Aircraft in-flight entertainment system generating a pricing structure for available features, and associated methods

#The present invention relates to the field of aircraft systems, and more particularly, to an aircraft system providing passenger entertainment and aircraft surveillance.

#Commercial aircraft carry millions of passengers each year. For relatively long international flights, wide-body aircraft are typically used. These aircraft include multiple passenger aisles and have considerably more space than typical so-called narrow-body aircraft. Narrow-body aircraft carry fewer passengers shorter distances, and include only a single aisle for passenger loading and unloading. Accordingly, the available space for ancillary equipment is somewhat limited on a narrow-body aircraft.

#Wide-body aircraft may include full audio and video entertainment systems for passenger enjoyment during relatively long flights. Typical wide-body aircraft entertainment systems may include cabin displays, or individual seatback displays. Movies or other stored video programming is selectable by the passenger, and payment is typically made via a credit card reader at the seat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,484 to Margis discloses a passenger entertainment system with an integrated telecommunications system. A magnetic stripe credit card reader is provided at the telephone handset, and processing to approve the credit card is performed by a cabin telecommunications unit.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall components of the aircraft in-flight entertainment system in accordance with the present invention.

#FIGS. 2A and 2B are a more detailed schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the in-flight entertainment system in accordance with the present invention.

#FIG. 3 is a schematic rear view of a seatgroup of the in-flight entertainment system of the invention.

#The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternate embodiments.

#The major components of an in-flight entertainment system 30 in accordance with the present invention are initially described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3. The system 30 receives television and/or audio broadcast signals via one or more geostationary satellites 33. The geostationary satellite 33 may be fed programming channels from a terrestrial station 34 as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

#The in-flight entertainment system 30 includes an antenna system 35 to be mounted on the fuselage 32 of the aircraft 31. In addition, the system 30 also includes one or more multi-channel receiver modulators (MRMs) 40, a cable distribution network 41, a plurality of seat electronic boxes (SEBs) 45 spaced about the aircraft cabin, and video display units (VDUs) 47 for the passengers and which are connected to the SEBs. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 30 receives, distributes, and decodes the DBS transmissions from the DBS satellite 33. In other embodiments, the system 30 may receive video or TV signals from other classes of satellites as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.