IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,528,598
Granted Patent B2
US 12,528,598 · App. 18/659,724 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Programmable lighting methods and systems for a removable peripheral bar

Inventors: David Diaz (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA); Steven Christopher Vazquez (Chino, CA); Yoshimi Yamamoto (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA); Sebastian Petry (Seattle, WA); Mehdi Izadyar (Trabuco Canyon, CA); Nicholas Ma (San Marcos, CA); Omar Lopez Cisneros (Norco, CA)
Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation
B64D47/02B60K35/10B60K35/22B60K35/50B60K35/60B64D11/0015G06F13/10G08B5/36H04L67/12B64D2203/00H05B47/175
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,528,598
App. No.
18/659,724
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Innovative peripheral bar assembly for a transportation vehicle is provided. One method includes transmitting, by a processor of a seat device of an aircraft coupled to a peripheral bar assembly having a plurality of programmable light sources, one or more commands to the peripheral bar assembly to operate one or more of the light sources; and operating, by the peripheral bar assembly, the one or more light sources, in response to the one or more commands to indicate non-verbal communication associated with the aircraft.

Claims (31)

1 . A method, comprising:

retrieving, by a processor of a seat device of an aircraft coupled to a removable, peripheral bar assembly having a plurality of programmable light sources, configuration information to operate the plurality of light sources;

generating, by the processor of the seat device, one or more commands based on the configuration information, the one or more commands for operating one or more light sources of the plurality of light sources; and

transmitting, by the processor of the seat device, the one or more commands to the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources based on the one or more commands to indicate non-verbal communication based on one or more pre-defined communication protocols indicating a seat-by-seat status on the aircraft.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources to indicate an airline preferred sequence defining an airline brand.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to update operation of the one or more light sources based on a flight status.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources based on a passenger preference.

5 . The method claim 1 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to modify operation of the one or more light sources based on a passenger activity.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the passenger activity is one of playing a video game, sleeping, waking up, watching media content or using the seat device for shopping.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is based on at least one of a passenger preference or passenger data of a passenger associated with the seat device.

8 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions comprising machine executable code which when executed by at least one machine, causes the machine to:

retrieve, by a processor of a seat device of an aircraft coupled to a removable, peripheral bar assembly having a plurality of programmable light sources, configuration information to operate the plurality of light sources;

generate, by the processor of the seat device, one or more commands based on the configuration information, the one or more commands for operating one or more light sources of the plurality of light sources; and

transmit, by the processor of the seat device, the one or more commands to the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources based on the one or more commands to indicate non-verbal communication based on one or more pre-defined communication protocols indicating a seat-by-seat status on the aircraft.

9 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources to indicate an airline preferred sequence defining an airline brand.

10 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to update operation of the one or more light sources based on a flight status.

11 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources based on a passenger preference.

12 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to modify operation of the one or more light sources based on a passenger activity.

13 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the passenger activity is one of playing a video game, sleeping, waking up, watching media content or using the seat device for shopping.

14 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the configuration information is based on at least one of a passenger preference or passenger data of a passenger associated with the seat device.

15 . A system, comprising:

a memory of a seat device of an aircraft containing non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising machine executable code having stored thereon instructions; and

a processor of the seat device coupled to the memory, the seat device coupled to a peripheral bar assembly having a microcontroller and a plurality of programmable light sources, the processor configured to execute the machine executable code to:

retrieve configuration information to operate the plurality of light sources;

generate one or more commands based on the configuration information, the one or more commands for operating one or more light sources of the plurality of light sources; and

transmit the one or more commands to the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources based on the one or more commands to indicate non-verbal communication based on one or more pre-defined communication protocols indicating a seat-by-seat status on the aircraft.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources to indicate an airline preferred sequence defining an airline brand.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to update operation of the one or more light sources based on a flight status.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to operate the one or more light sources based on a passenger preference.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the peripheral bar assembly to modify operation of the one or more light sources based on a passenger activity.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the passenger activity is one of playing a video game, sleeping, waking up, watching media content or using the seat device for shopping.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2024
From: DIAZ, DAVID; VAZQUEZ, STEVEN CHRISTOPHER; YAMAMOTO, YOSHIMI; PETRY, SEBASTIAN; IZADYAR, MEHDI; MA, NICHOLAS; CISNEROS, OMAR LOPEZ
To: PANASONIC AVIONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067366/0343 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17940875 · Sep 8, 2022
Continuation In Part 17742681 · May 12, 2022
Related Publication 20240294268A1 · Sep 5, 2024
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