Avicom International, Inc.

Hughes Aircraft Company

Other

Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Hughes-avicom International, Inc.

Dickey J Berry

Richard A Bertagna

Dwight G Westover

Richard E Sklar

Joseph Renton

Jim C Williams

Ralph P Phillipp

Lawrence E Girard

Marilee G Berry

David C Frankenbach

A vehicle entertainment system distributes an executable program in more than one channel of a modulated RF signal by using a plurality of download lines provided between the system file server and the RF modulator. The multiple download lines permit a passenger seat that missed the time window for downloading an executable program to request and download the executable program even before the first download has completed. The multiple download lines also permit downloads of different executable programs to take place at the same time. The vehicle entertainment system further includes a dedicated download processor and a buffer. The dedicated download processor is provided to reduce the processing load of the file server processor, in particular, to take over the task of generating a continuous stream of data responsive to a download request and supplying them to the RF modulator. The buffer provides the dedicated download processor an area where previously retrieved executable program may be stored for subsequent fast access.

Vehicle entertainment system having multiple download channels

A system that provides live television programming to passengers by integrating direct broadcast satellite services into an in-flight aircraft entertainment system. The present invention is a satellite television system that has an antenna disposed on the aircraft that is pointed at a plurality of satellites that are part of a direct broadcast satellite system. The antenna is controlled by an antenna controller and antenna interface unit that send control signals and process status signals to steer the antenna. The antenna is steered to lock it onto RF signals transmitted by the satellites. The antenna interface unit downconverts the received RF signals to provide left hand circularly polarized RF signals and right hand circularly polarized RF signals that contain different sets of television channels. The downconverted RF signals are processed by a receiver/decoder that decodes them to provide video signals corresponding to different television channels. The video signals for the different channels are routed to an video and audio distribution system on the aircraft which distributes live television programming to the passengers. A low-cost single channel receiver/decoder version of the system is also disclosed that provides a single channel of television programming to overhead monitors in an aircraft.

Aircraft satellite television system for distributing television

A video monitor or terminal (14,80) is provided in front of each passenger seat in an aircraft or other vehicle. Each terminal (14,80) includes a video display screen (22) which may be mounted in a seatback (16) or bulkhead facing the respective seat, or at the end of a pivotable swing arm (92) extending from the armrest console (84) of the seat. A transparent touch panel (24) overlies the screen (22) and has a plurality of touch sensitive areas for generating discrete electrical selection signals when touched. A computing unit including a text generator (30) displays visual prompts corresponding to passenger-selectable operations on the screen (22) underlying predetermined pressure sensitive areas of the touch panel (24). The operations may include selection of a multiplexed video channel for viewing, control of an individual video tape player (86), ordering of food, drinks and catalog merchandise and placing of telephone calls. A credit card reader (36) may be provided for payment for ordered items. An electronic control unit (28,94) is responsive to the selection signals from the panel (22), and controls the video terminal (14,80) to perform the operations corresponding thereto.

Entertainment and data management system for passenger vehicle including

An upright wall mountable or portable computer terminal (10) includes a keyboard (16) which can be moved to a number of locked positions, including stowed (flat) for fingerpoking, extended out in a typing position, lowered, angled and flipped over with the keyboard (16) inside. The keyboard (16) is supported by a mechanism (20) which extends from a frame (22) of the terminal (10) and includes a shaft (40) which rotatably supports an upper edge portion of the keyboard (16). Rack and pinion units (24) rotatably support the ends (40a) of the shaft (40) and enable rotation and up and down movement of the shaft (40) and thereby the keyboard (16) without skewing. A spring loaded latch (70) enables the keyboard (16) to be locked in a desired position with overforce breakaway.

Computer terminal including multi-position attached keyboard

Transaction monitoring and security control system for the sale and

A transaction monitoring and security system records data from the sale of articles and provides security for inventor and sales receipts. The system includes container for storing articles to be distributed, and computer-controlled locking system for controlling access to the articles. The initial inventory of articles stored in the container is bar-coded, and the bar code data provide a digital data record of articles stored and locked in the container. A central computing unit (CCU) includes a housing with locked compartments for receiving and storing a plurality of hand-held portable transaction monitoring units (PTMU's) used to record transaction data from the sale of articles in the container. Each PTMU contains a microprocessor and data storage for communicating with the CCU and with memory in the cart. The PTMU off-loads a digital data record of the inventory of articles stored in the container. A computer-controlled locking system permits removal of articles from the container only in response to a coded input from the PTMU. Transactions involving each article removed from the container for sale and distribution are recorded in the PTMU. After sales transactions are completed, data from the PTMU are off-loaded to the CCU by the PTMU. The PTMU can include a rotatable turret and bar code reading lens with an isolated amplifier inside the turret for amplifying signals generated by the read head for coupling to the microprocessor in the PTMU housing. Electrical shielding in the turret protects the amplifier from receiving interference signals from the electromics in the PTMU.

Portable transaction monitoring unit for transaction monitoring and

A configurable carrying bag includes a main panel of flexible material and at least one elongated pocket-forming panel of flexible material, overlying and extending across a portion of the main panel. The pocket-forming panel is permanently affixed to the main panel to form an elongated main pocket extending between the overlying panels and extending across the width of the carrying bag, with an elongated opening to the interior of the main pocket extending laterally across the carrying bag. A row of pin eyes closely spaced apart, are affixed adjacent to and are mutually spaced apart along the opening to the main pocket. A plurality of spring clips are each adapted for releasable attachment to the pin eyes, and each clip is selectably movable from a corresponding pin eye between an in-use position and an unused position. In the in-use position, each spring clip is inserted into a selected pin eye to releasably secure the pocket-forming panel to the main panel to form separate, reconfigurable dividers at intervals along the main pocket for configuring the main pocket into smaller pockets of selected width. This provides a way to reconfigure the width of the smaller pockets for matching articles of various sizes. The carrying bag can include a main panel having a flap portion extending away from the pockets for securing the closed carrying bag in a roll-up configuration.

Roll-up carrying bag with adjustable compartments

A controlled access storage system provides for selectively permitting custodial access to valuable items that can be stored in a safe within the system. The system provides an item-removal mode of operation during which a record member is used to gain access to stored valuable items and is captured until an ensuing item-replacement mode of operation.

Growing community of inventors

La Verne, CA, United States of America

Dickey J Berry