# US 7,610,602 B2 · Method, system and computer program product for aircraft multimedia distribution > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,602 B2 - Document ID: US7610602B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 09/978,452 - Filed: 2001-10-17 - Published: 2002-11-28 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2001-05-23 - Assignees: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Ficco - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610602B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/2146: {located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus (flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005)} - H04N 7/17336: {Handling of requests in head-ends} - H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast - H04N 21/25891: {being end-user preferences (retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/41407: {embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop (constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57)} - H04N 21/4622: {Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859)} - H04N 21/47202: {for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand} - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method, system and computer program product for aircraft multimedia distribution, including a multimedia server provided within an aircraft of an airline and a multimedia communications network within the aircraft coupled to the multimedia server. The multimedia server is configured to distribute, over the aircraft multimedia communications network, multimedia in-flight to a device of a passenger for at least one of viewing, listening and purchasing by the passenger. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for aircraft multimedia distribution, comprising: a multimedia server provided within an aircraft of an airline; and a multimedia communications network within said aircraft coupled to said multimedia server; and wherein said multimedia server is configured to distribute, over said aircraft multimedia communications network, multimedia in-flight to a device of a passenger, the multimedia being selected, pre-flight, for purchase via a web server coupled to the multimedia server. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said multimedia comprises one of streaming video, streaming audio, video for download, audio for download, software, games, digital literary works, data, sports statistics, trivia, encyclopedia information, served software applications or graphical images. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said device comprises one of a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, moving pictures experts group (MPEG) audio layer 3 (MP3) player, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said multimedia communications network comprises one of an Ethernet communications network, or an IEEE 1394 communications network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said multimedia server is configured to distribute said multimedia in-flight to said device of said passenger via a network interface device coupled between said device of said passenger and said multimedia communications network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein said multimedia is encrypted or compressed, and said network interface device comprises one of a custom device or plug-in device configured to decrypt or decompress said multimedia. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein said network interface device is one of proprietary or specific to said airline. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said multimedia server is configured to distribute said multimedia in-flight to said device of said passenger via software device stored on said device of said passenger. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein said multimedia is encrypted or compressed, and said software device comprises one of a custom software device or plug-in software device configured to decrypt or decompress said multimedia. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein said software device is specific to said airline. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said multimedia server is configured to distribute simultaneously said multimedia in multiple streams to said device of said passenger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein said multimedia server is configured to provide a menu on said device of said passenger for selection of one or more of said multiple streams of said multimedia. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an airline server coupled to said multimedia server via a server communications network and configured to transmit, over said server communications network, said multimedia to said multimedia server. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said airline server is configured to communicate with said device of said passenger via a passenger communications network to provide pre-flight functions with respect to the in-flight multimedia distribution. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein said passenger communications network comprises the Internet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein said pre-flight functions comprise one of selection of said multimedia for in-flight distribution, previewing of said multimedia for said in-flight distribution, or downloading of a software device to enable said in-flight distribution of said multimedia. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein said software device is one of proprietary or specific to said airline. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said airline server is configured to communicate with said device of said passenger via a passenger communications network to provide post-flight functions with respect to the in-flight multimedia distribution. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein said post-flight functions comprise organizing said multimedia for selection by said passenger. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said airline server is configured to provide copies of said multimedia to said passenger on one of CD ROM, DVD or video CD (VCD) based on a selection by said passenger. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said airline server is configured to provide copies of said multimedia to said passenger via download to said device of said passenger based on a selection by said passenger. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said multimedia server is configured to store passenger-specific information relating to one of a multimedia selection history for said passenger or demographic information for said passenger. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein said multimedia server is configured to distribute said multimedia based on said passenger-specific information. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein said multimedia server is configured to distribute passenger-specific advertisements included in said multimedia based on said passenger-specific information. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein said advertisements are provided to said airline as part of a co-marketing agreement. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein said passenger-specific information is provided to said airline as a new marketable asset. ### Claim 27 A method for aircraft multimedia distribution, comprising: providing a multimedia server within an aircraft of an airline; and coupling a multimedia communications network within said aircraft to said multimedia server; and distributing, via said multimedia server, over said aircraft multimedia communications network, multimedia in-flight to a device of a passenger, the multimedia being selected, pre-flight, for purchase via a web server coupled to the multimedia server. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein said multimedia comprises one of streaming video, streaming audio, video for download, audio for download, software, games, digital literary works, data, sports statistics, trivia, encyclopedia information, served software applications or graphical images. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein said device comprises one of a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, moving pictures experts group (MPEG) audio layer 3 (MP3) player, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein said multimedia communications network comprises one of an Ethernet communications network, or an IEEE 1394 communications network. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: distributing, via said multimedia server, said multimedia in-flight to said device of said passenger via a network interface device coupled between said device of said passenger and said multimedia communications network. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, further comprising: encrypting or compressing said multimedia, wherein said network interface device comprises one of a custom device or plug-in device configured to decrypt or decompress said multimedia. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein said network interface device is one of proprietary or specific to said airline. ### Claim 34 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: distributing, via said multimedia server, said multimedia in-flight to said device of said passenger via software device stored on said device of said passenger. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, further comprising: encrypting or compressing said multimedia, wherein said software device comprises one of a custom software device or plug-in software device configured to decrypt or decompress said multimedia. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein said software device is specific to said airline. ### Claim 37 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: distributing simultaneously, via said multimedia server, said multimedia in multiple streams to said device of said passenger. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further comprising: providing via said multimedia server, a menu on said device of said passenger for selection of one or more of said multiple streams of said multimedia. ### Claim 39 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: transmitting, via an airline server coupled to said multimedia server via a server communications network, said multimedia to said multimedia server. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising: communicating, via said airline server, with said device of said passenger via a passenger communications network to provide pre-flight functions with respect to the in-flight multimedia distribution. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein said passenger communications network comprises the Internet. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein said pre-flight functions comprise one of selection of said multimedia for in-flight distribution, previewing of said multimedia for said in-flight distribution, or downloading of a software device to enable said in-flight distribution of said multimedia. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein said software device is one of proprietary or specific to said airline. ### Claim 44 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising: communicating, via said airline server, with said device of said passenger via a passenger communications network to provide post-flight functions with respect to the in-flight multimedia distribution. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, wherein said post-flight functions comprise organizing said multimedia for selection by said passenger. ### Claim 46 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising: providing, via said airline server, copies of said multimedia to said passenger on one of CD ROM, DVD or video CD (VCD) based on a selection by said passenger. ### Claim 47 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising: providing, via said airline server, copies of said multimedia to said passenger via download to said device of said passenger based on a selection by said passenger. ### Claim 48 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: storing, via said multimedia server, passenger-specific information relating to one of a multimedia selection history for said passenger or demographic information for said passenger. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, further comprising: distributing, via said multimedia server, said multimedia based on said passenger-specific information. ### Claim 50 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, further comprising: distributing, via said multimedia server, passenger-specific advertisements included in said multimedia based on said passenger-specific information. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The method of claim 50, further comprising: providing said advertisements to said airline as part of a co-marketing agreement. ### Claim 52 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, further comprising: providing said passenger-specific information is to said airline as a new marketable asset. ### Claim 53 A system for aircraft multimedia distribution, comprising: means for providing a multimedia server within an aircraft of an airline; and means for coupling a multimedia communications network within said aircraft to said multimedia server; and means for distributing, via said multimedia server, over said aircraft multimedia communications network, multimedia in-flight to a device of a passenger, the multimedia being selected, pre-flight, for purchase via a web server coupled to the multimedia server. ### Claim 54 A method for receiving multimedia, comprising: accessing a multimedia server over a communications network within an aircraft; displaying a menu of options corresponding to a plurality of multimedia; selecting, pre-flight, one of the options for purchase of a corresponding one of the plurality of multimedia via a web server coupled to the multimedia server; and receiving the corresponding one of the plurality of multimedia transmitted over the communications network by the multimedia server. ### Claim 55 (depends on 54) The method of claim 54, wherein the web server is resident within a data network that is different from the communications network.