Aircraft IFE system cooperating with a personal electronic device (PED) operating as a commerce device and associated methods

• US 9,143,732 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: LiveTV LLC (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Keen, R. Michael, Frisco, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US12/820,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• Field of Search: 725/23, 725 76- 78
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• 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: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• 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 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A communications system for an aircraft includes an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger. The aircraft IFE system includes an IFE advertisement source, IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, an IFE controller, and a purchase acceptance controller. The PED includes a PED optical sensor, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller for communicating with the IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing a selected advertisement token image. The purchase acceptance controller cooperates with the IFE controller to accept purchase of the selected advertisement token image.

Claims

1. A communications system for an aircraft comprising:

an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system comprising;

at least one IFE advertisement source,

a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays,

at least one IFE wireless transceiver to wirelessly communicate within the aircraft, and

at least one IFE controller for generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, for selectively displaying advertisements from said at least one IFE advertisement source on said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, each advertisement being displayed having a respective advertisement token image associated therewith, and for communicating within the aircraft via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver; and

at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, the at least one PED comprising;

a PED optical sensor,

a PED wireless transceiver, and

a PED controller for directly communicating with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver based upon said PED optical sensor sensing the respective registration token image being displayed, and for sensing a selected advertisement token image being displayed on one of said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays so as to initiate purchase of an advertisement that is also being displayed with the selected advertisement token image;

said at least one PED being registered with said aircraft IFE system and assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that generated and displayed the respective registration token image that was sensed by said PED optical sensor, said PED wireless transceiver communicating directly with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver upon registration; and

said aircraft IFE system comprising a purchase acceptance controller cooperating with said at least one IFE controller to accept purchase of the advertisement.

2. The communications system according to claim 1 further comprising an aircraft transceiver for communicating external the aircraft;

and wherein said purchase acceptance controller completes transaction of the purchase based upon communicating external the aircraft via said aircraft transceiver.

3. The communications system according to claim 2 wherein said aircraft transceiver comprises a ground data link for communicating external the aircraft when the aircraft is on the ground.

4. The communications system according to claim 2 wherein said aircraft transceiver comprises an airborne data link for communicating external the aircraft when the aircraft is airborne.

5. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on credit card information provided by the aircraft passenger.

6. The communications system according to claim 5 wherein the credit card information is provided to said purchase acceptance controller based on said PED controller communicating with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver.

7. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on frequent flyer account information provided by the aircraft passenger.

8. The communications system according to claim 7 wherein the frequent flyer account information is provided to said purchase acceptance controller based on said PED controller communicating with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver.

9. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein the advertisements correspond to at least one of products and services.

10. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said PED optical sensor comprises a camera.

11. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein the respective advertisement token image is configured as a bar code.

12. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said PED wireless transceiver comprises a PED radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and said at least one IFE wireless transceiver comprises at least one IFE RF transceiver.

13. The communications system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one IFE controller comprises a plurality of IFE seat electronic box (SEB) controllers arranged throughout the aircraft;

and wherein said at least one IFE wireless transceiver comprises at least one IFE SEB wireless transceiver in each IFE SEB controller.

14. An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for use with at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger within an aircraft, the at least one PED comprising a PED optical sensor, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor and to the PED wireless transceiver, the aircraft IFE system comprising:

at least one IFE advertisement source;

a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays;

at least one IFE wireless transceiver to wirelessly communicate within the aircraft; and

at least one IFE controller for generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, for selectively displaying advertisements from said at least one IFE advertisement source on said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, each advertisement being displayed having a respective advertisement token image associated therewith, and for directly communicating within the aircraft with said PED controller via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing a selected advertisement token image being displayed on one of said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays so as to initiate purchase of an advertisement that is also being displayed with the respective advertisement token image;

the at least one PED being registered with the aircraft IFE system and assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that generated and displayed the respective registration token image that was sensed by the PED optical sensor, the PED wireless transceiver communicating directly with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver upon registration; and

a purchase acceptance controller cooperating with said at least one IFE controller to accept purchase of a selected the advertisement.

15. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 14 further comprising an aircraft transceiver for communicating external the aircraft;

and wherein said purchase acceptance controller completes transaction of the purchase based upon communicating external the aircraft via said aircraft transceiver.

16. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 14 wherein said purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on credit card information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the credit card information is provided to said purchase acceptance controller based on the PED controller communicating with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver.

17. The aircraft IFE system according to claim 14 wherein said purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on frequent flyer account information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the frequent flyer account information is provided to said purchase acceptance controller based on the PED controller communicating with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver.

18. A personal electronic device (PED) to be carried by an aircraft passenger within an aircraft for use with an aircraft IFE system, the aircraft IFE system comprising at least one IFE advertisement source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver to wirelessly communicate within the aircraft, and at least one IFE controller for generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, for selectively displaying advertisements from the at least one IFE advertisement source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, each advertisement being displayed having a respective advertisement token image associated therewith, and for communicating within the aircraft via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver, and a purchase acceptance controller cooperating with the at least one IFE controller to accept purchase of a selected advertisement, the PED comprising:

a PED optical sensor for sensing the respective advertisement token image being displayed on one IFE passenger seat display of the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays;

a PED wireless transceiver; and

a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor and to the PED wireless transceiver for directly communicating with the at least one IFE controller via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver and said PED wireless transceiver based upon said PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image being displayed, and sensing a selected advertisement token image being displayed on the one IFE passenger seat display of the plurality of passenger seat displays so as to initiate purchase of an advertisement that is also being displayed with the respective advertisement token image, with the initiated purchase to be accepted by the purchase acceptance controller;

the PED being registered with the aircraft IFE system and assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that generated and displayed the respective registration token image that was sensed by the PED optical sensor, the PED wireless transceiver communicating directly with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver upon registration.

19. The PED according to claim 18 wherein the aircraft IFE system further comprises an aircraft transceiver for communicating external the aircraft;

and wherein said purchase acceptance controller completes transaction of the purchase based upon communicating external the aircraft via the aircraft transceiver.

20. The PED according to claim 18 wherein the purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on credit card information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the credit card information is provided to the purchase acceptance controller based on said PED controller communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver.

21. The PED according to claim 18 wherein said purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on frequent flyer account information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the frequent flyer account information is provided to the purchase acceptance controller based on said PED controller communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver.

22. A method for operating an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system with at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger within an aircraft, the at least one PED comprising a PED optical sensor, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor and to the PED wireless transceiver;

the aircraft IFE system comprising at least one IFE advertisement source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver to wirelessly communicate within the aircraft, a purchase acceptance controller, and at least one IFE controller coupled to the at least one advertisement source, the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, the at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the purchase acceptance controller, the method comprising;

operating the at least one IFE controller for generating a respective registration token image for displaying on each IFE passenger seat display, for selectively displaying advertisements from the at least one IFE advertisement source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, each advertisement being displayed having a respective advertisement token image associated therewith, and for directly communicating within the aircraft with the PED controller via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing a selected advertisement token image being displayed on one of the plurality of passenger seat displays so as to initiate purchase of an advertisement that is also being displayed with the advertisement token image;

the at least one PED being registered with the aircraft IFE system and assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that generated and displayed the respective registration token image that was sensed by the PED optical sensor, the PED wireless transceiver communicating directly with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver upon registration; and

operating the purchase acceptance controller to cooperate with the at least one IFE controller to accept purchase of the advertisement.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the aircraft IFE system further comprises an aircraft transceiver for communicating external the aircraft;

and wherein the purchase acceptance controller completes transaction of the purchase based upon communicating external the aircraft via the aircraft transceiver.

24. The method according to claim 22 wherein the purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on credit card information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the credit card information is provided to the purchase acceptance controller based on the PED controller communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver.

25. The method according to claim 22 wherein the purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on frequent flyer account information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the frequent flyer account information is provided to the purchase acceptance controller based on the PED controller communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver.

26. A method for operating a personal electronic device (PED) to be carried by an aircraft passenger within an aircraft for use with an aircraft IFE system comprising at least one IFE advertisement source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver to wirelessly communicate within the aircraft, and at least one IFE controller for generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, for selectively displaying advertisements from the at least one IFE advertisement source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, each advertisement being displayed having a respective advertisement token image associated therewith, and for communicating within the aircraft via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver, and a purchase acceptance controller cooperating with the at least one IFE controller to accept purchase of a selected advertisement;

the PED comprising a PED optical sensor, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor and the PED wireless transceiver, the method comprising;

operating the PED optical sensor for sensing an advertisement token image being displayed on an IFE passenger seat display;

operating the PED controller for directly communicating with the at least one IFE controller via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the advertisement token image being displayed on the IFE passenger display so as to initiate purchase of an advertisement that is also being displayed with the advertisement token image, with the initiated purchase to be accepted by the purchase acceptance controller;

the PED being registered with the aircraft IFE system and assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that generated and displayed the respective registration token image that was sensed by the PED optical sensor, the PED wireless transceiver communicating directly with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver upon registration.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the aircraft IFE system further comprises an aircraft transceiver for communicating external the aircraft;

and wherein the purchase acceptance controller completes transaction of the purchase based upon communicating external the aircraft via the aircraft transceiver.

28. The method according to claim 26 wherein the purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on credit card information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the credit card information is provided to the purchase acceptance controller based on the PED controller communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver.

29. The method according to claim 26 wherein the purchase acceptance controller accepts the purchase based on frequent flyer account information provided by the aircraft passenger;

and wherein the frequent flyer account information is provided to the purchase acceptance controller based on the PED controller communicating with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver.