In-vehicle services through attendant devices, user-provided devices, and/or an in-vehicle computer system

• US 9,929,927 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kwivo, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kwivo, LLC
• Inventors: Heron, Alexandra Kathleen, Silva, Julio Toro, Mendis, Manimeldura Janaka
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US15/435,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20170201446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 709224, 709219, 709204, 709233, 709248, 709203
• 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: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• 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: H04W 4/42 for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

An approach to facilitating in-vehicle services through attendant devices, user-provided devices, and/or an in-vehicle computer system is provided. In one implementation, one or more communication sessions with the in-vehicle computer system may be facilitated by an attendant device. Passenger information relating to one or more passengers of a vehicle and service information relating to one or more services to be provided to the one or more passengers may be obtained by the attendant device from the in-vehicle computer system via the one or more communication sessions. The passenger information and the service information may be provided by the attendant device. An indication that at least one service is in progress or is complete is received by the attendant device.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating provisioning of in-vehicle services through an attendant device, operated by an attendant, that communicates with an in-vehicle computer system of a vehicle or with a user-provided device, wherein the attendant device is provided by the attendant during transit on the vehicle, the method being implemented on the attendant device that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

facilitating, by the attendant device, one or more communication sessions with the in-vehicle computer system;

obtaining, by the attendant device from the in-vehicle computer system via the one or more communication sessions, passenger information relating to one or more passengers of the vehicle and service information relating to one or more services to be provided to the one or more passengers;

providing, by the attendant device, the passenger information and the service information; and

receiving, by the attendant device, an indication that at least one service is in progress or is complete.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the passenger information and the service information further comprise obtaining the passenger information and the service information from the in-vehicle computer system without an Internet connection.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising providing, by the attendant device, a communication relating to servicing the one or more passengers to one or more user-provided devices associated with the one or more passengers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the communication to the one or more user-provided devices further comprises providing one or more of emergency information or safety-related instructions to the one or more user-provided devices.

5. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising facilitating, by the attendant device, one or more direct peer-to-peer communication sessions with the one or more user-provided devices, wherein providing the communication to the one or more user-provided devices further comprises providing the communication via the one or more direct peer-to-peer communication sessions.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising receiving, by the attendant device, one or more passenger communications from one or more user-provided devices associated with the one or more passengers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the one or more passenger communications further comprises receiving one or more of voice communications, video communications, or text communications that are inputted at the one or more user-provided devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the service information further comprises obtaining the service information responsive to one or more accommodation requests initiated by at least one passenger at one or more built-in-vehicle devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the passenger information further comprises obtaining one or more of preference information, history information, or status information associated with the one or more passengers from the in-vehicle computer system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the passenger information further comprises obtaining status information associated with at least one passenger, the status information comprising a frequent flyer status associated with the at least one passenger.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the service information further comprises obtaining one or more accommodation requests initiated by the one or more passengers at the one or more user-provided devices.

12. A method for facilitating obtaining of in-vehicle services through a user-provided device that communicates with an in-vehicle computer system of a vehicle or with an attendant device, wherein the user-provided device is provided by a user during transit on the vehicle, the method being implemented on the user-provided device that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

facilitating, by the user-provided device, one or more communication sessions with the in-vehicle computer system;

providing, by the user-provided device, one or more options relating to in-vehicle services available to the user during transit on the vehicle;

determining, by the user-provided device, a selection of at least one option by the user; and

providing, by the user-provided device via the one or more communication sessions, the selection of the at least one option to the in-vehicle computer system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the selection of the at least one option to the in-vehicle computer system further comprises providing the selection of the at least one option to the in-vehicle computer system without an Internet connection.

14. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising receiving, by the user-provided device, a list of one or more content items stored by the in-vehicle computer system that are available to the user-provided device, wherein providing the one or more options further comprises providing the one or more options based on the received list, and wherein providing the selection of the at least one option to the in-vehicle computer system further comprises providing a selection of at least one content item to the in-vehicle computer system.

15. The method of claim 14, the method further comprising receiving, by the user-provided device via the one or more communication sessions, access to the at least one content item based on the selection of the at least one content item.

16. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising receiving, by the user-provided device, a communication relating to servicing the user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the communication further comprises receiving one or more of emergency information or safety-related instructions.

18. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising facilitating, by the user-provided device, one or more direct peer-to-peer communication sessions with one or more attendant devices, wherein receiving the communication further comprises receiving the communication via the one or more direct peer-to-peer communication sessions.

19. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising providing, by the user-provided device, one or more passenger communications to one or more attendant devices.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the one or more passenger communications further comprises providing one or more of voice communications, video communications, or text communications that are inputted at the user-provided device.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the selection of the at least one option to the in-vehicle computer system further comprises providing one or more accommodation requests based on the selection.

22. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising determining, by the user-provided device, that the user has a frequent flyer status, wherein providing the one or more options further comprise providing a set of options relating to in-vehicle services that are not available to users without the frequent flyer status.

23. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising facilitating, by the user-provided device, a check-in of the user for transport of the user.

24. A method for facilitating in-vehicle services through an in-vehicle computer system of a vehicle that communicates with a user-provided device or with an attendant device, wherein the user-provided device is provided by a user during transit on the vehicle, and the attendant device is provided by an attendant during transit on the vehicle, the method being implemented on the in-vehicle computer system that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

facilitating, by the in-vehicle computer system, one or more communication sessions between one or more attendant devices and one or more user-provided devices;

receiving, by the in-vehicle computer system, at least one request from at least one user-provided device;

providing, by the in-vehicle computer system, the at least one request to the one or more attendant devices;

receiving, by the in-vehicle computer system, acknowledgement information associated with the at least one request from at least one attendant device; and

providing, by the in-vehicle computer system, the acknowledgement information to the at least one user-provided device.

25. The method of claim 24, the method further comprising providing, by the in-vehicle computer system to the one or more attendant devices, passenger information relating to one or more passengers and service information relating to one or more services to be provided to the one or more passengers.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein providing the passenger information further comprises providing one or more of preference information, history information, or status information associated with the one or more passengers.

27. The method of claim 24, the method further comprising receiving, by the in-vehicle computer system, an indication that at least one service associated with the at least one request is in progress or complete.

28. The method of claim 24, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the in-vehicle computer system from at least another attendant device different from the at least one attendant device, an indication that at least one service associated with the at least one request is complete; and

providing, by the in-vehicle computer system to the at least one attendant device, the indication that the at least one service is complete.

29. The method of claim 24, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the in-vehicle computer system from the at least one user-provided device, an indication that at least one service associated with the at least one request is complete; and

providing, by the in-vehicle computer system to the at least one attendant device, the indication that the at least one service is complete.

30. An attendant device for facilitating the provision of in-vehicle services, wherein the attendant device is operated by an attendant and communicates with an in-vehicle computer system of a vehicle or with a user-provided device, wherein the attendant device is provided by the attendant during transit on the vehicle, the attendant device including one or more physical processors executing one or more computer program instructions that cause the attendant device to:

facilitate one or more communication sessions with the in-vehicle computer system;

obtain, from the in-vehicle computer system via the one or more communication sessions, passenger information relating one or more passengers of the vehicle and service information relating to one or more services to be provided to the one or more passengers;

provide the passenger information and the service information; and

receive an indication that at least one service is in progress or is complete.