Vehicle entertainment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10862934-B2
Application number	US-202016803188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2020
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Methods and systems for a vehicle entertainment system are provided. One method includes receiving an input for a media file at a smart monitor on an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of smart monitors and a plurality of seat boxes communicating via a network that includes a first sub-network to connect a first group of the seat boxes, and a computing device that stores a plurality of media files, and a second sub-network to connect a second group of seat boxes and the computing device. The method further includes identifying by the smart monitor, a priority associated with the input for selecting a source for streaming the media file; streaming the media file from a first source located at the first data sub-network of the first sub-network, based on the priority, and if the media file is available from the first source; and streaming the media file from a second source coupled to the first source within the first sub-network, based on the priority, and if the media file is unavailable from the first source and available from the second source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving an input for a media file at a smart monitor on an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of smart monitors and a plurality of seat boxes communicating via a network;
wherein a first sub-network of the network connects a first group of the seat boxes and a computing device that stores a plurality of media files, and a second sub-network of the network connects a second group of seat boxes and the computing device;
wherein a plurality of data sub-networks are located within the first sub-network and the second sub-network, where each data sub-network includes at least a seat box connecting a group of smart monitors in communication with the network;
wherein the smart monitor receiving the input is located in a first data sub-network of the first sub-network;
identifying by the smart monitor, a priority associated with the input for selecting a source for streaming the media file;
streaming the media file from a first source located at the first data sub-network of the first sub-network, based on the priority, and if the media file is available from the first source; and
streaming the media file from a second source coupled to the first source within the first sub-network, based on the priority, and if the media file is unavailable from the first source and available from the second source.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first source is a first seat box located within the first data sub-network and connected to the smart monitor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second source is another smart monitor located within the first sub-network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first source is the smart monitor that receives the input.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second source is a second seat box connected to a first seat box in the first sub-network, the first seat box connected to the smart monitor in the first data sub-network.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the smart monitor is streaming the media file from one of the first source and the second source, the smart monitor requests the media file from a different source, upon determining that packet loss during the streaming exceeds an acceptable level.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second source is the computing device.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for performing a method, comprising machine executable code which when executed by one or more machines, causes the one or more machines to:
receive an input for a media file at a smart monitor on an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of smart monitors and a plurality of seat boxes communicating via a network;
wherein a first sub-network of the network connects a first group of the seat boxes and a computing device that stores a plurality of media files, and a second sub-network of the network connects a second group of seat boxes and the computing device;
wherein a plurality of data sub-networks are located within the first sub-network and the second sub-network, where each data sub-network includes at least a seat box connecting a group of smart monitors in communication with the network;
wherein the smart monitor receiving the input is located in a first data sub-network of the first sub-network;
identify by the smart monitor, a priority associated with the input for selecting a source for streaming the media file;
stream the media file from a first source located at the first data sub-network of the first sub-network, based on the priority, and if the media file is available from the first source; and
stream the media file from a second source coupled to the first source within the first subnetwork, based on the priority, and if the media file is unavailable from the first source and available from the second source.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first source is a first seat box located within the first data sub-network and connected to the smart monitor.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the second source is another smart monitor located within the first sub-network.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first source is the smart monitor that receives the input.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the second source is a second seat box connected to a first seat box in the first sub-network, the first seat box connected to the smart monitor in the first data sub-network.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein when the smart monitor is streaming the media file from one of the first source and the second source, the smart monitor requests the media file from a different source, upon determining that packet loss during the streaming exceeds an acceptable level.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the second source is the computing device.

15. A system, comprising:
a computing device disposed on an aircraft to store a plurality of media files;
a plurality of smart monitors disposed on the aircraft to present media selections to passengers corresponding to the plurality of media files; and
a plurality of seat boxes disposed in the aircraft connecting the plurality of smart monitors and the computing device in a network;
wherein the network comprises a first sub-network for connecting a first group of the seat boxes and the computing device in communication, and a second sub-network connecting a second group of seat boxes and the computing device in communication;
wherein a plurality of data sub-networks are located within the first sub-network and the second sub-network, where each data sub-network includes at least a seat box connecting a group of smart monitors from the plurality of smart monitors in communication with the network;
wherein a smart monitor in a first data sub-network of the first sub-network receives an input for a media file, and program logic at the smart monitor executes instructions to:
identify a priority associated with the input for selecting a source for streaming the media file;
stream the media file from a first source located at the first data sub-network of the first sub-network, based on the priority, and if the media file is available from the first source; and
stream the media file from a second source coupled to the first source within the first subnetwork, based on the priority, and if the media file is unavailable from the first source and available from the second source.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first source is a first seat box located within the first data sub-network and connected to the smart monitor.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second source is another smart monitor located within the first sub-network.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first source is the smart monitor that receives the input.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second source is a second seat box connected to a first seat box in the first sub-network, the first seat box connected to the smart monitor in the first data sub-network.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein when the smart monitor is streaming the media file from one of the first source and the second source, the smart monitor requests the media file from a different source, upon determining that packet loss during the streaming exceeds an acceptable level.

Assignees

• Panasonic Avionics Corp

Inventors

• Watson Philip
• Rhoads Cedric
• Blackwell Nigel
• Bates Steven

Classifications

• H04L65/612

  for unicast · 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

• H04L67/01

  Protocols · CPC title

• H04N21/47211

  for requesting pay-per-view content (payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F) · CPC title

• H04N21/4383

  Accessing a communication channel · CPC title