Integrated Aircraft Galley and Appliance Operating System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020062402-A1
Application number	US-201916669747-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 27, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for communicating between passenger seats and an aircraft galley. The system may include a control unit including a display area for interfacing with a crew member. The system may include a plurality of devices, each positioned at a respective passenger seat. The control unit may be adapted to display on the display area data related to a particular order, including a location of an associated passenger seat. The control unit may be further adapted to transmit to a particular device associated with the order notifications concerning a status of the particular order.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for communicating between passenger seats and an aircraft galley, comprising:
a control unit including a touch screen display area for interfacing with a crew member; a plurality of devices, each positioned at a respective passenger seat, wherein the control unit is in wireless communication with the plurality of devices; and a plurality of appliances; wherein the control unit is configured to receive operational signals from a plurality of appliances and to present, upon the touch screen display area of the control unit, operational information regarding at least one of the plurality of appliances, wherein the control unit is further configured to control operation of one or more of the plurality of appliances.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is adapted to display on the touch screen display area data related to a particular order, including a location of an associated passenger seat from which the particular order originated, and wherein the control unit is further adapted to transmit to a particular device of the plurality of devices associated with the order notifications concerning a status of the particular order.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of devices is a plurality of personal display screens, wherein a particular personal display screen of the plurality of personal display screens is configured to indicate that the particular order is in progress and that a credit card has been charged, wherein the particular order is a particular food or beverage order.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to communicate with a crew handheld device.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein communication with the crew handheld device is wireless.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of devices is a plurality of personal display screens.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to simultaneously control operation of at least two appliances of the plurality of appliances.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least two appliances are at least two ovens, at least two beverage brewing machines, at least two toasters, at least two chillers, or at least two trash compactors.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein simultaneously controlling operation comprises issuing commands to each appliance of the at least two appliances to effect a same setting for each of the at least two appliances.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the control unit is further configured to communicate with a crew handheld device, wherein communication with the crew handheld device is wireless.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication bus further provides a communication connection between the control unit and a lighting system of the aircraft galley.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is remotely located from the plurality of appliances.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive, via a first control of a plurality of appliance controls, an indication of an operating parameter setting for at least one appliance of the plurality of appliances; and cause adjustment of the at least one appliance according to the operating parameter setting.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to display diagnostic information comprising an error code corresponding to a first appliance of the plurality of appliances.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to display diagnostic information representing an operating status.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to access, from each appliance of the plurality of appliances, status information.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to communicate, to a maintenance communication system, a portion of operational information including at least one of diagnostic information and maintenance information.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is positioned in the galley.

19 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a communication bus providing a communication connection between the control unit and each of the plurality of devices.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the communication bus further provides a communication connection between the control unit and the plurality of appliances.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Godecker William J
• Van Zwieten Nicolaas
• Kemery Michael
• Goh Eid-Beng

Classifications

• B64D11/04 Primary

  Galleys · CPC title

• G06F3/1431

  using a single graphics controller · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• B64D2045/0085

  Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration · CPC title

• B64D11/00155 Primary

  Individual entertainment or communication system remote controls therefor, located in or connected to seat components, e.g. to seat back or arm rest · CPC title