Vehicle entertainment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10728587-B2
Application number	US-201816003995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2018
Priority date	Jun 8, 2018
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

Methods and systems for a vehicle entertainment system are provided. One method includes generating by a processor, a plurality of media sets for storing a plurality of media files at a transportation vehicle, each of the plurality of media set configured to store a first set of media files playable at the same time by all passengers, a second set of media files playable at the same time by up to X percentage of the passengers and a third set of media files playable at the same time by up to Y percentage of the passengers; distributing by the processor, the plurality of media files for storage across a plurality of smart monitors of the transportation vehicle; monitoring user access of the plurality of media files on the transportation vehicle; and modifying by the processor, an assignment of a media file between the first set, the second set and the third set based on a plurality of factors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
generating a plurality of media sets of a media library for storing a plurality of media files on a transportation vehicle across a plurality of smart monitors of the transportation vehicle, each of the plurality of media sets configured to store a first set of media files in which each media file of the first set is playable simultaneously by all passengers from the plurality of smart monitors, a second set of media files in which each media file of the second set is playable simultaneously by up to X percentage of all passengers, and a third set of media files in which each media file of the third set is playable simultaneously by up to Y percentage of all passengers;
distributing the plurality of media files for storage across the plurality of smart monitors of the transportation vehicle;
wherein a number of media files stored at the plurality of smart monitors for each of the plurality of media sets are based on a smart monitor's ability to stream data to another smart monitor of the transportation vehicle as determined by each smart monitor's processing ability and network bandwidth available on the transportation vehicle to each smart monitor;
wherein the plurality of media files are streamed from the plurality of smart monitors in response to user requests for media titles;
monitoring user access of the plurality of media files on the transportation vehicle;
and
modifying an assignment of a media file between the first set, the second set and the third set based on a comparison of a weighted score of the media file to a threshold value, the weighted score determined using a plurality of factors including a user access pattern for the media file determined from the monitoring and transportation vehicle configuration and a third party rating of the media file; wherein prior to modifying, the media file is initially assigned to the first set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein X percentage is greater than Y percentage.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of factors include usage data from a plurality of transportation vehicles indicating access patterns for the plurality of media files.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a split ratio defines a pre-determined amount of storage space that is used at the plurality of smart monitors for each of the first set, the second set and the third set of media files.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each media set is subdivided into media subsets based on a factor defined by a processing capability of each smart monitor of the plurality of smart monitors and a network bandwidth available to the plurality of smart monitors for streaming a media file or a portion thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a media file is placed into one of the three sets based on a likelihood of being accessed at a same time by a certain number of passengers.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of factors further include at least one of, route information, transportation vehicle type, transportation vehicle operator preference, and time of the year.

8. A method comprising:
assigning a first portion of a media library having a plurality of media files for an inflight entertainment system of an aircraft to a first set of media files in which each media file of the first set is playable simultaneously by all passengers of the aircraft from a plurality of smart monitors of the aircraft, and a second portion to a second set of media files in which each media file of the second set is playable simultaneously by up to X percentage of the passengers;
storing the plurality of media files for storage across the plurality of smart monitors of the aircraft using at least the first set and the second set, each set having a plurality of media subsets; wherein a number of media subsets are based on each smart monitor's processing ability to stream data to another smart monitor and network bandwidth available to each smart monitor for streaming media files;
wherein the plurality of media files are streamed from the plurality of smart monitors in response to user requests for media;
monitoring access to the plurality of media files based on user requests; and
modifying an assignment of a media file between the first and the second set based on comparison of a weighted score of the media file to a threshold value, the weighted score determined using a plurality of factors including an access pattern of the media file from a plurality of aircraft determined by the monitoring, aircraft route information, airline preference, aircraft type and configuration, a third party rating of the media file, and an airline preference.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a third portion of the media library is assigned to a third set of media files in which each media file of the first set is playable simultaneously by up to Y percentage of the passengers.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein X percentage is greater than Y percentage.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising inputting usage data for the media files into a ground tool for modifying the assignment.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein a split ratio based on airline preference configures an amount of storage space of the smart monitors for the first set, the second set and the third set of media files.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein a number of media subsets for each of the first and the second set is based on a factor defined by at least one of a processing capability of the plurality of smart monitors and a network bandwidth available to the plurality of smart monitors for streaming a media file or a portion thereof.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein when a media file is first placed in the media library of the inflight entertainment system, it is assigned to one of the first and second set of media files based on a likelihood of being accessed at a same time by a certain number of passengers.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions comprising machine executable code which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to:
assign a first portion of a media library having a plurality of media files for an inflight entertainment system of an aircraft to a first set of media files playable simultaneously by all passengers of the aircraft from a plurality of smart monitors of the aircraft, and a second portion to a second set of media files playable simultaneously by up to X percentage of the passengers;
store the plurality of media files for storage across the plurality of smart monitors of the aircraft using at least the first set and the second set, each set having a plurality of media subsets;
wherein a number of media subsets are based on each smart monitor's processing ability to stream data to another smart monitor and network bandwidth available to each smart monitor for streaming media files;
wherein the plurality of media files are streamed from the plurality of smart monitors in response to user requests for media;
monitor access to the plurality of media files based on user requests; and
modify an assignment of a media file between the first and the second set based on comparison of a weighted score of the media file to a threshold value, the weighted score determined using a plurality of factors including an access pattern of the media file from a plurality of aircraft determined by the monitoring, aircraft route information, airline preference, aircraft type and configuration, a third party rating of the media file, and an airline preference.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein a

Assignees

• Panasonic Avionics Corp

Inventors

• Braun Peter
• Watson Philip

Classifications

• H04N21/26216

  involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth (admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61) · CPC title

• H04N21/214

  Specialised server platform, e.g. server located in an airplane, hotel, hospital {(arrangements specially adapted for local area broadcast systems H04H20/61)} · CPC title

• H04N21/2225

  Local VOD servers · CPC title

• H04N21/23103

  using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers (storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001) · CPC title

• H04N21/2146 Primary

  located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus (flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005) · CPC title