In-Flight Virtual Avatars for Private Passenger Interaction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing in-flight entertainment systems lack secure and interactive platforms for passengers to communicate and interact with each other anonymously, limiting social engagement and entertainment options.

Innovation Solution

An in-flight shared virtual environment system that allows passengers to interact via virtual avatars with customizable anonymity levels, enabling secure and immersive interactions, and data logs are purged after the journey.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If passengers use personal electronic devices for entertainment, then entertainment options increase, but security and privacy risks worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveentertainment optionsVSAvoidsecurity and privacy risks

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary in-flight entertainment system that mediates between passengers' personal electronic devices and the aircraft environment. This system provides a secure, controlled platform for entertainment and communication that isolates direct device-to-device interactions, thereby maintaining entertainment versatility while mitigating security and privacy risks through centralized management and filtering

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If passengers interact anonymously via avatars, then social engagement increases, but data privacy challenges worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesocial engagementVSAvoiddata privacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs avatar copies or representations of passengers instead of using actual passenger data for social interactions. These virtual avatars serve as copies that enable anonymous social engagement while the system maintains control over the data lifecycle, ensuring that real passenger information is not exposed during interactions and can be securely managed or deleted afterward

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If data logs are retained for security monitoring, then security oversight improves, but data retention requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity oversightVSAvoiddata retention period

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a data retention strategy where interaction data and logs are automatically discarded after a predetermined period following the flight. This approach maintains security oversight during the flight and for a limited period afterward, then systematically removes the data to minimize long-term storage requirements and privacy risks, balancing security needs with data minimization principles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentEP4460056B1Security-oriented virtual environment for in-flight passenger interactions

Publication Date: 2026.03.11 PANASONIC AVIONICS CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

Technical solutions are described that enable passengers on a commercial passenger vehicle interact with each other during a trip using their electronic devices by communicating using an on-board communication platform. The platform can provide an in-flight shared virtual environment or world that is accessible and traversable by passengers and that includes real-world and/or virtual for passengers to consume. Passengers can create or use virtual avatars to preserve anonymity and privacy while interacting and communicating with others within the in-flight shared virtual environment or world. Data records/logs capturing cross-passenger interactions or communications within the in-flight shared virtual environment can be purged after the vehicle's flight.