System for inhibiting the operation of an electronic device during take-off and landing of an aircraft

• US 20020019950A1
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James R. Huffman, Jeffrey Van Myers
• Original Assignee: James R. Huffman, Jeffrey Van Myers
• Inventors: Myers, Jeffrey Van, Huffman, James R.
• Application Number:
  US09/902,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019950A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A system (800) for inhibiting operation of an electronic device (810) during take-off and landing of an aircraft (802) includes a transmitter (804) A receiver (806) is in communication with the transmitter (804). A controller (808) coupled to the receiver (806) has an inhibit signal line coupled to the electronic device (810).

Claims

1. A system for inhibiting operation of an electronic device during a take-off and a landing of an aircraft, comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver in communication with the transmitter; and

a controller coupled to the receiver, having an inhibit signal line coupled to the electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, further including an input device coupled to the transmitter and operable by an airline employee.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is contained in the electronic device.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a controllable switch coupled to the inhibit signal line.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controllable switch is connected across a power line.

6. An apparatus for inhibiting operation of an electronic device, comprising:

a receiver operative to receive a takeoff/landing signal; and

a controller coupled to the receiver, having an output with a first state and a second state, wherein the output is in the first state when the takeoff/landing signal is not received.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the output is in the second state when the takeoff/landing signal is received.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further including a controllable switch coupled to the output of the controller.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable data that when inserted into and executed by a computer device, performs the following steps:

(a) determining if a takeoff/landing signal is present; and

(b) when the takeoff/landing signal is present, inhibiting an operation of the computer device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further including the step of:

(c) when the takeoff/landing signal is not present, not inhibiting the operation of the computer device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

(b1) causing a controllable switch to open.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

(b1) setting an inhibit operation flag;

(b2) storing an active information; and

(b3) closing an application.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

(b4) disconnecting a power to a non-essential component of the computer device.