System and method for providing an integrated user interface system at a seat

• US 10,011,357 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Margis, Paul Anthony, Izadyar, Mehdi, Perlman, Marshal H., Tomita, Kaname, Araki, Yasuhiro, Yamada, Taku, Lopez, Omar, Depner, Craig Allan, Tong, Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Badawi, Medhat
• Application Number:
  US14/691,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20150227277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/803 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/879 with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/004 of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0017 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0276 for rear passenger use
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00151 Permanently mounted seat back monitors
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00154 Loudspeakers mounted in the seat back
• 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 11/0638 with foldable tables, trays or cup holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A light-weight and low-power integrated system module suitable for installation at a passenger seat disposed aboard a passenger vehicle and methods for manufacturing and using same. By integrating selected interface system components with the associated interconnections, the integrated system module provides an intuitive user interface system for interacting with a passenger entertainment system. The integrated system module can be installed within a seatback of the passenger seat that compliments the look and feel of the user interface system, creating an immersive entertainment experience during travel.

Claims

1. A user interface system, comprising:

an interface housing being mounted at a seat and having a transparent face panel and a port panel region disposed at a selected port panel region angle relative to said transparent face panel and forming a plurality of port openings, said interface housing being coupled with a shroud having a central shroud region being planar and an angled shroud portion being sloped adjacent to the central shroud region, defining a module opening and forming a pocket; and

a plurality of user interface system components including a video interface system having a touchscreen display for presenting control indicia and a touch point for activating the control indicia and a plurality of communication ports, said touchscreen display being disposed adjacent to said transparent face panel, said communication ports each being disposed adjacent to a respective port opening of said port panel region,

wherein said port panel region is disposed within the module opening that forms the pocket, thereby defining a channel, and

wherein a selected communication port enables said video interface system to couple with a user peripheral device via a selected port opening of the port panel region defining the channel.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the channel is provided with suitable dimensions for receiving at least one of the user peripheral device, a communication cable for supporting communication between the user peripheral device and said selected communication port, a module communication connector for coupling the communication cable with the selected communication port, and a strain relief associated with the module communication connector.

3. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein said touchscreen display is divided into a plurality of viewing regions, including a first viewing region for presenting viewing content and a second viewing region for presenting the control indicia.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the video interface system is provided with a negative monitor tilt.

5. The user interface system of claim 4, wherein the negative monitor tilt comprises an adjustable tilt angle within a tilt angle range between one degree and thirty degrees back of vertical.

6. The user interface system of claim 5, wherein the adjustable tilt angle comprises a tilt angle that is six degrees back of vertical.

7. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the port panel region angle comprises a predetermined port panel region angle within a port panel region angle range between forty degrees and fifty degrees.

8. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the video interface system is associated with an information system and communicates with a headend system for providing overall system control functions for the information system via a distribution system.

9. A method for providing a user interface system, comprising:

forming an integrated system module by disposing a video interface system having a touchscreen display and a plurality of communication ports within an interface housing being mounted at a seat and having a transparent face panel and a port panel region disposed at a predetermined port panel region angle relative to said transparent face panel, said transparent face panel being disposed adjacent to said touchscreen display, said port panel region forming a plurality of openings associated with said plurality of communication ports;

disposing said transparent face panel and said port panel region of said integrated system module within a module opening defined by a central shroud region and an angled shroud portion of a shroud, the central shroud region being planar and the angled shroud portion being sloped adjacent to the central shroud region and thereby forming a pocket;

coupling said module housing with said shroud; and

forming a channel with said port panel region and the angled shroud portion that forms the pocket, wherein a selected communication port enables said video interface system to couple with a user peripheral device via a selected opening of the port panel region defining the channel.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing the video interface system with an adjustable monitor tilt.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising enabling at least one of the control indicia to be activated and said selected communication port to be illuminated without requiring actual contact with said touch point.

12. A user interface system, comprising:

an interface housing being mounted at a seat and having a transparent face panel and a port panel region being disposed at a port panel region angle relative to said transparent face panel and forming a plurality of port openings;

a plurality of user interface system components being disposed within said interface housing and including a video interface system having a touchscreen display for presenting control indicia and a plurality of communication ports, said touchscreen display being disposed adjacent to said transparent face panel, said communication ports each being disposed adjacent to a respective port opening of said port panel region; and

a shroud having a central shroud region being planar and an angled shroud portion being sloped adjacent to the central shroud region, defining a module opening, forming a pocket, and being coupled with said interface housing,

wherein said port panel region is disposed within the module opening that forms the pocket.

13. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein said port panel region being disposed within the module opening and being coplanar with said angled shroud portion thereby defines a channel, and a selected communication port enables said video interface system to couple with a user peripheral device via a selected port opening of the port panel region defining the channel.

14. The user interface system of claim 13, wherein the channel inhibits interference between the user peripheral device and a tray table of the seat in a stowed position, in a deployed position, and during transitions between the stowed position and the deployed position.

15. The user interface system of claim 13, wherein the channel is provided with suitable dimensions for receiving at least one of the user peripheral-device, a communication cable assembly for supporting communication between the user peripheral device and said selected communication port, a module communication connector for coupling the communication cable assembly with the selected communication port, and a strain relief associated with the module communication connector.

16. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein the video interface system is provided with an adjustable monitor tilt.

17. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein said selected communication port is selected from a group consisting of an audio connector for coupling a peripheral audio device with said video interface system of the user interface system and an access point for coupling a personal media device with said video interface system.

18. The user interface system of claim 12, further comprising a card reader disposed within said interface housing, wherein said interface housing defines an aperture at a junction between said transparent face panel and said port panel region and adjacent to a card slot of said card reader such that said card slot receives a user card via the aperture.

19. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein the video interface system is associated with an information system and communicates with a headend system for providing overall system control functions for the information system via a distribution system.

20. The user interface system of claim 19, wherein said vehicle information system is coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft and includes said user interface system disposed within a seatback of a passenger seat disposed within said fuselage.