Wireless Avionics Data Bridge for In-Flight Entertainment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current in-flight passenger entertainment systems lack an interface with aircraft systems, preventing the transmission of data and control commands, such as muting audio/video during announcements, receiving flight data, or controlling reading lights, which limits their functionality.
Innovation Solution
A modular system comprising three parts: (a) interfacing with avionics buses, (b) adapting and processing data with security functions, and (c) transmitting data wirelessly via protocols like WiFi, allowing integration with aircraft systems and passenger devices, while being configurable for different aircraft and suppliers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a stand-alone portable server device is used for in-flight entertainment, then the system is autonomous and can be battery-powered, but it cannot interface with aircraft systems to send or receive data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless communication module as an intermediary between the portable server and aircraft systems. This module enables data exchange without requiring direct physical integration, allowing the autonomous portable server to communicate with aircraft systems (e.g., for PA announcements, flight data, camera feeds) while maintaining its standalone nature and avoiding complex system integration
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless communication module is designed to support multiple communication protocols and interfaces, enabling it to work with different aircraft systems (avionics buses, discrete systems, camera systems, lighting systems) and different portable devices simultaneously, thus providing universal adaptability without increasing complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If the portable server is completely autonomous with no aircraft interface, then the device complexity is reduced, but functionality is limited (cannot mute/pause during PA, receive flight data, control lights)
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into independent functional modules: the autonomous portable server, the wireless communication module, and various aircraft system interfaces. Each module performs its specific function independently, allowing the portable server to maintain its simplicity while the wireless module handles all aircraft system communications, thus achieving functionality integration without increasing overall device complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If modular design is implemented to comply with different aircraft families and avionics data buses, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless communication module is designed with universal multi-functionality, supporting multiple avionics data bus protocols (ARINC 429, AFDX, Ethernet, discrete systems) and different aircraft families through software configuration rather than hardware changes. This allows a single modular unit to adapt to various aircraft systems without requiring multiple specialized components, thus achieving compatibility while minimizing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for wireless distribution of aircraft data, avionics parameters or control commands between a standardized aircraft interface point and other systems, including a portable in-flight entertainment (IFE) server. The system comprises an aircraft data system with avionics buses for carrying at least one of aircraft data, avionics parameters or control commands. A first module is configured to directly interface with the avionics buses, in order to read/write data. A second module is configured to combine/adapt the data and generate signals of the combined/adapted data. A third module is configured to transmit the signals from the second module via wireless standard protocols towards the portable IFE server. The IFE server is configured to receive the signals from the third module.