Abstract: In-vehicle entertainment (IVE) systems can have a centralized architecture to improve heat dissipation characteristics and weight and/or size of the IVE systems. A centralized system for providing in-vehicle entertainment to passengers on a commercial passenger vehicle includes a printed circuit board (PCB) in a housing locatable in a structure in the commercial passenger vehicle and a plurality of display panels and microcontrollers located in a rear portion of the structure. Each microcontroller is communicably connected to one display panel and the PCB. The PCB includes a processor configured to decode audio and/or video content and to operate a plurality of virtual machines that correspond to and perform operations such as playback functionality related to the plurality of display panels.

Abstract: Vehicle entertainment systems in commercial passenger vehicles can provide passengers with entertainment options that are based at least in part on geolocation information selected by the passengers. For example, based on a passenger's selection of a home country to which the passenger belongs, the vehicle entertainment system may route data traffic comprising the passenger's entertainment selections via a point of presence (PoP) device located in the selected home country. The vehicle entertainment system may also group data traffic for passengers that have selected the same home country so that the vehicle entertainment system can more efficiently use network resources as the commercial passenger vehicle travels to its destination.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) system is configured to interconnect an avionics data bus to a local area network. An avionics interface is connectable to the avionics data bus, and receptive to avionics data transmitted on the avionics data bus by one or more avionics nodes over a predetermined protocol. A local network interface establishes the local area network, and portable electronic devices may be connectable to the local network interface over the local area network to establish a data communications link thereon. A data processor is connected to the avionics interface and the local network interface, and relays the avionics data from the avionics interface to the local network interface for transmission to the one or more portable electronics devices. This transmission is according to the predetermined protocol over the data communications link established on the local area network.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments are directed at devices, methods, and systems for rendering a customizable 3D virtual environment of an outside world surrounding an airplane. The 3D virtual environment is rendered on a personal electronic device (e.g., a VR headset) and is composed from high-resolution image data received from a plurality of cameras mounted externally to the airplane. A seatback computer coupled to the personal electronic device receives data corresponding to the 3D virtual environment of the outside world from the airplane's compute server, which performs the tasks of analyzing the high-resolution image data to compose the 3D virtual environment. Further, the 3D virtual environment can be customized to a passenger's preferences based on gesture-based interactions of a passenger with the 3D virtual environment. The gesture-based interactions of a passenger are received by a sensor coupled to the personal electronic device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining data for Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) events caused by interfering signals, such as radar signals, in mobile WiFi wireless communication networks on airplanes. The systems and methods utilize wireless access points (WAPs) on in-flight entertainment systems on airplanes to detect DFS events, and obtain DFS event data. The DFS event data is transmitted to a ground system which is configured to utilize the DFS event data to generate DFS messages which allow a WAP on another airplane to avoid the interfering signals that caused the DFS event. The ground system transmits the DFS messages to other airplanes which use the information in the DFS message to configure a WAP to avoid DFS events. The ground system may also be configured to analyze and generate a 3D DFS map which can be used to generate radio channel plans to avoid DFS events.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments are directed at devices, methods, and systems for association of reader devices to IFE monitors in a commercial passenger vehicle. An example method includes determining at a client computing system included in an IFE monitor that at least one reader device is remotely located from the client computing system; using a wired Ethernet connection to a server, the client computing system requesting the server to discover an electronic tag information; and upon the client computing system receiving the electronic tag information from the server over the wired Ethernet connection, the client computing system processing the electronic tag information, wherein another IFE monitor supplies electrical power to the at least one reader device, wherein the client computing system is unaware of a physical location of the at least one reader device, and wherein the server is included in the another IFE monitor.

Abstract: In-vehicle entertainment (WE) monitor systems can be reconfigurable and modular to improve heat dissipation characteristics and to enable separate removal or installation of one or more parts within the WE monitor system without affecting the rest of the IVE monitor system. A modular system for providing in-vehicle entertainment to passengers on a commercial passenger vehicle includes a main housing, a peripheral housing, and a display panel that are separately removable or installable. A main printed circuit board (PCB) in the main housing is electrically connected to a secondary PCB in the peripheral housing via the first data cable and the secondary PCB is electrically connected to the display panel via the second data cable in a series configuration.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for automated detection of relative position among a plurality of wireless access points (WAPs) deployed in service area. An exemplary service area is the passenger cabin of a commercial airplane. The method can include transmitting a signal on a wireless channel at a fixed power level across the service area. Each WAP can measure a signal strength of the signal received from all other WAPs of the plurality of WAPs. The plurality of WAPs can share reports including signal strengths of the signal transmitted from all of the other WAPs. Each WAP can then form a matrix of measured signal strengths and measuring WAPs including the signal strength of signals transmitted by each WAP as received by all other WAPs as the measuring WAPs. The matrix can be used to determine a relative position of the plurality of WAPs based on the first matrix.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a transportation vehicle are provided. One method includes generating a packet by an application executed by a processor of a first seat device of an in-flight entertainment system having a plurality of seat devices on an aircraft; dropping the packet by the seat device when the application is not authorized for Internet communication; dropping the packet by the seat device when the packet is one of a broadcast packet, multicast packet or destined to a second seat device of the in-flight entertainment system; determining that the seat device Internet traffic is below a threshold value; and transmitting the packet to a network device when the application is authorized, and the packet is not a broadcast packet, multicast packet or destined for a second seat device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a transportation vehicle are provided. One method includes receiving a user input for a valid communication session by a processor executable, digital assistant at a device on a transportation vehicle; tagging by the digital assistant, the user input words with a grammatical connotation; generating an action context, a filter context and a response context by a neural network, based on the tagged user input; storing by the digital assistant, a key-value pair for a parameter of the filter context at a short term memory, based on an output from the neural network; updating by the digital assistant, the key-value pair at the short term memory after receiving a reply to a follow-up request and another output from the trained neural network; and providing a response to the reply by the digital assistant.

Abstract: A docking cradle for a handheld computing device, such as a handheld controller, remote control, tablet computer, smartphone or other electronic device. The docking cradle is configured to be mountable to a horizontal mounting surface (e.g., a table or other horizontal surface), or a vertical mounting surface (e.g., a seatback or wall), while in either mounting orientation, the docking cradle holds the computing device in substantially the same orientation for convenient use and access by a user.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) system configured to stream vehicle operational parameters from avionics systems connected thereto. An avionics interface defines a node of an avionics bus, and the avionics systems are connectible to the avionics interface over the avionics bus to transmit aircraft operational parameters thereto as a raw stream of chronologically sequenced data elements. A data processor is connected to the avionics interface and a network interface, and is receptive to the aircraft operational parameters from the avionics interface. The data processor applies a variable filter that selectively passes a filtered data stream of aircraft operational parameters derived from the raw stream to a data storage device. The variable filter is defined by one or more filter parameters dynamically adjustable in response to changing conditions derived from the aircraft operational parameters. The filtered data stream is transmitted to the remote monitoring station.

Abstract: A system for displaying a map to passengers on a commercial passenger vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises a storage configured to store (1) personal information of passengers either located in or expected to board the commercial passenger vehicle; and (2) location-related information including location-related information associated with an area covered by the map; a server located in the commercial passenger vehicle and configured to perform a method comprising: sending, to a media playback device associated with a passenger, a message to display a list of selectable map features; receiving, from the media playback device, a selection of at least one map feature among the selectable map features; retrieving the personal information or the location-related information from the storage; and integrating retrieved personal information or retrieved location-related information to map data, thereby rendering the map.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a monitor assembly for IFE systems. The monitor assembly comprises a screen assembly, a frame element that surrounds a perimeter of the screen or substantial portions thereof, and a cradle that is positioned behind the screen and at least partially encapsulates the frame element. The frame element is preferably made of a material that breaks more easily than the cradle material such that, upon an impact, the frame will break apart to absorb kinetic energy, while the cradle will remain intact and contain the broken frame pieces.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electronic device. One method includes storing a data structure at a memory device by a processor, where the data structure is configured to store a plurality of parameters used for determining a discharge ratio of a first battery pack and a second battery pack of a charging system of a device, the discharge ratio indicating a relative rate of discharge of the first battery pack and the second battery pack; detecting by the processor, a discharge condition associated with at least one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack; utilizing by the processor, the data structure for determining the discharge ratio; and controlling by the processor, based on the determined discharge ratio, a discharge rate of the first battery pack using a first voltage controller and a discharge rate of the second battery pack using a second voltage controller.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a docking cradle assembly for holding a computing device as disclosed herein. The docking cradle assembly comprises a cradle housing; a cover including an opening; and a connector assembly supported by the cover and having a connector positioned within the opening, the connector being rotatable between a first position, a second position substantially perpendicular to the first position, and a subset of positions each between the first and second positions and angularly displaced from the first position, wherein the cover is mountable to a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface angularly displaced from the first mounting surface by rotating the connector to a position suitable for the selected mounting surface in which the connector is inaccessible after the cover is mounted.

Abstract: Vehicular systems located in commercial passenger vehicles are tested and maintained for operational effectiveness. This patent document describes techniques to perform secure testing on multiple seatback monitors that are located on or in seats in a commercial passenger vehicle and that are associated with a vehicle entertainment system. An example method can determine whether multiple sets of usernames and passwords received by a device authorize a person operating a test-related software on the device to securely test one or more groups of multiple seatback monitors in the commercial passenger vehicle. The example method can also enable selection of a group of multiple seatback monitors that can be specifically tested.

Abstract: Vehicle entertainment systems can obtain and use a list of predicted entertainment preferences for passengers located in or expected to be in commercial passenger vehicles. A first server can obtain the predicted entertainment preferences and can identify a multimedia content for at least one passenger based on a predicted entertainment preference. A second server located in the commercial passenger vehicle can receive and send the multimedia content to a media playback device associated with the at least one passenger. The second server can receive, from the media playback device, an indication of a preference of the at least one passenger for watching or listening to the multimedia content; update, based on the received indication of the preference, the entertainment preference for the at least one passenger to obtain an updated entertainment preference; and transmit the updated entertainment preference for the at least one passenger to the first server.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a transportation vehicle. One method includes detecting a location of a personal electronic device (PED) on a transportation vehicle based on a signal transmitted by a wireless beacon to the PED; using sensor data to automatically determine usage of a resource on the transportation vehicle, the resource including on the transportation vehicle at least one of a lavatory, a passenger seat, a luggage bin, and a cart; indicating a status of the resource to the PED based on the determined usage; and updating a data store for tracking the usage, after an action is taken associated with the resource, in response to receiving the status.