Wireless transmission of information between seats in a mobile platform using magnetic resonance energy

Abstract

A system and method for communicating audio or video information using inductive magnetic coupling between first and second adjacent seats on a mobile platform. A transceiver is located on the first seat and receives signals from an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system on the mobile platform. The transceiver passes the data on to a transmitter subsystem that generates low power inductive magnetic energy which is received by a receiver subsystem located on the second seat. The low power inductive magnetic energy is converted to electrical signals at the second seat and the information is output to a receiver unit of the receiver subsystem on the second seat. The receiver unit generates an output signal that is applied to an audio jack associated with a personal control unit (PCU) located on the second seat. This system and method enables audio content to be transmitted from the first seat to the second seat in wireless fashion while video content is displayed on a video display unit at the first seat, without affecting the synchronization of the audio signals to the video signals. The low power nature of the inductive magnetic energy, and its rapid falloff with distance from the transmitter, allow channels to be reused at spaced apart seat locations within the mobile platform.

1 . A system for supplying wireless audio signals from a first seat within a structure to a second seat within the structure, in a manner so that the wireless audio signals received by a user at the second seat are synchronized with video signals present on a video display unit that the user is viewing, the video display unit being associated with the first seat, the audio and video signals cooperatively forming information content being viewed and listened to by the user, the system comprising:
 a transmitter subsystem supported from said first seat and generating an inductive magnetic signal representative of audio information input into said transmitter subsystem; and   a receiver subsystem supported from said second seat located adjacent said first seat, the receiver subsystem operating to receive said inductive magnetic signal and to convert said inductive magnetic signal back into an audio information signal for use by said user in said second seat, and such that use of both said audio and video signals are received at the first seat, while said inductive magnetic signal enables said audio signals to be forwarded as wireless audio information to said second seat to at least substantially eliminate latency between the audio and video signals when presenting said information content to the user.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said receiver subsystem includes a jack for enabling said user to interface an electronic component to said receiver subsystem to receive said audio information signal. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic component comprises a personal headset for converting said audio information signal into an audio signal. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency RF transceiver for receiving wireless RF signals from a wireless signal source, the RF signals comprising both audio and video information. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the wireless signal source comprises:
 a network server;   a local area network (LAN) in communication with the network server; and   a wireless access point in communication with the LAN, the wireless access point being disposed in proximity to the first and second seats, the wireless access point generating the wireless RF signals to the RF transceiver.   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said video display unit is positioned on a seatback portion thereof so as to be viewable by said user seated in said second seat. 
   
   
       7 . A system for transmitting low power, wireless audio information from a first seat on a mobile platform, to a second seat positioned adjacent the first seat, so that said audio information presented to a user seated in the second seat is synchronized in time with video information being presented to a video display unit associated with the first seat, and where the video and audio information cooperatively form information content that is able to be viewed and listened to by said user, the system comprising:
 a transmitter subsystem located on said first seat for generating a low power, encoded inductive magnetic signal representative of the audio information, and transmitting said encoded inductive magnetic signal therefrom; and   a receiver subsystem located on said second seat for receiving said inductive magnetic signal, and decoding said inductive magnetic signal back into an audio signal to be used by said user of said second seat, and such that both said audio and video information to is received at the first seat, while enabling said audio information to be forwarded as said inductive magnetic signal in wireless form to said second seat to at least one of substantially and entirely eliminate latency between the audio signal being listened to by the user and the video information being presented on the video display unit; and   a component in communication with said receiver subsystem for enabling an audio listening device used by said user to be interfaced to said receiver subsystem.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said component comprises a jack for enabling said user to couple an audio headset to said receiver subsystem. 
   
   
       9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said first seat is located in a first seat row on said mobile platform, and said second seat is located in a second seat row immediately behind said first seat. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said mobile platform comprises a commercial aircraft. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for receiving RF information content from a wireless access point on said mobile platform, said information content including both of said video and audio information. 
   
   
       13 . A method for communicating audio information received at a first seat on a structure to a second seat on the structure located adjacent the first seat to synchronize the audio information being presented at the second seat with video information being displayed from a video display unit at the first seat, the method comprising:
 from the first seat, generating inductive magnetic signals representative of said audio information and radiating said inductive magnetic signals toward the second seat;   at the second seat, receiving said inductive magnetic signals and converting said inductive magnetic signals back into said audio information; and   providing a component for enabling a user of said second seat to listen to said audio information, and such that both the audio and video information is able to be received at the first seat, while said audio information is wirelessly communicated to said second seat without introducing latency between said video information and said audio information when the audio information is played for the user using the component while the user is seated at the second seat.   
   
   
       14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein providing a component for enabling said user to listen to said audio information comprises providing an audio jack on said second seat for enabling said occupant to interface a personal audio headset to said audio jack. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising locating said first seat in a first seat row, and locating said second seat in a second seat row located immediately behind said first seat row such that second seat is located immediately behind said first seat. 
   
   
       17 . A system for supplying wireless audio signals from a first seat within a first row of seats within a mobile platform to a second seat with an adjacent second row of seats within the mobile platform, the system comprising:
 a video display unit located at said first seat for displaying video information for viewing by a user seated in said second seat;   a transmitter subsystem supported from said first seat and generating an inductive magnetic signal representative of audio information input into said transmitter subsystem, said audio information being related to said video information so that the audio information and the video information cooperatively form information content for viewing and listening by the user;   a receiver subsystem supported from said second seat located adjacent said first seat, the receiver subsystem operating to receive said inductive magnetic signal and to convert said inductive magnetic signal into an audio signal for use by a user seated in said second seat, and such that both the video and audio information is able to be received at the first seat to enable latency between the video information and the audio signal to be one of substantially reduced and eliminated when the audio signal is presented to the user while the user is seated at the second seat.