Method for configurable aircraft USB power level management

• US 9,960,624 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ibrahim, Yakentim M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thapa, Sailesh
• Application Number:
  US14/706,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20160329724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 320162
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence

Abstract

Within examples, systems for power distribution within the cabin of an aircraft are provided and methods for operation. The system includes a passenger seat of the aircraft. The passenger seat includes a charging module. The charging module is configured to supply power to a connected device of the passenger seat. The passenger seat also includes a passenger control unit (PCU) coupled to the charging module. The passenger control unit is configured to determine a power requirement for the connected device. Additionally, the passenger seat is associated with a seat grouping of the aircraft. The seat grouping of the aircraft includes at least one passenger seat. Further, the power distribution system includes a power supply configured to supply power to at least one charging module based on the determined power requirement.

Claims

1. A power distributing system in an aircraft, the system comprising:

a plurality of passenger seats of the aircraft, where a seat of the plurality of seats comprises;

a charging module, wherein the charging module is configured to (i) supply power to a connected device by way of a USB port and (ii) perform a handshake procedure with the connected device, wherein the handshake procedure comprises receiving an indication of both (i) a first power level to charge the connected device and operate the connected device and (ii) a second power level to operate the connected device but not charge the device;

a passenger control unit (PCU) coupled to the charging module, wherein the passenger control unit is configured to determine a supplied power level for the connected device, based on at least one of the indicated first power level and the second power level; and

a power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging module based on the supplied power level.

2. The power distributing system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of seats is associated with a seat group of the aircraft, wherein the seat group comprises at least one passenger seat, and wherein each seat group comprises a master PCU.

3. The power distributing system of claim 2, wherein the master PCU is configured to communicate with each PCU of the seat group to determine a supplied power level of each connected device for each respective PCU.

4. The power distributing system of claim 3, wherein the master PCU is further configured to control the power supplied by the power supply, based on the supplied power level of each connected device for each respective PCU.

5. The power distributing system of claim 3, wherein the master PCU is further configured to determine a charging priority for each connected device for each respective PCU.

6. The power distributing system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of seats is associated with a seat group of the aircraft, wherein the seat group comprises at least one passenger seat, and wherein the power supply is configured to supply power to each seat of the seat group.

7. The power distributing system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of seats is associated with a seat group of the aircraft, wherein the seat group comprises at least one passenger seat, and wherein the power supply is associated with the seat group.

8. The power distributing system of claim 1, wherein each passenger seat further comprises an associated a control unit, wherein the control unit is further configured to communicate with the PCU and a Cabin Service System Server.

9. The power distributing system of claim 8, wherein the Cabin Service System Server is configured to control the power supplied by the power supply, based on the supplied power level of each connected device for each respective PCU.

10. The power distributing system of claim 9, wherein the Cabin Service System Server is further configured to determine a charging priority for each connected device for each respective PCU.

11. A method of distributing power in an aircraft, the method comprising:

providing a device connection via a USB port of a charging module at a passenger seat, wherein the device connection is (i) configured to supply power to a connected device and (ii) perform a handshake procedure with the connected device, wherein the handshake procedure comprises receiving an indication of both (i) a first power level to charge the connected device and operate the connected device and (ii) a second power level to operate the connected device but not charge the device;

determining a supplied power level for a connected device with a passenger control unit (PCU) of the passenger seat, wherein the supplied power level is based on at least one of the indicated first power level and the second power level; and

supplying power to at least one charging module based on the determined supplied power level via a power supply.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of seats is associated with a seat group of the aircraft, wherein the seat group comprises at least one passenger seat, and further comprising communicating with each PCU of the seat group via a master PCU to determine a supplied power level of each connected device for each respective PCU in the seat group.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling the power supplied by the power supply via the master PCU, based on the supplied power level of each connected device for each respective PCU.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a charging priority for each connected device for each respective PCU via the master PCU.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of seats is associated with a seat group of the aircraft, wherein the seat group comprises at least one passenger seat, and further comprising supplying power to each seat of the seat group via the power supply.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of seats is associated with a seat group of the aircraft, wherein the seat group comprises at least one passenger seat, and wherein the power supply is associated with the seat group.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising to communicating with the PCU and a Cabin Service System Server via a control unit of each passenger seat.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling the power supplied by the power supply via the Cabin Service System Server based on the supplied power level of each connected device for each respective PCU.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the Cabin Service System Server is further configured to determine a charging priority for each connected device.

20. A method of distributing power in an aircraft, the method comprising:

assigning passenger seats of an aircraft to a plurality of seat groups, wherein for the plurality of seat groups;

supplying power to a passenger control unit (PCU) of a plurality of passenger seats via a power supply,

determining a priority for a plurality of connected devices within the group via a master PCU,

providing power to a respective PCU of the group based on the determined priority via the master PCU; and

for a plurality of passenger seats;

providing a device connection via a USB port of a charging module at the passenger seat, wherein the device connection is (i) configured to supply power to a connected device and (ii) perform a handshake procedure with the connected device, wherein the handshake procedure comprises receiving an indication of both (i) a first power level to charge the connected device and operate the connected device and (ii) a second power level to operate the connected device but not charge the device,

determining a supplied power level for a connected device with the PCU of the passenger seat,

communicating the power requirement from the PCU of the passenger seat to the master PCU, and supplying power provided by the power supply to at least one charging module.