Field Replaceable Storage Units for In-Flight Entertainment Systems

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) systems face challenges in maintaining access to media content due to network failures and differing storage modalities among devices, leading to inefficiencies in updating and distributing content.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a common storage unit form factor across all devices in the IFE system, using field replaceable storage units (FRSUs) that can be easily swapped and updated, ensuring all devices have access to a complete set of media content, even in the event of failures, and allowing for secure, location-based content access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a centralized distribution network is used to deliver content to media servers and players, then content can be distributed throughout the system, but the system becomes vulnerable to network failures that cause loss of content access

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent distribution capabilityVSAvoidcontent access reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized content distribution system into distributed storage units at each media player and server location. Each node stores complete content sets locally, eliminating the single point of failure in centralized distribution and enabling independent content access at each segment of the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local content storage at each media player and server, giving each local node complete content availability. This local quality ensures that content access does not depend on network connectivity to centralized sources, resolving the vulnerability to network failures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If different storage modalities are used in media servers and players, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but content updates become complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent update efficiencyVSAvoidstorage modality diversity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universal storage interfaces that allow the same content formats and protocols to be used across media servers, media players, and portable devices. This universality enables standardized content updates throughout the system without requiring device-specific conversion processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the content storage and update processes across different device types into a unified system. By using common storage interfaces and protocols, the system combines previously separate update operations into a single standardized process that can update any device type through the same mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Quantity of substance

If content is stored only on centralized servers, then storage capacity can be concentrated, but any server or network failure causes passengers to lose access to their media content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent storage capacityVSAvoidcontent access availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts content from centralized server storage and places complete copies at each media player and portable device. This extraction creates distributed redundancy where content availability is maintained even if centralized servers or network connections fail.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by pre-storing complete content sets at each distributed node before any potential failure occurs. This prior preparation ensures that content access continues uninterrupted during server or network failures, cushioning the system against these disruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Productivity

If specialized storage units are used in media servers, then server performance can be optimized, but spare media players cannot be easily updated when servers are updated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver performanceVSAvoidspare player update ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring spare media players with the same standardized storage interfaces as active players. This allows spare units to be updated in advance using the same processes as operational devices, enabling rapid deployment when needed without requiring specialized server-level updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9015776B2Entertainment systems utilizing field replaceable storage units

Publication Date: 2015.04.21 SAFRAN PASSENGER INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

Vehicular entertainment systems where devices in the systems can each utilize a common type of storage units are presented. A vehicular entertainment system can include a media server head unit in communication over a network with a plurality of media players that are installed about the cabin of a vehicle. Media content can be stored on a plurality of field replaceable storage units where each of the storage units can be installed in any one of the players or the server. Each of the storage units can store a substantially identical content set including passenger content, player content, server content, crew content, or other types of content. The server or players can be restricted from accessing content to which they lack rights, possibly based on a location identifier that indicates roles or responsibilities of the players at their installed location.