Mesh network based automated upload of content to aircraft
The Automated Content Upload System networks a plurality of aircraft together when they are parked at the gates of an airport. Communications among the aircraft are guided by a Content Manager, resident at or near the airport, which maintains data representative of InFlight Entertainment Content presently stored on each aircraft and the list of scheduled InFlight Entertainment Content available on each aircraft. The Content Manager guides the exchange of InFlight Entertainment Content among the aircraft, as well as from the Content Manager to the aircraft, to automatically distribute InFlight Entertainment Content to the aircraft efficiently and timely. This process includes the ability to multicast data from the Content Manager to multiple aircraft in a single transmission, obtaining content delivery efficiency, populating multiple aircraft via a single transmission from the Content Manager. Furthermore, the Content Manager can supplement this process via transmissions to the aircraft in flight over the Air-To-Ground link.
1. A system for delivering content to a vehicle, the system comprising:
a terrestrial content manager storing vehicle content data for distribution to a plurality of vehicles; and
a vehicle content network manager included in a first node of a wireless network, the vehicle content network manager being resident on a vehicle included in the plurality of vehicles, and the vehicle content network manager for:
obtaining, from a wireless personal communication device while the wireless personal communication device is temporarily on-board the vehicle, a first portion of the vehicle content data stored at the terrestrial content manager, the first portion of the vehicle content data loaded onto the wireless personal communication device for distribution, and the wireless personal communication device being a second node of the wireless network;
obtaining at least a second portion of the vehicle content data stored at the terrestrial content manager from one or more other nodes of the wireless network, the one or more other nodes including at least one of: another vehicle content network manager resident on another vehicle, or the terrestrial content manager; and
storing, into a content memory on-board the vehicle, the vehicle content data for distribution by the vehicle content network manager to respective wireless personal communication devices operated by respective passengers on-board the vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first portion of the vehicle content data or the at least the second portion of the vehicle content data is obtained based on a comparison of vehicle content data presently stored on-board the vehicle and vehicle content data scheduled to be stored on-board the vehicle.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first portion of the vehicle content data or the at least the second portion of the vehicle content data is obtained based on a distribution priority of the first portion of the vehicle content data with respect to a distribution priority of another portion of the vehicle content data.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least the second portion of the vehicle content data is obtained via a multicast from the one or more other nodes.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless personal communication device is an authenticated wireless personal communication device.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle content network manager is further for transferring at least some of the vehicle content data stored in the content memory to at least one other node of the wireless network.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the vehicle content data is relayed from another node of the wireless network by the wireless personal communication device to the vehicle content network manager for loading into the content memory.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the vehicle content data is stored at the wireless personal communication device prior to the wireless personal communication device being temporarily on-board the vehicle.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the vehicle content data is relayed from another node of the wireless network by the vehicle content network manager to the wireless personal communication device and/or to at least one of the one or more nodes of the wireless network.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the vehicle content data is obtained by the vehicle content network manager while the vehicle is in flight.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless personal communication device is operated by a crew member of the vehicle.
12. A method for delivering content to a vehicle included in a plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:
obtaining, at a vehicle content network manager resident on the vehicle from a wireless personal communication device temporarily on-board the vehicle, a first portion of vehicle content data stored at a terrestrial content manager, the vehicle content network manager being a first node of a wireless network, the wireless personal communication device being a second node of the wireless network, the vehicle content data stored at the terrestrial content manager for distribution from the terrestrial content manager to the plurality of vehicles, and the first portion of the vehicle content data loaded onto the wireless personal communication device for distribution;
obtaining, at the vehicle content network manager from one or more other nodes of the wireless network, at least a second portion of the vehicle content data stored at the terrestrial content manager, the one or more other nodes including at least one of: another vehicle content network manager resident on another vehicle, or the terrestrial content manager; and
distributing, by the vehicle content network manager, respective one or more portions of the vehicle content data to respective wireless personal communication devices operated by respective passengers on-board the vehicle.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of obtaining the first portion of the vehicle content data or obtaining the at least the second portion of the vehicle content data is based on a comparison of vehicle content data presently stored on-board the vehicle and vehicle content data scheduled to be stored on-board the vehicle.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of obtaining the first portion of the vehicle content data or obtaining the at least the portion of the second portion of the vehicle content data is based on a distribution priority of the first portion of the vehicle content data with respect to a distribution priority of another portion of the vehicle content data.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein obtaining the at least the second portion of the vehicle content data comprises obtaining the at least the second portion of the second vehicle content data via a multicast from the one or more other nodes.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wireless personal communication device is an authenticated wireless personal communication device.
17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
storing the vehicle content data at a content memory on-board the vehicle; and
transferring, by the vehicle content network manager to at least one other node of the wireless network, at least some of the vehicle content data stored in the content memory.
18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising relaying, by the vehicle content network manager from another node of the wireless network, to the wireless personal communication device and/or to at least one of the one or more nodes of the wireless network, at least some of the vehicle content data.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of:
obtaining the first portion of the vehicle content data comprises obtaining the first portion of the vehicle content data while the vehicle is in flight; or
obtaining the at least the second portion of the vehicle content data comprises obtaining the at least the second portion of the vehicle content data while the vehicle is in flight.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wireless personal communication device is operated by a crew member of the vehicle.