Remote NFC device with aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) seatback

A computer-implemented method of communicating with a reader device in a commercial passenger vehicle, comprising:

• determining, at a client computing system associated with an inflight entertainment (IFE) monitor that at least one reader device is remotely located from the client computing system;
• using a wired Ethernet connection to a server, the client computing system requesting the server to discover an electronic tag information, wherein the server is associated with another IFE monitor;
• and
• upon the client computing system receiving the electronic tag information from the server over the wired Ethernet connection, the client computing system processing the electronic tag information,
• wherein the another IFE monitor supplies electrical power to the at least one reader device, where the another IFE monitor includes the server communicably coupled to the at least one reader device.

A system of communicating with a reader device in an commercial passenger vehicle comprising:

• an IFE client configured to run on an IFE monitor placed at a back of a passenger seat, the IFE client including instructions to:
• determine at the IFE client that at least one reader device is remotely located from the IFE client;
• using a wired Ethernet connection to a server, requesting the server to discover an electronic tag information;
• and
• upon the IFE client receiving the electronic tag information from the server over the wired Ethernet connection, the IFE client processing the electronic tag information, and wherein the IFE client is unaware of a physical location of the at least one reader device;
• and
• a line replacement unit located behind the seat, the line replacement unit supplying electrical power to the at least one reader device using a USB connection, where the line replacement unit includes the server communicatively coupled to the at least one reader device.