System and method for processing passenger service system information

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a network and a uniform method for processing passenger service system information independent of the type of vehicle employing the network.

#2. Description of Art Related to the Invention

#The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in combination with the figures listed below.

#FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a typical passenger aisle of a commercial aircraft in which each passenger is provided with a capability of selecting various passenger services such as activating an attendant call button or a reading light assigned to the passenger seat.

#FIG. 2 is a bit representation of the data structure of a message configured in accordance with an ARINC 429 protocol.

#In its preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a distributed network of an in-transit entertainment system and a uniform method for processing passenger service system ("PSS") information independent of the type of vehicle employed therein. The types of vehicles may include, are not limited to, aircraft, trains, ferries, buses and other modes of mass transit. For clarity sake, however, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described as implemented within a commercial aircraft. While numerous specific details are set forth herein to describe the preferred embodiment of the invention, these details may not be required to practice the spirit and scope of the present invention.

#Certain terms are used herein to describe various circuitry of the distributed network. For example, an "end node" is a logical entity assigned a unique address on the PAT buses (defined below) such as a passenger seat(s) or any location on the vehicle where passenger services may be provided.

#Referring to FIG. 3, a block diagram of one embodiment of a distributed network 300 which processes PSS information from each node on a commercial aircraft is shown. The distributed network (hereinafter referred to as a "PSS network") 300 includes a system manager unit ("SMU") 310 coupled to a plurality of ZBUs 320.sub.1 -320.sub.n ("n" is a positive whole number, n>1) through a multi-drop RS-485 digital communication bus 330, which supports a data transfer rate of approximately 200 kilobits per second ("Kbps"). The digital communication bus 330 preferably includes a differentially driven, twisted wire pair appropriately shielded by a cable sheath and terminated by a last ZBU 320.sub.n on the digital communication bus 330. The use of a differentially driven communication bus mitigates the adverse affect of electromagnetic interference and other noise. However, other types of cabling (e.g., fiber optics) can be used.