Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for registering personal electronic devices (PEDs) with an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. Some methods include generating a different token image for each IFE passenger seat display, each generated token image comprising unique information for registering the PEDs with the IFE system. Different ones of the generated token images are communicated to different ones of the IFE passenger seat displays for display to passengers. A request comprising a captured image of the generated token image that is displayed on one of the IFE passenger seat displays is received. The at least one PED is registered with the IFE system by associating the unique identification information of the generated token image received in the request from the at least one PED. A communication link is established with the PED using the unique information.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Abstract: An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system includes an entertainment source, passenger seatback displays coupled to the entertainment source, and passenger control units. Each PCU is associated with a respective seatback display and includes a touchpad configured to recognize multiple simultaneous touch points.

Abstract: A communications system is for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having PEDs, and the communications system may include a ground-based communications network, and a satellite-based communications network. The system may include at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft to receive a web content request from a given PED and transmit corresponding web content to the given PED. An air-to-ground communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for sending the web content request to the ground-based communications network defining a return link. Further, a satellite communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for receiving the corresponding web content from the satellite-based communications network defining a forward link.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for registering personal electronic devices (PEDs) with an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. Some methods include generating a different token image for each IFE passenger seat display, each generated token image comprising unique information for registering the PEDs with the IFE system. Different ones of the generated token images are communicated to different ones of the IFE passenger seat displays for display to passengers. A request comprising a captured image of the generated token image that is displayed on one of the IFE passenger seat displays is received. The at least one PED is registered with the IFE system by associating the unique identification information of the generated token image received in the request from the at least one PED. A communication link is established with the PED using the unique information.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Abstract: An aircraft communications system includes at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, and an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. The PED includes a PED near-field communications (NFC) device, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller for transmitting a registration identifier (ID), and communicating via the PED wireless transceiver. The aircraft IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, a respective IFE NFC device associated with each of the IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, and an IFE controller. The IFE controller is for selectively displaying video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, and communicating with the PED wireless transceiver via the IFE wireless transceiver based upon one of the respective IFE NFC devices receiving the registration ID from the PED NFC device when in proximity thereto.

Abstract: An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system includes a plurality of seat electronic boxes (SEBs) spaced throughout the aircraft. Each SEB comprises a memory including a shared memory portion for storing entertainment related data and an unshared memory portion. The SEBs cooperate with one another so that the entertainment related data in the shared memory portion of each SEB is available for at least one other SEB.

Abstract: An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a radome to be carried by the aircraft, and a dual-beam satellite antenna and at least one positioner coupled thereto to be carried by the aircraft and protected by the radome. The dual-beam satellite antenna is to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. The dual-beam satellite antenna includes a first aperture for receiving the television programming, and a second aperture adjacent the first aperture for receiving the Internet data. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the dual-beam satellite antenna to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the dual-beam satellite antenna to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Abstract: An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system includes an entertainment source, passenger seatback displays coupled to the entertainment source, and passenger control units (PCUs). Each PCU is associated with a respective seatback display. Each PCU includes an underside PCU input device carried by an underside of a seatback tray to be accessible by a user from the underside of the seatback tray when the seatback tray is in a stored position, and a topside PCU input device carried by a topside of the seatback tray to be accessible by the user from a topside of the seatback tray when the seatback tray is in a down position.

Abstract: A communications system is for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having PEDs, and the communications system may include a ground-based communications network, and a satellite-based communications network. The system may include at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft to receive a web content request from a given PED and transmit corresponding web content to the given PED. An air-to-ground communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for sending the web content request to the ground-based communications network defining a return link. Further, a satellite communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for receiving the corresponding web content from the satellite-based communications network defining a forward link.

Abstract: A communications system for an aircraft includes at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, and an aircraft IFE system. The PED includes a PED display, a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight, and a PED controller for displaying the stored in-flight coupon on the PED display. The in-flight coupon has an in-flight coupon token image associated therewith. The aircraft IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, a respective IFE optical sensor associated with each IFE passenger seat display, and an IFE controller. The IFE controller selectively displays video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, and receives the stored coupon for redemption based upon a respective IFE optical sensor sensing the displayed in-flight coupon token image associated therewith on the PED display.

Abstract: A communications system for an aircraft includes an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger. The aircraft IFE system includes an IFE advertisement source, IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, an IFE controller, and a purchase acceptance controller. The PED includes a PED optical sensor, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller for communicating with the IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing a selected advertisement token image. The purchase acceptance controller cooperates with the IFE controller to accept purchase of the selected advertisement token image.

Abstract: An aircraft communications system includes at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, and an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. The PED includes a PED display, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller for generating a respective registration token image on the PED display. The aircraft IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, a respective IFE optical sensor associated with each of the IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, and an IFE controller. The IFE controller is for selectively displaying video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, and for communicating with the PED wireless transceiver via the IFE wireless transceiver based upon a respective IFE optical sensor sensing the registration token image on the PED display.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Abstract: A communications system for an aircraft includes an aircraft IFE system, and at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger. The IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, a respective IFE NFC device associated with each of the IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, and an IFE controller. The IFE controller is for selectively displaying video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, selectively transmitting a respective registration ID from each IFE NFC device, and communicating via the IFE wireless transceiver. The PED includes a PED NFC device, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller. The PED controller is for communicating with the IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED NFC device receiving the registration ID associated with one of the respective IFE NFC devices when in proximity thereto.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.

Abstract: A communications system for an aircraft includes an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, and at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger. The aircraft IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, and an IFE controller. The IFE controller is for selectively displaying video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, and for generating a respective registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display. The PED includes a PED optical sensor, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller. The PED controller is for communicating with the IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the registration token image.

Abstract: A communications system for an aircraft includes an aircraft IFE system, and at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger. The IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, a respective IFE NFC device associated with each of the IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, and an IFE controller. The IFE controller is for selectively displaying video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, selectively transmitting a respective registration ID from each IFE NFC device, and communicating via the IFE wireless transceiver. The PED includes a PED NFC device, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller. The PED controller is for communicating with the IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED NFC device receiving the registration ID associated with one of the respective IFE NFC devices when in proximity thereto.