Patent ID: 7483696
Filing Date: 2009-01-27
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A cellular wireless in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for use in an aircraft for delivering data and programming to passengers in a plurality of seats said cellular wireless network comprising: a head end server for providing the data and the programming; a plurality of cells each of said cells comprising: a wireless access point/configurable antenna connected to the head end server to receive the data and the programming said wireless access point/configurable antenna disposed at an optimum selected location in a passenger cabin, operating at a predetermined repeatable frequency, and having a predetermined radiation pattern and a predetermined polarization to provide the programming; and one or more wireless seat displays located at seats in the cell for receiving the programming from the wireless access point/configurable antenna; wherein a passenger logs in to identify placement of the wireless seat display at an identified seat within the plurality of seats, said wireless seat display generating and sending a control protocol message over control and data lines, said control protocol message having a position location number associated with the identified seat; and wherein the head end server receives the position location number associated with the identified seat and reads the seat number and re-assigns a communications channel of the wireless seat display located with the identified seat to tune to a best coverage wireless access point/configurable antenna located in the aircraft near the wireless seat display.