EP0281293B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Passenger service system for vehicles
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1988-02-19
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Granted: 1992-05-06
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Expires: 2008-02-19
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for providing service in a passenger vehicle having a plurality of passenger seats. Preferably, treestructured menu data is transmitted from a head end apparatus to a plurality of terminal units (each provided at one of the passenger seats) and the menu data is displayed at each terminal unit. Request signals indicating menu items selected by the passengers are returned to the head end apparatus, where they may be centrally processed and displayed, in order to provide improved service for the passengers.
Inventors
- 👤 Atsushi C/O Patents Division Ichise
- 👤 Yoshiyuki C/O Patents Division Kondo
- 👤 Masatoshi C/O Patents Division Hirayasu
- 👤 Kenji C/O Patents Division Inoue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:32
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64D; B64D11/00; B64D11/06; B64D11/0015; B64D11/00155; B64D11/00151
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
256 words
A passenger service system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a head end apparatus (100) including memory means (141 to 148) for storing data, and display means (103); a plurality of terminal units (200), each provided at a respective one of a plurality of passenger seats, each terminal unit (200) having display means (61); and means (171) for transmitting said data from said head end apparatus (100) to the terminal units (200); characterised in that: said head end apparatus (100) stores menu data in said memory means (141 to 148) and includes means (105) for recovering said menu data for subsequent transmission, said menu data including at least one menu and each menu including at least one menu item; each of said terminal units (200) is operable to display said menu data and includes means (206) for selecting a menu item from among the displayed menu data, and means (219) for generating a request signal which indicates the menu item selected by said selecting means (206) and which also includes an address signal identifying said terminal unit (200); said transmitting means (171) is operable to transmit the request signals from the terminal units (200) to the head end apparatus (100); and said head end apparatus (100) includes controller means (101) for receiving the request signals from the terminal units (200) and processing the request signals for display, the display means (103) of the head end apparatus (100) being connected to said controller means (101) for displaying the processed request signals received from the controller means (101).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said head end apparatus (100) comprises keyboard means (102) connected to the controller means (101) for sending a command to the controller means (101) for instructing the controller means (101) to generate a command signal for transmission to the terminal units (200), wherein the command signal is capable of causing the terminal units (200) to display menu data transmitted from the head end apparatus (100).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said head end apparatus (100) comprises encoder means (151,152) for digitally encoding said menu data, and each terminal unit (200) comprises decoder means (205) for decoding said encoded menu data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 3, wherein said menu data includes a list of meals and a list of drinks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said selecting means comprises a cursor up key (72) and a cursor down key (72) for selecting menu items among said displayed menu data, and an enter key (73) for sending a selection by one of said cursor up and down keys (72) to said request signal generating means (219).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
A system according to claim 3, claim 4 or claim 5, wherein said head end apparatus (100) comprises means for storing television game software data and recovering said television game software data for transmission to the terminal units (200), wherein said menu data includes a list of television games included in said television game software data, wherein said encoder means (151,152) is capable of encoding said television game software data as well as said menu data, and wherein each terminal unit (200) comprises means (209) for processing each television game selected by the selecting means (206).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein said menu data includes a list of meals, a list of drinks and a list of television games.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
187 words
A system according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said head end apparatus (100) includes means (110 to 115) for reproducing video signals and means (121 to 129) for reproducing audio signals, wherein said audio signals are encoded by said encoder means (151,152), and wherein the head end apparatus (100) includes modulator means (161 to 167) for modulating said video signals, said encoded menu data, and said encoded audio signals, and multiplexer means (168) for multiplexing said modulated video signals, said modulated encoded menu data, and said modulated encoded audio signals, and wherein each terminal unit (200) includes means (201) for receiving said multiplexed signals, and demodulator means (203,204) for demodulating said video signals, said encoded menu data, and said encoded audio signals, and for supplying the demodulated encoded audio signals and the demodulated encoded menu data to the decoder means (205), wherein the demodulated encoded audio signals are decoded by said decoder means (205), and wherein each terminal unit (200) includes means (65 to 68) for selecting said video signals and said audio signals, and an audio output terminal for receiving the selected audio signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system according to claim 8, wherein each terminal unit (200) comprises a game terminal (64) connected to the television game processing means (209) for receiving television game play signals and routing the television game play signals to the television game processing means (209), and a game controller (208) connectable to the game terminal (64) for generating the television game play signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system according to claim 9, wherein each terminal unit (200) includes a panel (206) in which the menu selecting means (71 to 73), the means (65 to 68) for selecting video signals and audio signals, the audio output terminal, and the game terminal (64) are provided.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said panels (206) is provided on the rear side of one of said passenger seats.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
18 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said transmitting means is a cable (171).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 12, wherein the same cable (171) is used for transmitting the request signals and the menu data.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
17 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said passenger vehicle is an aircraft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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