Wireless aircraft passenger audio entertainment system
First Claim
1. A method of supplying audio information in several audio channels via headsets to passengers seated aboard an aircraft in rows of seats including armrests and being distributed along an elongate passenger section inside a metallic fuselage, comprising in combination the steps of:
- running a transmitting antenna along the passenger section of said aircraft for radio transmission inside such elongate passenger section in a frequency range including at least a band between 72 and 73 MHz;
providing individual antennas for said seats for receiving said radio transmission and distributing such receiving antennas among predetermined armrests of said seats;
providing said audio information in radio frequency channels in said band between 72 and 73 MHz;
coupling said distributed receiving antennas via seated passengers to said transmitting antenna;
transmitting said radio frequency channels in said band via said transmitting antenna, seated passengers and distributed receiving antennas to said predetermined armrests;
deriving said audio information in said audio channels from said transmitted radio frequency channels in said predetermined armrests;
individually enabling passengers to select audio information from among audio channels containing said derived audio information; and
applying said selected audio information individually to said headsets.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Audio information in several audio channels is supplied via head sets to passengers seated aboard an aircraft in rows of seats including armrests and being distributed along an elongate passenger section inside a metallic fuselage. According to the subject invention, an antenna is run along the elongate passenger section of the aircraft for radio transmission inside such elongate passenger section. Individual antennas are provided for the passenger seats for receiving the latter radio transmission. These receiving antennas are distributed among predetermined armrests of the passenger seats. The audio information to be transmitted is provided in radio frequency channels in a band between 72 and 73 MHz. The distributed receiving antennas are coupled via seated passengers to the transmitting antenna. The radio frequency channels are transmitted in the mentioned band via the transmitting antenna, seated passengers and distributed receiving antennas to the predetermined armrests. Audio information is derived in the audio channels from the transmitted radio frequency channels also in the predetermined armrests. Passengers are individually enabled to select audio information from among the derived audio information in the audio channels. The selected audio information is applied individually to the headsets.
115 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of supplying audio information in several audio channels via headsets to passengers seated aboard an aircraft in rows of seats including armrests and being distributed along an elongate passenger section inside a metallic fuselage, comprising in combination the steps of:
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running a transmitting antenna along the passenger section of said aircraft for radio transmission inside such elongate passenger section in a frequency range including at least a band between 72 and 73 MHz; providing individual antennas for said seats for receiving said radio transmission and distributing such receiving antennas among predetermined armrests of said seats; providing said audio information in radio frequency channels in said band between 72 and 73 MHz; coupling said distributed receiving antennas via seated passengers to said transmitting antenna; transmitting said radio frequency channels in said band via said transmitting antenna, seated passengers and distributed receiving antennas to said predetermined armrests; deriving said audio information in said audio channels from said transmitted radio frequency channels in said predetermined armrests; individually enabling passengers to select audio information from among audio channels containing said derived audio information; and applying said selected audio information individually to said headsets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 22)
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3. In a method of supplying audio information in several audio channels to passengers aboard an aircraft, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:
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providing several radio frequency carriers, each corresponding to a different one of said audio channels and each having a frequency different from the frequency of any other carrier of said several carriers; modulating said radio frequency carriers with audio signals by modulating audio signals in each channel on the corresponding radio frequency carrier; providing an antenna in said aircraft; providing a series of hybrid transformers having inputs for receiving said modulated radio frequency carriers; applying said modulated radio frequency carriers at their respective frequencies via said hybrid transformers directly and simultaneously to said antenna; and transmitting said applied modulated radio frequency carriers at their respective frequencies with said antenna in said aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. In a method of transmitting signals in several distinct signal channels simultaneously via a single antenna system, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:
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providing several radio frequency carriers, each corresponding to a different one of said signal channels and each having a frequency different from the frequency of any other carrier of said several carriers; modulating said radio frequency carriers with signals in said signal channels by modulating the signals in each channel on the corresponding radio frequency carrier; providing a series of hybrid transformers having inputs for receiving said modulated radio frequency carriers; applying said modulated radio frequency carriers at their respective frequencies via said hybrid transformers directly and simultaneously to said single antenna system; and transmitting said applied modulated radio frequency carriers at their respective frequencies with said single antenna system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for supplying audio information in several audio channels via headsets to passengers seated aboard an aircraft in rows of seats including armrests and being distributed along an elongate passenger section inside a metallic fuselage, comprising in combination:
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first means for providing said audio information in radio frequency channels in a frequency band between 72 and 73 MHz; second means connected to said first means and including an antenna extending along the elongate passenger section of said aircraft for transmitting said radio frequency channels inside the elongate passenger section of said aircraft; third means including individual antennas for said seats for receiving said transmitted radio frequency channels; fourth means connected to said receiving antennas for deriving said audio information in said audio channels from said received radio frequency channels; fifth means connected to said fourth means for individually enabling passengers to select audio information from among audio channels containing said derived audio information; sixth means connected to said fifth means for applying said selected audio information individually to said headsets; and seventh means for distributing said receiving antennas, fourth means, fifth means and sixth means among said seats, including means for mounting said receiving antennas, fourth means, fifth means and sixth means at least partially in predetermined armrests of said seats. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. In apparatus for supplying audio information in several audio channels to passengers aboard an aircraft, the improvement comprising in combination:
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means for providing several radio frequency carriers, each corresponding to a different one of said audio channels and each having a frequency different from the frequency of any other carrier of said several carriers; means connected to said providing means for modulating said radio frequency carriers with audio signals, including means for modulating audio signals in each channel on the corresponding radio frequency carrier; an antenna in said aircraft; and means connected to said modulating means for applying said modulated radio frequency carriers at their respective frequencies directly and simultaneously to said antenna for transmission thereby; said applying means including a radio frequency channel combiner comprising a series of hybrid circuits including a series of hybrid transformers having inputs for receiving said modulated radio frequency carriers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 25)
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16. In apparatus for transmitting signals in several distinct signal channels simultaneously via a single antenna system, the improvement comprising in combination:
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means for providing several radio frequency carriers, each corresponding to a different one of said signal channels and each having a frequency different from the frequency of any other carrier of said several carriers; means connected to said providing means for modulating said radio frequency carriers with signals in said signal channels, including means for modulating the signals in each channel on the corresponding radio frequency carrier; and means connected to said modulating means for applying said modulated radio frequency carriers at their respective frequencies directly and simultaneously to said single antenna system for transmission thereby; said applying means including a radio frequency channel combiner comprising a series of hybrid circuits including a series of hybrid transformers having inputs for receiving said modulated radio frequency carriers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of supplying audio information in several audio channels via headsets to passengers seated aboard an aircraft in rows of seats including armrests and being distributed along an elongate passenger section inside a metallic fuselage, comprising in combination the steps of:
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running a transmitting antenna from a transmitter to an antenna termination along the passenger section of said aircraft for radio transmission inside such elongate passenger section in a frequency range including at least a band between 72 and 73 MHz; providing individual antennas for said seats for receiving said radio transmission and distributing such receiving antennas among predetermined armrests of said seats; providing said audio information in radio frequency channels in said band between 72 and 73 MHz; coupling said distributed receiving antennas via seated passengers to said transmitting antenna; transmitting said radio frequency channels in said band with said transmitter via said transmitting antenna, seated passengers and distributed receiving antennas to said predetermined armrests; deriving said audio information in said audio channels from said transmitted radio frequency channels in said predetermined armrests; individually enabling passengers to select audio information from among audio channels containing said derived audio information; and applying said selected audio information individually to said headsets.
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23. Apparatus for supplying audio information in several audio channels via headsets to passengers seated aboard an aircraft in rows of seats including armrests and being distributed along an elongate passenger section inside a metallic fuselage, comprising in combination:
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means including a transmitter for providing said audio information in radio frequency channels in a frequency band between 72 to 73 MHz; means connected to said providing means and including an antenna termination and an antenna extending from said transmitter to said antenna termination along the elongate passenger section of said aircraft for transmitting said radio frequency channels inside the elongate passenger section of said aircraft; means including individual antennas for said seats for receiving said transmitted radio frequency channels; means connected to said receiving antennas for deriving said audio information in said audio channels from said received radio frequency channels; means connected to said deriving means for individually enabling passengers to select audio information from among audio channels containing said derived audio information; means connected to said enabling means for applying said selected audio information individually to said headsets; and means for distributing said receiving antennas, deriving means, enabling means and applying means among said seats, including means for mounting said receiving antennas, deriving means, enabling means and applying means at least partially in predetermined armrests of said seats. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification