Fiber-to-the-seat (FTTS) fiber distribution system
View Patent ↗A modular, scalable, extensible, In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) data communication system is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises a hub providing connection between one or more server/switch line replaceable unit including at least one server and a plurality of passenger video display units. A server, such as, for example, an audio server, a video server, an audio/video server, a game server, an application server, a file server, etc., provides data (e.g., entertainment programming, internet file data, etc.) to the video display unit. In one embodiment, the connection between the plurality of server/switch line replacement units, the hub and the plurality of video display units is provided by passive fiber optic links.
1. A passenger entertainment system comprising:
one or more integrated server/switch units;
one or more trunk line to head-end cable assemblies having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end has a number, P, of cable terminations and said second end has a number, Q, of cable terminations, wherein the first end is provided to at least one of the one or more integrated server/switch units;
one or more trunk line disconnect assemblies having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end has Q connectors that substantially mate with the number, Q, of cable terminations on the second end of the trunk line to head-end cable assemblies;
one or more trunk line to seat group disconnect assemblies having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of the trunk line to seat group disconnect assembly is substantially joined to the second end of the trunk line disconnect assembly by one or more trunk line cable assemblies;
one or more seat group disconnect assemblies having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the seat group disconnect assembly is substantially joined to the second end of the trunk line to seat group disconnect assembly by one or more trunk line to seat group disconnect cable assemblies;
a number, N, of seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies, each of said seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end substantially provides connection with the second end of at least one seat group disconnect assembly; and
a plurality of integrated video display units, each of the integrated video display units being substantially joined with the second end of one of the seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies,
wherein each of the integrated video display units has an individual communicative link with one of the integrated server/switch units via:
one of the trunk line to head-end cable assemblies,
one of the trunk line disconnect assemblies,
one of the trunk line cable assemblies,
one of the trunk line to seat group disconnect assemblies,
one of the trunk line to seat group disconnect cable assemblies,
one of the seat group disconnect assemblies, and
one of the seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies,
wherein each video display unit comprises a video display, a video display unit transceiver, a processor module, and one or more user input modules, and
wherein each video display unit receives entertainment data from one of the integrated server/switch units via the individual communicative link.
2. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to be used in a mode of transporting people.
3. The passenger entertainment system of claim 2 , wherein said number, Q, of cable terminations on the second end of the trunk line to head-end cable assembly is less than or equal to the number of seats in the mode of transporting people.
4. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more trunk line to head-end cable assemblies substantially joins to said one or more integrated server/switch units through said first end of the trunk line to head-end cable assemblies.
5. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more trunk line to head-end cable assemblies comprises a passive fiber optic network.
6. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies comprises a passive fiber optic network.
7. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said number, P, of cable terminations on the first end of the trunk line to head-end cable assembly is greater than or equal to 1.
8. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said number, Q, of cable terminations on the first end of the trunk line to head-end cable assembly is greater than or equal to the number, P, of cable terminations on the first end of the trunk line to server cable assembly.
9. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the number, N, of the seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies is greater than or equal to 1.
10. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the number, N, of the seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies is between 1 and 10.
11. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , further comprising a fiber-optic junction box configured to provide a fiber signal path from said one or more integrated server/switch units to one or more video display units,
wherein said one or more integrated server/switch units are joined to said fiber-optic junction box through one or more server link cable assemblies, and
wherein said one or more trunk line to head-end cable assemblies substantially joins to said fiber-optic junction box through said first end of the trunk line to head-end cable assemblies.
12. The passenger entertainment system of claim 11 , wherein the fiber-optic junction box is further configured to provide a fiber signal path between two or more integrated server/switch units provided to said fiber-optic junction box with server link cable assemblies.
13. The passenger entertainment system of claim 11 , wherein each of said one or more video display units is substantially joined to one of the integrated server/switch units through a passive fiber optic network, the junction box and a server link cable assembly.
14. The passenger entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more video display units are provided with fiber disconnects.
15. The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein each of the integrated server/switch units further comprises:
an application server further comprising at least one of:
a video server;
an audio server;
a game server;
a file server; and
a passenger flight information system.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the entertainment data is communicated directly from the server/switch unit to the respective integrated video display unit.
17. A method of distributing information in connection with passenger entertainment system, said method comprising;
marshalling information in an integrated server/switch unit;
transporting information from said integrated server/switch unit to one or more trunk line disconnect assemblies over one or more trunk line to head-end cable assemblies;
transporting information from said one or more trunk line disconnect assemblies to one or more trunk line to seat group disconnect assemblies over one or more trunk line cable assemblies;
transporting information from said one or more trunk line to seat group disconnect assemblies to one or more seat group disconnect assemblies over one or more trunk line to seat group disconnect cable assemblies; and
transporting information from said one or more seat group disconnect assemblies to one or more video display units over one or more seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies,
wherein each of the one or more video display units has an individual communicative link with the integrated server/switch unit via:
one of the trunk line to head-end cable assemblies,
one of the trunk line disconnect assemblies,
one of the trunk line cable assemblies,
one of the trunk line to seat group disconnect assemblies,
one of the trunk line to seat group disconnect cable assemblies,
one of the seat group disconnect assemblies, and
one of the seat group disconnect to video display unit cable assemblies,
wherein each video display unit comprises a video display, a video display unit transceiver, a processor module, and one or more user input modules.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the information is transported directly from the server/switch unit to the video display unit.