# US 2019/0315484 A1 · Wireless cabin seatback screen location determination > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0315484 A1 - Document ID: US20190315484A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/454,522 - Filed: 2019-06-27 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-25 - Assignees: Gogo LLC - Applicants: Gogo LLC - Inventors: Bryan Adrian Lauer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190315484A1 ## CPC - B64D 45/00: Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for - B64D 11/0015: {Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television} - 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} - H04B 5/70: specially adapted for specific purposes - H04B 5/77: for interrogation - H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 4/42: for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft - H04W 4/48: for in-vehicle communication - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - B64D 2045/007: {Indicators or signs in the cabin, e.g. exit signs or seat numbering} - H04B 5/22: Capacitive coupling - H04B 5/24: Inductive coupling - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A passenger unit for use on-board a passenger vehicle (e.g., an in-flight entertainment device) includes a display, a memory storing a passenger unit identifier, a network interface, and a connector configured to physically couple to a connector on a mounting unit, where the mounting unit is installed on, or proximate to, a particular seat of a plurality of seats on-board the passenger vehicle. The passenger unit also includes a controller configured to obtain a seat location code of the particular seat from the mounting unit, and to cause the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier to be transmitted, via the network interface, to a server on-board the passenger vehicle. The server is configured to map the passenger unit to the particular seat using the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A passenger unit for use on-board a passenger vehicle, the passenger unit comprising: a first connector configured to physically couple to a second connector on a mounting unit, the mounting unit being installed on, or proximate to, a particular seat of a plurality of seats on-board the passenger vehicle; a display; a memory storing a passenger unit identifier; a network interface; and a controller configured to obtain a seat location code of the particular seat from the mounting unit, and cause the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier to be transmitted, via the network interface, to a server on-board the passenger vehicle, the server being configured to map the passenger unit to the particular seat using the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The passenger unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to automatically obtain the seat location code at least by reading the seat location code from a memory of the mounting unit after the passenger unit has been coupled to the mounting unit via the first and second connectors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The passenger unit of claim 1, further comprising: a first near-field communication (NFC) interface, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by receiving the seat location code from the mounting unit via the first NFC interface and a second NFC interface of the mounting unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The passenger unit of claim 1, further comprising: a first radio frequency identification (RFID) interface, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by receiving the seat location code from the mounting unit via the first RFID interface and a second RFID interface of the mounting unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The passenger unit of claim 1, further comprising: an imaging sensor, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by causing the imaging sensor to scan a visual representation of the seat location code located on an exterior surface of the mounting device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The passenger unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by detecting a hardwired configuration of the mounting unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The passenger unit of claim 1, wherein the passenger unit identifier is a medium access control (MAC) address of the passenger unit. ### Claim 8 A system for identifying seat associations on-board a passenger vehicle having a plurality of seats, the system comprising: a server associated with a first memory; a mounting unit installed on, or proximate to, a particular seat of the plurality of seats; and a passenger unit including a first connector configured to physically couple to a second connector on the mounting unit, a display, a second memory storing a passenger unit identifier, a network interface, and a controller configured to obtain a seat location code from the mounting unit, and cause the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier to be transmitted to the server via the network interface, wherein the server is configured to receive the transmitted seat location code and passenger unit identifier, generate, using the received seat location code and passenger unit identifier, assignment data linking the passenger unit to the particular seat, and store the assignment data in the first memory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: the mounting unit includes a third memory storing the seat location code; and the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by reading the seat location code from the third memory after the passenger unit has been coupled to the mounting unit via the first and second connectors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: the mounting unit includes a first near-field communication (NFC) interface; the passenger unit includes a second NFC interface; and the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by receiving the seat location code from the mounting unit via the first and second NFC interfaces. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: the mounting unit includes a first radio frequency identification (RFID) interface; the passenger unit includes a second RFID interface; and the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by receiving the seat location code from the mounting unit via the first and second RFID interfaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: the mounting unit includes a visual representation of the seat location code on an exterior surface of the mounting unit; the passenger unit includes an imaging sensor; and the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by causing the imaging sensor to scan the visual representation of the seat location code. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: the controller is configured to obtain the seat location code from the mounting unit at least by detecting a hardwired configuration of the mounting unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the mounting unit is installed on a back of a seat immediately in front of the particular seat. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the server is on-board the passenger vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the passenger vehicle is an aircraft. ### Claim 17 A method, implemented on-board a passenger vehicle having a plurality of seats, for identifying seat associations, the method comprising: obtaining, by a passenger unit, a seat location code from a mounting unit installed on, or proximate to, a particular seat of the plurality of seats, wherein the passenger unit is configured to physically couple to the mounting unit; retrieving, from a memory of the passenger unit, a passenger unit identifier; transmitting, from the passenger unit to an on-board server via a local area network, the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier; receiving, at the on-board server via the local area network, the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier; generating, at the on-board server and using the seat location code and the passenger unit identifier, assignment data linking the passenger unit to the particular seat; and storing the assignment data in a memory associated with the on-board server. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein obtaining the seat location code from the mounting unit includes: reading the seat location code from a memory of the mounting unit after the passenger unit has been physically and electrically coupled to the mounting unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein obtaining the seat location code from the mounting unit includes either: receiving the seat location code from the mounting unit via a near-field communication (NFC) interface of the passenger unit and an NFC interface of the mounting unit; or receiving the seat location code from the mounting unit via a radio frequency identification (RFID) interface of the passenger unit and an RFID interface of the mounting unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein obtaining the seat location code from the mounting unit includes either: scanning, via an imaging sensor of the passenger unit, a visual representation of the seat location code on an exterior surface of the mounting unit; or detecting a hardwired configuration of the mounting unit.