushion, to the upper seat back.

3. The detachable enclosure as set forth in claim 2, wherein the slip-on cover comprises a front portion having a lower end edge, and wherein adjacent to the lower end edge, a vertically oriented thin planar portion of hook and loop fastener is mounted, and wherein at a matched position for secure mating engagement is mounted a complementary portion of hook and loop fastener on the upper seat back portion.

4. The detachable enclosure as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first and second lower end portions each further comprise a horizontally oriented thin planar portion of hook and loop fastener, and wherein a complementary portion of hook and loop fastener is mounted to a rear facing portion of the upper seat back portion, to detachably secure the first and second lower end portions to the rear facing portion of the upper seat back portion.