# US 11,077,945 B2 · Remote NFC device with aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) seatback > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,945 B2 - Document ID: US11077945B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/673,632 - Filed: 2019-11-04 - Published: 2021-05-06 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-04 - Assignees: Panasonic Avionics Corporation - Applicants: Panasonic Avionics Corporation - Inventors: Sang Hyup Kim; He Zheng; Nirav Patel; Shawn Miller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077945B2 ## CPC - B64D 11/00155: {Individual entertainment or communication system remote controls therefor, located in or connected to seat components, e.g. to seat back or arm rest} - H04W 4/48: for in-vehicle communication - B64D 11/00151: {Permanently mounted seat back monitors} - B64D 11/00153: {Monitors mounted on or in the seat other than the seat back} - G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode - H04L 61/5007: Internet protocol [IP] addresses - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Disclosed embodiments are directed at devices, methods, and systems for association of reader devices to IFE monitors in a commercial passenger vehicle. An example method includes determining at a client computing system included in an 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; 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 another IFE monitor supplies electrical power to the at least one reader device, wherein the client computing system is unaware of a physical location of the at least one reader device, and wherein the server is included in the another IFE monitor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system of communicating with a reader device in a commercial passenger vehicle comprising: an in-flight entertainment (IFE) client configured to run on a first IFE monitor located at a first 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 second IFE monitor located at a second seat for supplying electrical power to the at least one reader device, where the second IFE monitor includes the server communicably coupled to the at least one reader device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second seat is located immediately behind the first seat, and the reader device is removably coupled to a hand rest of the second seat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to determine that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the IFE client includes a self-identification by the IFE client as being a part of the first IFE monitor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to determine that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the IFE client includes reading a configuration information available to the IFE client. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein using the wired Ethernet connection includes a use of an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the IFE client. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the IP address is a dynamically-configurable network address. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the IFE client includes further instructions to: upon processing the electronic tag information, launch an application program associated with the electronic tag information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic tag information corresponds to user transaction data received from a mobile device wirelessly coupled to the at least one reader device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is wirelessly coupled to the at least one reader device using near field communications (NFC). ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the client computing system client includes a self-identification by the client computing system as being a part of the IFE monitor, further comprising: identifying that the at least one reader device is connected to the server, wherein the IFE monitor is located at a back portion of a passenger seat, and wherein the another IFE monitor is located immediately behind the passenger seat associated with the IFE monitor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the client computing system client includes a self-identification by the client computing system as being a part of the IFE monitor, further comprising: identifying that the at least one reader device is connected to the server, wherein the IFE monitor is located at a bulk head portion of the commercial passenger vehicle, and wherein the another IFE monitor is located immediately behind the bulk head portion associated with the IFE monitor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the client computing system includes reading a configuration information available to the client computing system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the client computing system corresponds to the at least one reader device removably attached to a hand rest of a seat that is located immediately behind a seat associated with the IFE monitor. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the line replacement unit is located immediately behind the seat, and the at least one reader device is removably coupled to a hand rest of the seat. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions to determine that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the IFE client includes a self-identification by the IFE client as being a part of the IFE monitor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions to determine that the at least one reader device is remotely located from the IFE client includes reading a configuration information available to the IFE client. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein using the wired Ethernet connection includes a use of an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the IFE client. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one reader device is a near field communications (NFC) device, and wherein, a user transaction data received at the NFC device is sent to the IFE client by the server over the wired Ethernet connection.