Aircraft in-flight entertainment system having a multi-beam phased array antenna and associated methods

• US 9,918,109 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiveTV LLC (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: LiveTV LLC (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Frisco, Jeffrey A., Lynch, Michael J., Anderson, Brian D., Keen, R. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US14/575,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20150128193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 342359
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• 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: 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 21/226 Characteristics of the server or Internal components of the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Claims

1. An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and being configured to receive TV programming satellite data and Internet satellite data, the IFE system comprising:

a phased array antenna to be carried by the aircraft and comprising

a first plurality of antenna elements operable at a first frequency, and

a second plurality of antenna elements operable at a second frequency different than the first frequency;

control circuitry to be carried by the aircraft and comprising

a first plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said first plurality of antenna elements to generate a first antenna beam offset from a first boresight directed to receive the TV programming satellite data,

a second plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said second plurality of antenna elements to generate a second antenna beam offset from a second boresight directed to receive the Internet satellite data, and

at least one polarization correction module coupled to at least one of said first and second pluralities of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon an aircraft position; and

at least one access point to be carried by the aircraft to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft to distribute at least one of the received TV programming satellite data and the received Internet satellite data.

2. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one polarization correction module comprises:

a first polarization correction module coupled to said first plurality of beam shaping elements; and

a second polarization correction module coupled to said second plurality of beam shaping elements.

3. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein said control circuitry comprises:

a first plurality of signal splitters coupled between said first plurality of antenna elements and said first plurality of beam shaping elements; and

a second plurality of signal splitters coupled between said second plurality of antenna elements and said second plurality of beam shaping elements.

4. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein said first plurality of antenna elements are sized to operate at the first frequency, and the second plurality of antenna elements are sized to operate at the second frequency.

5. The IFE system according to claim 4 wherein said first and second pluralities of antenna elements are interspersed with one another.

6. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein control circuitry simultaneously generates the first and second antenna beams.

7. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein said phased array antenna and control circuitry are configured to transmit on a satellite return link.

8. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein said phased array antenna is configured to operate over a frequency range of 10.7 to 18 GHz.

9. The IFE system according to claim 1 further comprising a radome to be carried by the aircraft for protecting said phased array antenna.

10. The IFE system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a TV programming cable distribution system extending throughout the aircraft for distributing the TV programming satellite data; and

at least one video display coupled to said TV programming cable distribution system for displaying the TV programming satellite data.

11. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one access point is to communicate with personal electronic devices (PEDs) within the aircraft.

12. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one access point comprises a pico-cell.

13. The IFE system according to claim 1 wherein the WLAN comprises at least one of an 802.11 WLAN and an 802.16 WLAN.

14. An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and being configured to receive TV programming satellite data and Internet satellite, the IFE system comprising:

a phased array antenna to be carried by the aircraft and comprising

a first plurality of antenna elements operable at a first frequency, and

a second plurality of antenna elements operable at a second frequency different than the first frequency;

control circuitry to be carried by the aircraft and comprising

a first plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said first plurality of antenna elements to generate a first antenna beam offset from a first boresight directed to receive the TV programming satellite data,

a second plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with said second plurality of antenna elements to generate a second antenna beam offset from a second boresight directed to receive the Internet satellite data,

a first polarization correction module coupled to said first plurality of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon an aircraft position, and

a second polarization correction module coupled to said second plurality of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon the aircraft position.

15. The IFE system according to claim 14 wherein said control circuitry comprises:

a first plurality of signal splitters coupled between said first plurality of antenna elements and said first plurality of beam shaping elements; and

a second plurality of signal splitters coupled between said second plurality of antenna elements and said second plurality of beam shaping elements.

16. The IFE system according to claim 14 wherein said first plurality of antenna elements are sized to operate at the first frequency, and the second plurality of antenna elements are sized to operate at the second frequency.

17. The IFE system according to claim 14 wherein said first and second pluralities of antenna elements are interspersed with one another.

18. The IFE system according to claim 14 wherein said phased array antenna and control circuitry are configured to transmit on a satellite return link.

19. A method for operating an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and being configured to receive TV programming satellite data and Internet satellite data, the IFE system comprising a phased array antenna comprising a first plurality of antenna elements operable at a first frequency, and a second plurality of antenna elements operable at a second frequency different than the first frequency, the method comprising:

using a first plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with the first plurality of antenna elements to generate a first antenna beam offset from a first boresight directed to receive the TV programming satellite data;

using a second plurality of beam shaping elements to cooperate with the second plurality of antenna elements to generate a second antenna beam offset from a second boresight directed to receive the Internet satellite data therefrom;

using at least one polarization correction module coupled to at least one of the first and second pluralities of beam shaping elements to adjust a polarization thereof based upon an aircraft position.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the at least one polarization correction module comprises:

a first polarization correction module coupled to the first plurality of beam shaping elements; and

a second polarization correction module coupled to the second plurality of beam shaping elements.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein the first plurality of antenna elements are sized to operate at the first frequency, and the second plurality of antenna elements sized to operate at the second frequency.

22. The method according to claim 19 wherein the first and second pluralities of antenna elements are interspersed with one another.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein the first and second antenna beams are generated simultaneously.

24. The method according to claim 19 further comprising using the phased array antenna to transmit on a satellite return link.

25. The method according to claim 19 wherein the phased array antenna is configured to operate over a frequency range of 10.7 to 18 GHz.