Aircraft seat with shared control architecture

• US 8,466,579 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sit
• Original Assignee: Sit
• Inventors: Petitpierre, Jean-Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US12/083,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20100032999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,440 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• 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 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06395 characterised by the arrangement of electric motors for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN

Abstract

The invention essentially concerns an aircraft seat (1), comprising control units (17.2, 22.2, 27), at least one node (11-15) to execute a particular action or function, and a display (22.1) for viewing video data. Said node (11-15) and said display (22.1) are capable of being actuated by the control units (17.2, 22.2, 27). A keyboard (17.1) for transmitting a command signal addressed to the control units (17.2, 22.2, 27) is connected to said control units (17.2, 22.2, 27). The control units are shared between the display (22.1), the key board (17.1) and the node (11-15).

Claims

1. An aircraft seat, comprising:

at least one node for performing a predetermined action or fulfilling a predetermined function;

a first control unit for actuating said at least one node;

a keyboard for transmitting an instruction signal to the first control unit;

a multiplexed communications bus for connecting the first control unit, said at least one node, and the keyboard; and

a first pack housing the first control unit and the keyboard, the first control unit being in communication with the keyboard and positioned behind the keyboard.

2. The seat of claim 1, wherein said at least one node comprises a third control unit which is in communication with the first control unit.

3. The seat of claim 1, further comprising:

a screen for displaying video information; and

a second control unit for controlling the screen and connected to the first control unit via a high-bit-rate network; and

a second pack housing the second control unit and the screen, the second control unit being in communication with the screen and positioned behind the screen.

4. The seat of claim 3, wherein the first control unit is operable to control the screen when the second control unit is inoperable.

5. The seat of claim 3, wherein the second control unit comprises video and audio data.

6. The seat of claim 5, wherein the first control unit comprises programs, video and audio data which can replace a limited number of programs, video and audio data of the second control unit when the second control unit is inoperable.

7. The seat of claim 3, wherein the second control unit is operable to control said at least one node when the first control unit is inoperable.

8. The seat of claim 7, wherein the second control unit comprises programs and data which can replace a limited number of programs and data of the first control unit when the first control unit is inoperable.

9. The seat of claim 8, wherein the second control unit comprises programs and data for controlling movement of the seat from a reclining position to a seated position.

10. The seat of claim 3, wherein the first and second control units are connected to the high-bit-rate network by a radio and each of the first and second control units comprises a memory for storing video data transmitted on the high-bit-rate network.

11. The seat of claim 3, further comprising a third pack housing a network repeater for connecting the first and second control units to the high-bit-rate network and a power source for powering said at least one node and the first and second control units.

12. The seat of claim 11, wherein the third pack is positioned within a frame of one of the legs of the seat.

13. The seat of claim 3, wherein the screen is positioned in the back of a front neighboring seat.

14. The seat of claim 3, further comprising a digital camera fastened to an edge of the screen or to the top of a front neighboring seat, and lens of the digital camera being pointed toward a seat back of the seat.

15. The seat of claim 3 in which the second control unit comprises a memory for storing video and audio data.

16. The seat of claim 15, wherein the second control unit is connected to a common player via the high-bit-rate network, thereby enabling the transfer of video and/or audio information from the common player to the second control unit.

17. The seat of claim 15, wherein the screen comprises a touch keyboard for actuating the screen.