Aircraft Content Mesh Network Reducing Cellular Data Costs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current in-flight entertainment systems face challenges in efficiently updating multimedia content due to laborious manual processes and high costs associated with conventional content transfer methods, particularly over cellular and satellite links, which limit the frequency of updates and incur significant expenses for large fleets of aircraft.

Innovation Solution

Establishing local area wireless mesh networks between aircraft to transfer content, minimizing the use of costly cellular connections by utilizing WiFi for bulk data transfers, allowing for faster and more frequent updates of multimedia content without the need for extensive ground-based infrastructure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cellular or satellite links are used for content transfer, then content can be updated across aircraft fleet, but transfer costs increase significantly and update frequency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent update capabilityVSAvoiddata transfer cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces portable content loaders as intermediary devices that are physically transported between aircraft. These loaders act as mediators by receiving content via cellular/satellite links once, then distributing it locally to multiple aircraft through direct physical connection, thereby reducing repeated use of expensive wireless links across the fleet.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary content loading onto portable devices during periods when aircraft are on the ground. By pre-loading content onto physical carriers before aircraft depart, the system avoids the need for expensive real-time wireless transfers during flight operations, thus reducing overall data transfer costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If manual content loading processes are used, then content can be transferred to aircraft, but the process becomes laborious and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent transfer functionalityVSAvoidcontent update time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical content transfer processes with automated electronic data transfer systems. Portable content loaders equipped with automated software interfaces connect to aircraft systems and perform content distribution automatically, eliminating the need for manual intervention and significantly reducing transfer time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service content distribution where the portable content loaders autonomously manage the content transfer process. The loaders automatically connect to aircraft systems, transfer content without human assistance, and can even retrieve usage statistics automatically, making the entire process self-sufficient and eliminating laborious manual operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If frequent content updates are implemented, then passenger engagement improves, but operational expenses increase due to repeated cellular/satellite usage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent update frequencyVSAvoidoperational expense

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the content distribution process into two distinct phases: (1) initial content acquisition via cellular/satellite links to portable loaders, and (2) subsequent local distribution to multiple aircraft. This segmentation allows frequent fleet-wide updates by reusing the initial download investment across multiple aircraft, thereby reducing operational expenses while maintaining high update frequency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system recovers value from each content download by distributing it to multiple aircraft through portable loaders. Instead of discarding the investment in a single cellular/satellite download, the system maximizes its utility by propagating the content across the fleet, effectively recovering costs through repeated use of the same downloaded content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS11172240B2Content loading through ad-hoc wireless networks between aircraft on the ground

Publication Date: 2021.11.09 PANASONIC AVIONICS CORP

AI summary

A content distribution apparatus onboard a vehicle periodically travelling within direct communicative range of other content distribution apparatuses onboard respective other vehicles has a storage interface to a local content data repository, and a mesh network interface establishing mesh network data communications links with the content distribution apparatuses. A comparator is in communication with the local content data repository over the storage interface, and a missing content segments list is generated by the comparator based upon an evaluation of a master content list against a local inventory of the segments of content data. The missing content data is retrieved from one or more upstream source content distribution apparatuses over a first mesh network data communications link. The content data in the local inventory is also transmitted to a downstream requestor content distribution apparatus over a second mesh network data communications link.