In-Flight Entertainment Personalization via Passenger Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-flight entertainment systems fail to curate electronic content and services in a user-centric manner, relying on generalized box office ratings, TV ratings, and usage data, which do not adequately address the diversity of passenger preferences.
Innovation Solution
An in-flight entertainment system that utilizes a content and service curation controller to receive both objective and subjective passenger information, generating personalized content and service recommendations by combining environmental and passenger-specific data, allowing for real-time adjustments during flights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If content is selected for IFE systems based on box office ratings, TV ratings, and usage data, then a standardized content library can be provided across the fleet, but the system fails to address the diversity of individual passenger preferences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content selection process into multiple independent components: objective information (usage data, box office ratings), subjective information (passenger surveys, preferences), and contextual information (flight duration, route). Each component is processed separately and then integrated to create personalized content recommendations, allowing the system to handle individual preferences without requiring complete system redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and analyzing passenger preference data before the flight begins. Surveys are administered during booking or check-in, and historical usage data is pre-processed to establish baseline preferences. This preliminary preparation enables rapid content curation once the passenger is onboard, resolving the contradiction by preparing personalization data in advance rather than requiring complex real-time analysis
2Measurement precision
If the IFE system collects and processes both objective and subjective passenger information to generate personalized recommendations, then passenger satisfaction improves, but the system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary components including a dedicated survey system for collecting subjective passenger information, a content curation algorithm that processes both objective and subjective data, and a recommendation engine that integrates multiple data sources. These intermediaries handle the complex data processing tasks, allowing the core IFE system to maintain simplicity while achieving precise personalized recommendations
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by weighting different information sources dynamically. Objective information (usage data) and subjective information (passenger surveys) are assigned different weights based on data quality, relevance, and passenger response patterns. This parameter adjustment allows the system to process diverse data types efficiently while maintaining recommendation precision
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides expanded services beyond electronic content through the IFE system, then passenger service capability increases, but the system's ability to curate services in a user-centric manner remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing the content curation algorithm to handle multiple service types through a unified framework. The same algorithm that curates movies and TV shows also curates food and beverage options, shopping recommendations, and destination information. This multi-functional approach allows the system to provide expanded services while maintaining user-centric curation through a single, easy-to-operate system
Data Source
AI summary
A controller device in communication with service delivery devices of an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system receives objective information associated with an aircraft comprising the aircraft IFE system. The controller device also receives subjective passenger information associated with a passenger of the aircraft. A service is determined to deliver to the passenger during a flight on the aircraft based on the received objective and subjective passenger information. A service delivery device is identified among the service delivery devices of the aircraft that is associated with a seat assigned to the passenger or determined to be operated by the passenger. The controller controls delivery of the determined service to the identified service delivery device.