Wireless audio transmission of information between seats in a mobile platform using magnetic resonance energy

A system for transmitting low power, wireless audio signals from a location associated with a first seat on a mobile platform, to a location associated with a second seat positioned adjacent the first seat, so that said audio information corresponding to the wireless audio signals which is presented to a user seated in the second seat is synchronized in time with video information being presented to a video display unit which is facing the second seat but associated with the first seat, and where the video and audio information cooperatively form information content that is able to be viewed and listened to by said user from the second seat, the system comprising:

• a transceiver associated with the first seat and having a transmitter subsystem;
• the transmitter subsystem configured to generate a low power, encoded inductive magnetic signal representative of the audio information, and transmitting said encoded inductive magnetic signal therefrom;
• and
• a receiver subsystem associated with said second seat for receiving said inductive magnetic signal, and decoding said inductive magnetic signal back into an audio signal to be used by said user of said second seat, and such that both said audio information and said video information are received at the first seat, while enabling said audio information to be forwarded as said inductive magnetic signal in wireless form to said second seat, where the audio information and the video information are substantially synchronized when being presented for use by the user;
• and
• a component in communication with said RF receiver subsystem for enabling an audio listening device used by said user to be interfaced to said receiver subsystem;
• a network server located on the mobile platform;
• a local area network (LAN) in communication with the network server;
• and
• a wireless access point in communication with the LAN, the wireless access point being disposed in proximity to the first and second seats, the wireless access point generating wireless RF signals for reception by the transceiver, the wireless RF signals including both the video information and the audio information;
• and
• wherein said video display unit is positioned on a seatback portion of the first seat so as to be viewable by said user seated in said second seat, and wherein said second seat is positioned directly behind said first seat.

A method for communicating audio information received at a first seat on a mobile platform to a second seat on the mobile platform located adjacent the first seat to synchronize the audio information being presented at the second seat with video information being displayed from a video display unit at the first seat, the method comprising:

• from the first seat, generating inductive magnetic signals representative of said audio information and radiating said inductive magnetic signals toward the second seat;
• at the second seat, receiving said inductive magnetic signals and converting said inductive magnetic signals back into said audio information;
• and
• providing a component for enabling a user of said second seat to listen to said audio information, and such that both the audio and video information is able to be received at the first seat, while said audio information is wirelessly, inductively communicated to said second seat without introducing latency between said video information and said audio information when the audio information is played for the user using the component while the user is seated at the second seat;
• using a network server on board the mobile platform to communicate the audio and video information content;
• using a local area network (LAN) in communication with the network server to interface the users on the mobile platform to the network server;
• using a wireless access point on the mobile platform to communicate with the LAN, the wireless access point being disposed in proximity to the first and second seats, and using the wireless access point to transmit wireless RF signals to an RF transceiver associated with the first seat;
• and
• wherein said video display unit is positioned on a seatback portion of the first seat so as to be viewable by said user seated in said second seat, and wherein said second seat is positioned directly behind said first seat.

A system for supplying wireless audio signals from a first seat within a first row of seats within a commercial aircraft to a second seat with an adjacent second row of seats within the commercial aircraft, the system comprising:

• a local area network (LAN) on said commercial aircraft for wirelessly distributing information content to users on the commercial aircraft, the information content including both video information and audio information needing to be synchronized with one another;
• a video display unit located on a seatback portion of said first seat for displaying the video information for viewing by a user seated in said second seat;
• a transmitter subsystem supported from said first seat and generating an inductive magnetic signal representative of the audio information input into said transmitter subsystem, said audio information being related to said video information so that the audio information and the video information cooperatively form the information content for viewing and listening by the user;
• a receiver subsystem supported from said second seat located adjacent said first seat, the receiver subsystem operating to receive said inductive magnetic signal and to convert said inductive magnetic signal into an audio signal for use by a user seated in said second seat, and such that both the video and audio information is able to be received at the first seat to enable latency between the video information and the audio information to be one of substantially reduced and eliminated when the audio information is presented to the user while the user is seated at the second seat and viewing the video information on the video display unit.