Upgradable aircraft in-flight entertainment system and associated upgrading methods
US6748597B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 7, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 8, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 7, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/8126
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for installing and operating an aircraft in-flight entertainment system preferably includes installing an entertainment source on the aircraft; installing spaced apart signal distribution devices, each generating audio signals for at least one passenger in an audio-only mode, and generating audio and video signals to at least one passenger in an audio/video mode; installing a cable network connecting the entertainment source to the signal distribution devices; and operating the aircraft in-flight entertainment system with at least one predetermined signal distribution device in the audio-only mode. In addition, the method preferably includes later upgrading the aircraft in-flight entertainment system by connecting at least one passenger video display to the at least one predetermined signal distribution device to operate in the audio/video mode and while leaving the cable network unchanged. Accordingly, the downtime experienced by air carrier is greatly reduced over other systems which require significant recabling and other difficult equipment installation operations for upgrading.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.