A method is for controlling the occupancy of the seats of one or more vehicle(s) by passengers using a control device for controlling the occupancy of the seats. The vehicle includes a number of seats equipped with a reading light. The control device includes each reading light, a control system for controlling the reading lights and a controller. The method includes an emission of at least one piece of data related to the seat toward an electronic device of a passenger of the vehicle. The piece of data is emitted using a wireless optical communication technique, which is a technique of visible light communication. The emission of the at least one piece of data related to the seat is carried out by the reading light of the seat controlled by the control system.

Described are tray table assemblies that include an upper cover, a lower cover, and a support structure disposed between the upper cover and the lower cover. The support structure may include a plurality of upper protrusions extending toward an inner surface of the upper cover and a plurality of lower protrusions extending toward an inner surface of the lower cover such that the support structure provides structural rigidity to the tray table assembly. The plurality of upper protrusions may contact the inner surface of the upper cover, the plurality of lower protrusions may contact the inner surface of the lower cover, and the support structure may dissipate heat.

Deployment apparatus (10) including a deployment object (12), a deployment arm (16) with a first end (22) coupled to the deployment object and a second end (24) having a pivot (26), and a hinge assembly (18) rotatably attached to the pivot of the deployment arm. The hinge assembly (18) includes an enclosure (44) and a friction stop device (82) disposed within the enclosure such that the friction stop device includes a friction portion (80) configured to be pressed against a lateral surface of the pivot (26) of the deployment arm such that the friction portion provides a predetermined torque. The predetermined torque may be calculated based on maintaining a deployed angle of the deployment arm (16) such that the deployment object (12) is held in a raised deployed position.