Service and entertainment communication system

Claim 2

A service and entertainment system, comprising: a head end apparatus comprising means (1) for reproducing video signals, means (4) for reproducing audio signals, encoder means (6, 7) for encoding said audio signals, means (11) for modulating said video signals and said encoded audio signals in channels of different frequency bands, respectively, and means (12) for multiplexing said modulated video signals and encoded audio signals, respectively; and cable means (21) for transmitting said multiplexed, modulated video signals an encoded audio signals; characterized by: a plurality of terminal units (30) each positioned away from the head end apparatus, each said terminal unit (30) including a means for selecting at least one of said multiplexed, modulated video signals and encoded audio signals, a tuner (33, 34) coupled to the selecting means for receiving and demodulating said selected video signals and encoded audio signals, a decoder means (36) for decoding said selected encoded audio signals, a display means (35a) for displaying the selected video signals, and an audio output terminal (35b) for receiving the selected decoder audio signals.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1 wherein said audio signals are analogue audio signals and said encoder means (6, 7) converts said analogue audio signals to digital audio signals prior to encoding said audio signals therein, and said decoder means (36) converts said digital audio signals to analogue audio signals prior to decoding said audio signals therein.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 1 wherein the head end apparatus also includes means (9) for storing television game software signals, wherein the encoder means (6, 7) is capable of digitally encoding the television game software signals, the modulator means (11) is capable of modulating the television game software signals, and the multiplexing means (12) is capable of multiplexing the modulated television game software signals with the modulated video signals and the modulated audio signals, and wherein the tuner (33) of each terminal unit (30) is capable of receiving and demodulating the multiplexed television game software signals, the decoder means (36) of each terminal unit (30) is capable of decoding the digitally encoded television game software signals, and wherein each terminal unit (30) includes means for storing, processing, and selecting the decoded television game software signals.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 3 wherein each terminal unit (30) further comprises a game terminal (35d) to which a game controller (35e) may be connected.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 3 wherein said selecting means (35) comprises a channel indicator (35h), a set of channel up and down keys (35i, 35j) for use in selecting any one of said video signals and said audio signals, and a game selecting key (35l, 35m) for selecting any one of said decoded television game software signals.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 5 wherein each said terminal unit (30) further comprises a volume control (35r) for controlling the volume of the selected decoded audio signals received at the audio output terminal (35b).

Claim 8

A system according to claim 6 further comprising an attendant call light (41) and a reading light (42) provided for each said terminal unit (30), wherein said head end apparatus further comprises control means (40) for controlling each said attendant call light (41), and wherein each terminal unit (30) comprises an attendant call key (35p), a reading light key (35q), means for generating a control signals by actuation of said attendant call key (35p) and said reading light key (35q), and means for sending said control signals to said control means (40) in said head end apparatus through said cable means (21).

Claim 9

A system according to claim 7 wherein each terminal unit (30) comprises a panel (35) including said display means (35a), said game terminal (35d), said channel indicator (35h), said channel up and down keys (35i, 35j), said game selecting key (35k), said volume control (35r), said attendant call key (35p) and said reading light key (35q).

Claim 10

A system according to claim 8 wherein at least one of said panels (35) is arranged to be mounted on the rear side of a passenger seat in a passenger vehicle.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein said display means (35a) is a flat cathode ray tube.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein said display means (35a) is a liquid crystal display.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 1 wherein each terminal unit (30) further comprises antenna means (31) for receiving said multiplexed video signals and audio signals, and a signal distributor (32) connected between said antenna means (31) and said tuner (33, 34), and each said tuner (33, 34) includes a first tuner (33) for receiving said video signals and a second tuner (34) for receiving said audio signals.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 2 wherein said video signal reproducing means (1) includes a plurality of video cassette recorders (1) and a means (3) for reproducing still video pictures.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 13 wherein said video signal reproducing means (1) further includes a television tuner (2).

Claim 16

A system according to claim 13 wherein each of said video cassette recorders (1) and said still video picture reproducing means (3) has a video output terminal (V) and an audio output terminal (A), each said video output terminal (V) being connected to said modulator means (11) and each said audio output terminal (A) being connected to said encoder means (6, 7).

Claim 17

A system according to claim 1 wherein each terminal unit (30) is mounted at a respective passenger seat in a passenger vehicle.

Claim 18

A service and entertainment system for a passenger vehicle having a plurality of passenger seats, the system comprising: a head end apparatus comprising means (1) for generating video and related audio signals, means (4) for generating separate audio signals, encoder means (6, 7) for encoding all of said audio signals, means (11) for modulating said video signals and the output signal of said encoder means (6, 7), and multiplexer means (12) connected to said modulating means for multiplexing the modulated video signals, and the modulated encoded audio signals; and means (21) for transmitting said modulated, multiplexed signals from the head end apparatus to each said terminal unit; characterized by: a plurality of terminal units (30) each provided at a respective one of said passenger seats, each said terminal unit (30) comprising selecting means (35) for selecting at least one of said video and related audio signals and said separate audio signals, first tuner means (33) for receiving said selected video signals, second tuner means (34) for receiving said selected related audio signals and said selected separate audio signals, each of said first tuner means (33) and said second tuner means (34) being coupled to the selecting means (35), a decoder means (36) for decoding the output signal of said second tuner means (34), a display means (35a) for displaying the selected video signals, an audio output terminal (35b) for receiving the selected audio signals, and a volume control (35r) for controlling the amplitude of the selected audio signals received at the audio output terminal (35b).

Claim 19

A service and entertainment system for a passenger vehicle having a plurality of passenger seats, the system comprising: a head end apparatus comprising means (1) for generating video and related audio signals, means (4) for generating separate audio signals, encoder means (6, 7) for encoding all of said audio signals, means (11) for modulating said video signals and the output signal of said encoder means (6, 7), and multiplexer means (12) connected to said modulating means for multiplexing the modulated video signals, and the modulated encoded audio signals; and means (21) for transmitting said modulated, multiplexed signals from the head end apparatus to each said terminal unit; characterized by: a plurality of terminal units (30) each provided at a respective one of said passenger seats, each said terminal unit (30) comprising selecting means (35) for selecting at least one of said video and related audio signals and said separate audio signals, first tuner means (33) for receiving said selected video signals, second tuner means (34) for receiving said selected related audio signals and said selected separate audio signals, each of said first tuner means (33) and said second tuner means (34) being coupled to the selecting means (35), a decoder means (36) for decoding the output signal of said second tuner means (34), a display means (35a) for displaying the selected video signals, an audio output terminal (35b) for receiving the selected audio signals, and a volume control (35r) for controlling the amplitude of the selected audio signals received at the audio output terminal (35b).

Claim 20

A system according to claim 17 wherein the head end apparatus also includes means (9) for storing television game software signals, wherein the encoder means (6, 7) is capable of digitally encoding the television game software signals, the modulator means (11) is capable of modulating the television game software signals, and the multiplexing means (12) is capable of multiplexing the modulated television game software signals with the modulated video signals and the modulated encoded audio signals, and wherein the first tuner means (33) of each terminal unit (30) is capable of receiving the demodulating the multiplexed television game software signals, the decoder means (36) of each terminal unit (30) is capable of decoding the digitally encoded television game software signals, and wherein each terminal unit (30) includes means (37) for storing, processing, and selecting the decoded television game software signals.

Claim 21

A system according to claim 18 wherein said transmitting means (21) includes a leaky cable (21).

Claim 22

A system according to claim 18 wherein each terminal unit (30) comprises a panel including said selecting means (35), said display means (35a), said audio output terminal (35b) and said volume control (35r).

Claim 23

A system according to claim 20 wherein at least one of said panels is mounted on the rear side of one of said passenger seats.

Claim 24

A system according to claim 21 wherein said passenger vehicle is an aircraft.