Travel Environment Control

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the travel environment for a passenger are described, in which passenger data is obtained from an existing source of stored data, the stored data including information on the passenger's itinerary. One or more sensor inputs are received, providing information on the physiological state of the passenger and/or environmental conditions in the vicinity of the passenger. One or more outputs are provided to control the passenger's travel environment based on the passenger data and the one or more sensor inputs. A system and method of dynamic travel event scheduling is also described, in which a dynamic event schedule is generate based on the retrieved data, the dynamic event schedule including at least one event associated with at least one action output.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for dynamic travel event scheduling, comprising one or more processors configured to:
 retrieve stored data including information relating to a passenger's itinerary, the itinerary including at least one scheduled journey;   generate data defining a dynamic event schedule based on the retrieved data, the dynamic event schedule including at least one event associated with at least one action output; and   during the at least one scheduled journey:
 receive one or more sensor inputs providing information on the physiological state of the passenger and/or environmental conditions in the vicinity of the passenger; 
 identify one or more affected events of the dynamic event schedule based on the received sensor inputs; and 
 provide one or more action outputs to control the passenger's travel environment based on the at least one event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the outputs to control the passenger's travel environment comprise one or more of signals to: control one or more properties of a passenger seat, and control lighting and/or air conditioning above and/or around the passenger's seat. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one event is selected from a set of predefined events including: sleep, wake, stretch, exercise, eat, drink, stay awake, and engage in-flight entertainment. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the sleep and wake events are associated with respective action outputs to automatically control a recline position of the passenger's seat and a lighting level above or around the passenger's seat. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each scheduled events is associated with a respective timing parameter and wherein the system is further operable to update the travel path data by adjusting respective timing parameters of the one or more affected events. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieved data further includes information relating to at least one of the passenger's personal preferences, an in-flight meal schedule, and an automated cabin lighting schedule. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generating data defining a dynamic event schedule is further operable to generate auxiliary data for an event defining the associated action output. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a new event for the dynamic event schedule based on the received sensor inputs. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to output the travel path data as an interactive interface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor inputs providing information on the environmental conditions in the vicinity of the passenger are received from one or more of: temperature sensor(s), lighting sensor(s), humidity sensor(s), noise sensor(s), and altitude sensor(s). 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor inputs providing information on the physiological state of the passenger are received from one or more of: a body movement sensor, a sleep phase sensor, an eye movement sensor, a heart rate sensor, a body temperature sensor and an ingestible sensor. 
     
     
         12 . A method of dynamic travel event scheduling, comprising:
 retrieving stored data including information relating to a passenger's itinerary, the itinerary including at least one scheduled journey;   generating data defining a dynamic event schedule based on the retrieved data, the dynamic event schedule including at least one event associated with at least one action output; and   during the at least one scheduled journey:
 receiving one or more sensor inputs providing information on the physiological state of the passenger and/or environmental conditions in the vicinity of the passenger; 
 identifying one or more affected events of the dynamic event schedule based on the received sensor inputs; and 
 providing one or more action outputs to control the passenger's travel environment based on the at least one event. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the outputs to control the passenger's travel environment comprise one or more of signals to: control one or more properties of a passenger seat, and control lighting and/or air conditioning above and/or around the passenger's seat. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one event is selected from a set of predefined events including: sleep, wake, stretch, exercise, eat, drink, stay awake, and engage in-flight entertainment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sleep and wake events are associated with respective action outputs to automatically control a recline position of the passenger's seat and a lighting level above or around the passenger's seat. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each scheduled events is associated with a respective timing parameter and wherein the system is further operable to update the travel path data by adjusting respective timing parameters of the one or more affected events. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the retrieved data further includes information relating to at least one of the passenger's personal preferences, an in-flight meal schedule, and an automated cabin lighting schedule. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the generating data defining a dynamic event schedule is further operable to generate auxiliary data for an event defining the associated action output. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining a new event for the dynamic event schedule based on the received sensor inputs. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising outputting the travel path data as an interactive interface. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor inputs providing information on the environmental conditions in the vicinity of the passenger are received from one or more of: temperature sensor(s), lighting sensor(s), humidity sensor(s), noise sensor(s), and altitude sensor(s). 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor inputs providing information on the physiological state of the passenger are received from one or more of: a body movement sensor, a sleep phase sensor, an eye movement sensor, a heart rate sensor, a body temperature sensor and an ingestible sensor. 
     
     
         23 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising machine executable instructions stored thereon that when executed perform a method in accordance with  claim 10 .