Patent ID: 11926423
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  A  F  H | IPC A  B  F  H

Claim 14:
15. An aircraft, comprising:
an air duct system, comprising:
an air duct having a main body, wherein the main body of the air duct defines a passageway having a reflective inner surface;
a visible light source configured to generate visible light, wherein the visible light source directs the visible light along the reflective inner surface of the air duct;
one or more control modules in electronic communication with the visible light source, wherein the one or more control modules instruct the visible light source to modulate the visible light based on a visible light communication protocol, and wherein the visible light is a medium for transmitting data;
one or more light-transmitting elements, wherein each light-transmitting element is placed within a corresponding aperture disposed along the main body of the air duct, and wherein a first portion of the visible light exits the air duct through one of the corresponding apertures to provide the data;
one or more photovoltaic devices disposed along the reflective inner surface of the air duct; and
one or more corresponding electronic devices that are each electrically connected to one of the one or more photovoltaic devices, wherein a second portion of the visible light impinges against one of the one or more photovoltaic devices and is converted into electrical power provided to one of the corresponding electronic devices.