Systems and methods for interfacing with an aircraft cabin control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9965931-B2
Application number	US-201615265316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2016
Priority date	Sep 14, 2016
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for interfacing with an aircraft cabin control system are provided. One system includes a controller configured to control cabin services associated with one or more passengers, a portable electronic device configured to wirelessly connect to the controller and a seat location identifier associated with a seat of one passenger of the passengers. The system further includes an application on the portable electronic device that interfaces with the controller when the portable electronic device is wirelessly connected to the controller, wherein the application controls the cabin services associated with the seat of the one passenger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a message from a portable electronic device; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the receiver, the controller configured to:
identify a location within an aircraft cabin, the location associated with the portable electronic device based on the message;
identify a command based on the message;
comparing a time associated with the message with a flight time associated with the message; and
responsive to the time being within the flight time, generate a control signal based on the location and the command.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the command corresponds to adjusting a power state of a reading light, activating a call button, adjusting an air vent, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of zone management units, wherein a first zone management unit of the plurality of zone management units is associated with a plurality of locations within the aircraft cabin including the location, wherein a second zone management unit of the plurality of zone management units is associated with a second plurality of locations within the aircraft cabin, and wherein the first zone management unit is configured to route the control signal to a particular device associated with the location and the command.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises first data encoded in a digital format, and wherein the control signal corresponds to second data encoded in an analog format.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises an Ethernet header.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is a WiFi receiver.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cabin service system, wherein the cabin service system is configured to:
receive the control signal from the controller;
identify a particular cabin system associated with the command; and
initiate performance of the command via the particular cabin system at the location.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a physical switch associated with the location and the particular cabin system, wherein the cabin service system is configured to initiate performance of the command responsive to a state change at the physical switch.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a database storing conversion information, wherein the controller is configured to access the conversion information to generate the control signal.

10. A method comprising:
receiving a message from a portable electronic device;
identifying a location within an aircraft cabin, the location associated with the portable electronic device based on the message;
identifying a command based on the message;
comparing a time associated with the message with a flight time associated with the message; and
responsive to the time being within the flight time, generating a control signal based on the location and the command.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a second message from a second portable electronic device distinct from the portable electronic device;
identifying a second location within the aircraft cabin, the second location associated with the second portable electronic device based on the second message, wherein the second location is distinct from the location;
identifying a second command based on the second message, wherein the command is associated with a first cabin system distinct from a second cabin system associated with the second command; and
generating a second control signal based on the second location and the second command.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the flight time corresponds to a scheduled time of a flight identified by the message.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a second message from the portable electronic device;
comparing a second time associated with the second message with the flight time, wherein the flight time is associated with the second message; and
responsive to the second time not being within the flight time, identifying the second message as invalid.

14. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a message from a portable electronic device;
identifying a location within an aircraft cabin, the location associated with the portable electronic device based on the message;
identifying a command based on the message;
comparing a time associated with the message with a flight time associated with the message; and
responsive to the time being within the flight time, generating a control signal based on the location and the command.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise, prior to receiving the message, initiating transmission of an application to the portable electronic device, wherein the application is configured to generate the message, wherein the message is received via a transceiver, and wherein the application is transmitted via the transceiver.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise, prior to receiving the message, assigning an Internet Protocol address to the portable electronic device.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the message includes an identifier, and wherein the location is identified based on the identifier.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the identifier corresponds to a seat number, and wherein the location corresponds to an aircraft seat identified by the seat number.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the identifier corresponds to a Quick Response code, and wherein the Quick Response code expires after a period of time corresponding to the flight time.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the identifier corresponds to a passenger name, and wherein the location corresponds to a seat associated with the passenger name.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Reinbold Michael Gary
• Schafer Jr Roland Louis

Classifications

• H04M1/72415

  for remote control of appliances · CPC title

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• G08B7/00 Primary

  Signalling systems according to two or more of groups G08B3/00 - G08B6/00 · CPC title

• H04L61/2007

  Electricity · mapped topic

• B64D11/06

  Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats (crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04) · CPC title