Systems and methods for managing transportation vehicle resources

A non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions for performing a method comprising machine executable code, which when executed by at least one machine, causes the machine to:

• detect location of a personal electronic device (PED) paired with an entertainment system of a transportation vehicle, based on a signal transmitted by a wireless beacon to the PED;
• determine usage of a lavatory on the transportation vehicle, a passenger seat on the transportation vehicle, a luggage bin on the transportation vehicle, and a cart used on the transportation vehicle, based on sensor data received from a plurality of sensors on the transportation vehicle;
• determine a nearest resource to the detected PED from among the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin and the cart, based on the detected PED location and a mapping data store of resources on the vehicle, the mapping data store indicating location of the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin and the cart within the transportation vehicle;
• when the nearest resource is the luggage bin:
• provide to the detected PED, an indication of when the luggage bin is predicted to become full, based on the determined usage and a number of passengers waiting to be seated within an aisle of the transportation vehicle;
• when the nearest resource is the lavatory and the lavatory is occupied:
• provide to the detected PED an estimated time of when the lavatory is likely to become available, based on the determined usage;
• when the nearest resource is the cart:
• provide to the detected PED, based on the determined usage, a predicted a time estimate when the cart is likely to reach a passenger seat associated with the detected PED, the cart carrying a plurality of items;
• transmit to the detected PED, information regarding one or more items on the cart preferred by a passenger of the passenger seat associated with the detected PED;
• and
• suggest an alternative item to the detected PED, when a passenger preferred item is likely to become unavailable;
• and
• when the nearest resource is the passenger seat:
• indicate to the detected PED, whether the passenger seat is occupied or unoccupied, based on the determined usage;
• and
• update a data store tracking the determined usage of the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin and the cart, after change in the determined usage of one or more of the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin and the cart.

A method, comprising:

• transmitting a signal by wireless beacon to a personal electronic device (PED) paired with an in-flight entertainment system of an aircraft, the signal indicating a location of the PED within the aircraft;
• receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors located at different locations within the aircraft;
• determining usage of a lavatory, a passenger seat, a luggage bin, and a cart used on the aircraft, based on the sensor data;
• determining a nearest resource from among the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin, and the cart to the detected PED, based on detected PED location and a mapping data store of resources on the aircraft, the mapping data store indicating location of the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin and the cart within the aircraft;
• transmitting an alert to the PED indicating usage of the nearest resource from among one or more of the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin, and the cart;
• wherein when the nearest resource is the luggage bin, the alert indicating when the luggage bin is predicted to become full, based on the determined usage and a number of passengers waiting to be seated within an aisle of the transportation vehicle;
• wherein when the lavatory is occupied and the lavatory is the nearest resource, the alert indicating to the detected PED an estimated time of when the lavatory is likely to become available;
• wherein when the nearest resource is the cart:
• the alert to the detected PED, providing a predicted a time estimate when the cart is likely to reach a passenger seat associated with the detected PED, the cart carrying a plurality of items;
• the alert including information regarding one or more items on the cart preferred by a passenger of the passenger seat associated with the detected PED;
• and suggesting an alternative item to the detected PED, when a passenger preferred item is likely to become unavailable;
• wherein when the nearest resource is the passenger seat:
• based on the determined usage, the alert indicating to the detected PED, whether the passenger seat is occupied or unoccupied;
• and
• update a data store for tracking the determined usage of the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin, and the cart, after change in the determined usage of one or more of the lavatory, the passenger seat, the luggage bin and the cart.