Aircraft seat with shared control architecture
The invention essentially concerns an aircraft seat, comprising control units, at least one node to execute a particular action or function, and a display for viewing video data. The node and the display are capable of being actuated by the control units. A keyboard for transmitting a command signal addressed to the control units is connected to the control units. The control units are shared between the display, the keyboard and the node.
1. A passenger seat comprising:
a. a video screen; and
b. a control unit (i) configured to control operation of the video screen, (ii) comprising a local data memory configured to store audio and/or video data, and (iii) comprising means for communicating with a network bus so as to receive audio and/or video data from a remote data memory.
2. A passenger seat according to claim 1 in which the communicating means allows the control unit to send audio and/or video data to a remote data memory.
3. A passenger seat according to claim 2 in which the communicating means allows the control unit to receive audio and/or video data from, and to send audio and/or video data to, remote data memories included in control units of other passenger seats.
4. A passenger seat according to claim 1 configured for placement in an aircraft and further comprising:
a. a seat back having a rear face in which the video screen is located;
b. a seat bottom; and
c. means, comprising a base having a plurality of fastening legs, for attaching the seat bottom to a floor of the aircraft.
5. A passenger seating arrangement comprising:
a. a first seat comprising a first video screen and a first control unit (i) configured to control operation of the first video screen and (ii) comprising a first local data memory configured to store audio and/or video data;
b. a second seat comprising a second video screen and a second control unit (i) configured to control operation of the second video screen and (ii) comprising a second local data memory configured to store audio and/or video data; and
c. a network bus communicating with the first and second control units.
6. A passenger seating arrangement according to claim 5 in which the first control unit communicates with the second local data memory so as to retrieve audio and/or video data therefrom for storage in the first local data memory.
7. A passenger seating arrangement according to claim 6 in which the first control unit retrieves audio and/or video data from the second local data memory when corresponding audio and/or video data in the first local data memory is unavailable for presentation on the first video screen.
8. A passenger seating arrangement according to claim 7 in which the first and second seats are attached to a floor of an aircraft.
9. A control unit for a passenger seat having a video screen, the control unit:
a. configured to control operation of the video screen;
b. comprising a local data memory configured to store audio and/or video data; and
c. comprising means for communicating with a network bus so as to receive audio and/or video data from a remote data memory.