Patent ID: 9143807
Filing Date: 2015-09-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A communications system for an aircraft comprising: at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger within an aircraft, the at least PED comprising a PED display, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller for generating a respective registration token image on said PED display, and for communicating via said PED wireless transceiver; an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system comprising at least one IFE video entertainment source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, a respective fixed IFE optical sensor associated with each of said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays for sensing the respective registration token image being displayed on said PED display, at least one IFE wireless transceiver to wirelessly communicate within the aircraft, and at least one IFE controller for selectively displaying video from said at least one IFE entertainment source on said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, and for directly communicating within the aircraft with said PED wireless transceiver via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver based upon the respective fixed IFE optical sensor sensing the respective registration token image being displayed on said PED display; said at least one PED being registered with said aircraft IFE system and assigned to the IFE passenger seat display having the respective fixed IFE optical sensor associated therewith that sensed the displayed respective registration token image, said PED wireless transceiver communicating directly with said at least one IFE wireless transceiver upon registration.