Patent US1158624A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0282183A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0282183A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aircraft service systems and methods
Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 1988-02-17
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-02-17
Abstract
Abstract An aircraft service system includes a plurality of attendant call lights (213) and reading lights (212) serving a different one of the passenger seats, a plurality of switch units (211) each for controlling one of the attendant call lights (213) and one of the reading lights (212) and a plurality of terminal units (200) each provided at a different one of the passenger seats. Each terminal unit (200) includes an attendant call key, a reading light key, an address generator (221), and means (219) for generating a request signal including an address in response to operation of the attendant call key or the reading light key. A head end apparatus (100) includes a controller for generating a control signal for one of the attendant call lights (213) or reading lights (212) in response to each request signal, each control signal including a seat address identifying one of the lights. A cable (171) is provided for transmitting the request signals from the terminal units (200) to the controller in the head end apparatus (100), and for transmitting the control signals to the switch units (211).
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshiyuki C/O Patents Division Kondo
- 👤 Hiroshi C/O Patents Division Sahara
- 👤 Yasuhiro C/O Patents Division Hidejima
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:00
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64D; B64D47/00; B64D47/02; H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/10; B64D11/00; B64D11/0015; B64D11/00151; B64D11/00155; B64D11/06; B64D11/0624
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
268 words
An aircraft service system comprising: a plurality of attendant call lights (213) each serving a different passenger seat in an aircraft; a plurality of reading lights (212) each serving a different one of the passenger seats; and a plurality of switch units (211), each controlling at least one of the attendant call lights (213) and at least one of the reading lights (212); characterised by: a plurality of terminal units (200), each provided at a different one of the passenger seats, each terminal unit (200) having an attendant call key (63), a reading light key (62), means (221) for generating an address identifying one of the passenger seats, means (219) for generating a request signal including the address in response to operation of at least one of the attendant call key (63) and the reading light key (62); a head end apparatus (100) including a control signal generating means (105) capable of generating an attendant call light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the attendant call keys (63) and a reading light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the reading light keys (62), wherein each said control signal includes a seat address identifying one of the lights (212, 213); means (171) for transmitting the request signals from the terminal units (200) to the control signal generating means (105); and means (171; 172) for transmitting each control signal to the switch unit (211) controlling the light (212, 213) identified by the seat address included in said each control signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
268 words
An aircraft service system comprising: a plurality of attendant call lights (213) each serving a different passenger seat in an aircraft; a plurality of reading lights (212) each serving a different one of the passenger seats; and a plurality of switch units (211), each controlling at least one of the attendant call lights (213) and at least one of the reading lights (212); characterised by: a plurality of terminal units (200), each provided at a different one of the passenger seats, each terminal unit (200) having an attendant call key (63), a reading light key (62), means (221) for generating an address identifying one of the passenger seats, means (219) for generating a request signal including the address in response to operation of at least one of the attendant call key (63) and the reading light key (62); a head end apparatus (100) including a control signal generating means (105) capable of generating an attendant call light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the attendant call keys (63) and a reading light control signal in response to each request signal generated in response to operation of one of the reading light keys (62), wherein each said control signal includes a seat address identifying one of the lights (212, 213); means (171) for transmitting the request signals from the terminal units (200) to the control signal generating means (105); and means (171; 172) for transmitting each control signal to the switch unit (211) controlling the light (212, 213) identified by the seat address included in said each control signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the head end apparatus (100) includes controller means (101) for receiving the request signals from the control signal generating means (105) and processing the request signals for display.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein the head end apparatus (100) comprises display means (103) connected to said controller means (101) for displaying the processed request signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A system according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the head end apparatus (100) comprises keyboard means (102) connected to said controller means (101) for entering request signals into the controller means (101) for transmittal to the control signal generating means (105), and wherein the control signal generating means (105) is capable of generating a control signal for controlling desired ones of said reading lights (212) in response to each said request signal from the controller means (101).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
35 words
A system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said request signal transmitting means comprises a first cable line (171) and said control signal transmitting means comprises a second cable line (172).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
29 words
A system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a single cable (171) serves as said request signal transmitting means and said control signal transmitting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein each terminal unit (200) is coupled to at least one of the switch units (211), each control signal is transmitted to the terminal units (200) to be selectively forwarded to the appropriate switch units (211), and each terminal unit (200) comprises means (220) for identifying the seat address of each received control signal and means for selectively forwarding to at least one of the switch units (211) coupled to the terminal unit (200) only those received control signals which have a seat address identifying one of the lights (212, 213) controlled by said at least one of the switch units (211) coupled to the terminal unit (200).
Claim 9
Independent Claim
29 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said switch unit (211) is capable of identifying the seat address included in each said control signal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
40 words
A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the head end apparatus (100) comprises encoder means (151, 152) for encoding said control signals, and each terminal unit (200) comprises decoder means (205) for decoding said encoded control signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
195 words
A system according to claim 9, wherein the head end apparatus (100) comprises 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 audio signals and said encoded control signals, multiplexing means (168) for multiplexing said modulated video signals, said modulated audio signals and said modulated control signals, said multiplexing means (168) being connected to said request signal and control signal transmitting means (171), and wherein each terminal unit (200) comprises means (201) for receiving said multiplexed signals, demodulator means (203, 204) for demodulating said video signals, said encoded audio signals and said encoded control signals, and for supplying the demodulated encoded audio signals and the demodulated encoded control signals to the decoder means (205), and wherein the decoder means (205) is capable of decoding said encoded audio signals and said encoded control signals, means (61) for displaying the demodulated and decoded video signals, and an audio output terminal for receiving the demodulated and decoded audio signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
104 words
A system according to claim 10, wherein the head end apparatus (100) comprises memory means (141 to 148) for storing television game software, wherein said encoder means (151, 152) is capable of encoding said television game software, said modulator means (161 to 167) is capable of modulating said television game software, and said multiplexing means (168) is capable of multiplexing said encoded television game software with the modulated video signals, encoded audio signals, and encoded control signals, and wherein each terminal unit (200) comprises means (204) for demodulating the television game software, and means (209) for processing the demodulated and decoded television game software.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein each terminal unit (200) includes a panel (206) in which the attendant call key (63), the reading light key (62), the display means (61) and the audio output terminal are provided.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said panels (206) is provided on the rear side of one of said passenger seats.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
188 words
An aircraft service method including the steps of: at each of a plurality of terminal units (200) provided at a respective plurality of passenger seats, generating a request signal identifying at least one of an attendant call light (213) and a reading light (212) serving the passenger seat at which the terminal unit (200) is provided; transmitting each request signal from the terminal unit (200) at which it is generated to a head end apparatus (100); in response to each request signal, generating at the head end apparatus (100) a control signal for controlling the light (212, 213) identified by the request signal, each said control signal including a seat address identifying the light (212, 213) identified by the request signal; digitally encoding each control signal at the head end apparatus (100); and transmitting each digitally encoded control signal from the head end apparatus (100) to a plurality of switch units (211), each provided at a respective one of the plurality of passenger seats, and each being capable of controlling at least one of the reading lights (212) and at least one of the attendant call lights (213).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
188 words
An aircraft service method including the steps of: at each of a plurality of terminal units (200) provided at a respective plurality of passenger seats, generating a request signal identifying at least one of an attendant call light (213) and a reading light (212) serving the passenger seat at which the terminal unit (200) is provided; transmitting each request signal from the terminal unit (200) at which it is generated to a head end apparatus (100); in response to each request signal, generating at the head end apparatus (100) a control signal for controlling the light (212, 213) identified by the request signal, each said control signal including a seat address identifying the light (212, 213) identified by the request signal; digitally encoding each control signal at the head end apparatus (100); and transmitting each digitally encoded control signal from the head end apparatus (100) to a plurality of switch units (211), each provided at a respective one of the plurality of passenger seats, and each being capable of controlling at least one of the reading lights (212) and at least one of the attendant call lights (213).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 14, including the steps of: at each switch unit (211), processing each received control signal to identify the seat address included in said received control signal; and controlling each light (212, 213) identified by one of the seat addresses as identified by the received control signal processing step.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
94 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein each switch unit (211) is coupled to one of the terminal units (200), and including the steps of: at each terminal unit (200), receiving and decoding each transmitted control signal and identifying the seat address included in each transmitted control signal; and at each terminal unit (200) at which a seat address identifies one of the lights (212, 213) controlled by the switch unit (211) coupled to said terminal unit (200), supplying the decoded control signal to the switch unit (211) coupled to said terminal unit (200).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein each request signal is transmitted to the head end apparatus (100) over a first cable line (171), and wherein each encoded control signal is transmitted from the head end apparatus (100) to the switch units (211) over a second cable line (172).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein the request signals and the encoded control signals are transmitted to and from the head end apparatus (100) over a common cable (171).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.