Passenger supply unit for an aircraft cabin

Abstract

A passenger supply unit for an aircraft cabin, including an input device for detecting a control command from a passenger, and for outputting a control signal to a further device for controlling the further device according to the control command. A passenger supply unit can be controlled by a passenger independent of its height above the passenger seat. The unit can be independent from an in-flight entertainment system. The input device includes a contact free sensor to detect the control command without being contacted by a passenger.

Claims

1. A passenger supply unit for an aircraft cabin, comprising: an input device configured for detecting a control command from a passenger, and for outputting a control signal to one or more further devices for controlling the one or more further devices according to the control command; the input device comprising a contact free sensor configured to detect the control command without being contacted by a passenger; wherein the input device is further configured to transmit the control signal after a feedback phase of a predefined time has lapsed; wherein the one or more further devices comprises a reading light; wherein the control command corresponds to switching between an ON state and an OFF state of the reading light; wherein the input device is configured to control the one or more further devices such that when a control command corresponding to switching between an ON state and an OFF state of the reading light is detected by the contact free sensor, before fully switching between ON state and OFF state of the reading light, the reading light is dimmed during the feedback phase; wherein when no further control command is detected by the contact free sensor during the feedback phase, the input device is configured to transmit the control signal corresponding to switching between ON state and OFF state of the reading light to the reading light when the feedback phase has lapsed; and wherein when a further control command is detected by the contact free sensor during the feedback phase, the reading light is dimmed in an opposite direction, or the dimmed state is stopped and the reading light returns to the ON or OFF state.

2. The passenger supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a plurality of contact free sensors, and wherein at least one contact free sensor is assigned to each one passenger seat in a related row of passenger seats in an aircraft cabin.

3. The passenger supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the reading light is arranged in the passenger supply unit.

4. The passenger supply unit according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of reading lights are provided, wherein at least one reading light is assigned to each one passenger seat in a related row of passenger seats in an aircraft cabin, and wherein at least one contact free sensor is assigned to each one reading light.

5. The passenger supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the one or more further devices comprises a passenger call display, wherein the passenger call display is arranged in the passenger supply unit, and wherein the control command corresponds to setting off a passenger call.

6. The passenger supply unit according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of passenger call displays are provided, wherein at least one passenger call display is assigned to each one passenger seat in a related row of passenger seats in an aircraft cabin, and wherein at least one contact free sensor is assigned to each one passenger call display.

7. The passenger supply unit according to claim 5, wherein the input device is configured to control the one or more further devices such that when a control command corresponding to a passenger call is detected by the contact free sensor, before actually indicating the passenger call at the passenger call display, the passenger call display is blinking during the feedback phase; and wherein when no further control command is detected by the contact free sensor during the feedback phase, the input device is configured to transmit the control signal corresponding to indicating the passenger call at the passenger call display to the passenger call display when the feedback phase has lapsed.

8. The passenger supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the one or more further devices comprises an automatic window shade system provided at a window in an aircraft cabin, wherein the automatic window shade system comprises a window shade and a motor for moving the window shade between a closed position, where the window shade covers a window, and an opened position, where the window shade does not cover the window, and wherein the control command corresponds to switching between the opened position and the closed position of the window shade.

9. The passenger supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the contact free sensor is formed as a proximity sensor.

10. The passenger supply unit according to claim 9, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an optical sensor or an ultrasonic sensor or a camera sensor.

11. The passenger supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the contact free sensor is formed as a speech recognition sensor.

12. The passenger supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the input device further comprises a contact sensor configured to detect the control command.

13. The passenger supply unit of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time of the feedback phase is sufficiently long to allow a passenger to reconsider or correct the passenger's control command before the control signal is transmitted.

14. The passenger supply unit of claim 1, wherein the input device is connected to a cabin management system, and wherein the cabin management system is configured to store and display the control commands.

15. An aircraft cabin comprising one or more passenger seats and a ceiling section arranged above the one or more passenger seats, wherein a passenger supply unit is provided in the ceiling section above the passenger seat; wherein the passenger supply unit comprises: an input device configured for detecting a control command from a passenger, and for outputting a control signal to one or more further devices for controlling the one or more further devices according to the control command; the input device comprising a contact free sensor configured to detect the control command without being contacted by a passenger; and wherein the input device is further configured to transmit the control signal after a feedback phase of a predefined time has lapsed; wherein the one or more further devices comprises a reading light; wherein the control command corresponds to switching between an ON state and an OFF state of the reading light; wherein the input device is configured to control the one or more further devices such that when a control command corresponding to switching between an ON state and an OFF state of the reading light is detected by the contact free sensor, before fully switching between ON state and OFF state of the reading light, the reading light is dimmed during the feedback phase; wherein when no further control command is detected by the contact free sensor during the feedback phase, the input device is configured to transmit the control signal corresponding to switching between ON state and OFF state of the reading light to the reading light when the feedback phase has lapsed; and wherein when a further control command is detected by the contact free sensor during the feedback phase, the reading light is dimmed in an opposite direction, or the dimmed state is stopped and the reading light returns to the ON or OFF state.

16. The aircraft cabin of claim 15, wherein the predetermined time of the feedback phase is sufficiently long to allow a passenger to reconsider or correct the passenger's control command before the control signal is transmitted.

17. The aircraft of claim 15, wherein the input device is connected to a cabin management system, and wherein the cabin management system is configured to store and display the control commands.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is described in the following in more detail in connection with a drawing. The drawing shows in:

(2) FIG. 1 a cross sectional view of an aircraft cabin comprising a passenger supply unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 a detailed side view of the aircraft cabin of FIG. 1, wherein a passenger is seated on a passenger seat with a passenger supply unit above his head; and

(4) FIG. 3 a perspective isolated view of the passenger supply unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) In FIG. 1 an embodiment of an aircraft cabin 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. The aircraft cabin 1 comprises a plurality of passenger seats 3 arranged in rows 5 of passenger seats 3, and a ceiling section 7 arranged above each passenger seat 3. In the present embodiment, the ceiling section 7 is formed by the lower trim 9 of the head racks 11, but in general can be formed by any structure or trim element extending above the passenger seats 3. In the ceiling section 7 above the passenger seats 3 a passenger supply unit 13 is installed, as shown in more detail in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the passenger supply unit 13 comprises a loudspeaker 15, reading lights 17 and passenger call displays 19, wherein one reading light 17 is assigned to each one passenger seat 3 below the passenger supply unit 13. The passenger supply unit 13 further comprises an input device 21 configured for detecting a control command from a passenger 23 and for outputting a control signal to a further device 25 for controlling the further device 25 according to the control command, wherein in the present embodiment the further device 25 comprises the reading light 17, the passenger call display 19 and an automatic window shade system 27, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(6) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ceiling section 7 with the passenger supply unit 13 installed therein is located so high above the passenger seats 3 in the present embodiment of the aircraft cabin 1, that a passenger 23 can hardly reach an input device 21 of the passenger supply unit 13 in order to input a control command to control, i.e. switch on or off, the reading light 17 or the passenger call display 19.

(7) Therefore, the input device 21 comprises a contact free sensor 29 configured to detect the control command without being contacted by a passenger 23. In the present embodiment, the contact free sensor 29 is formed as a proximity sensor, in particular an infrared sensor, detecting a finger or a hand of a passenger 23 in the proximity of the proximity sensor, preferably within a range of about 30 cm from the proximity sensor. Alternatively, the proximity sensor can be formed as an ultrasonic sensor or a camera sensor. As an alternative to the proximity sensor the contact free sensor 29 can also be formed as a speech recognition sensor. In order to process the control commands detected by the contact free sensor 29, the passenger supply unit 13 also comprises a processing unit 31. In addition to the contact free sensor 29, the input device 21 might also comprise a contact sensor 32, such as a touch sensor or a mechanical button, configured to detect the control command in addition to the contact free sensor 29.

(8) As explained above, the further device 25 comprises a reading light 17, a passenger call display 19 and an automatic window shade system 27. The reading light 17 is arranged in the passenger supply unit 13, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The control command corresponds to switching between an ON state and an OFF state of the reading light 17, such that the control signal controls the switching of the reading light 17 between ON and OFF state. The input device 21 is configured to control the further device 25 such that when a control command corresponding to switching between an ON state and an OFF state of the reading light 17 is detected by the contact free sensor 29, before fully switching between ON state and OFF state of the reading light 17, the reading light 17 is dimmed during a feedback phase of a predefined time. When no further control command is detected by the contact free sensor 29 during the feedback phase, the control signal corresponding to switching between ON state and OFF state of the reading light 17 is output to the reading light 17 when the feedback phase has lapsed.

(9) The passenger call display 19 is arranged in the passenger supply unit 13, as shown in FIG. 3. The control command in the case of the passenger call display 19 corresponds to setting off a passenger call to a flight attendant, so that the control signal controls the passenger call display 19 to indicate a passenger call. The input device 21 is configured to control the further device 25 such that when a control command corresponding to a passenger call is detected by the contact free sensor 29, before actually indicating the passenger call to the passenger call display 19, the passenger call display 19 is blinking during a feedback phase of a predefined time. When no further control command is detected by the contact free sensor 29 during the feedback phase, the control signal corresponding to indicating the passenger call at the passenger call display 19 is output to the passenger call display 19 when the feedback phase has lapsed.

(10) The automatic window shade system 27 is provided at a window 33 of the aircraft cabin 1, as shown in FIG. 2. The automatic window shade system 27 comprises a window shade 35 and a motor 37 for moving the window shade 35 between a closed position, where the window shade 35 covers a window 33, and an opened position where the window shade 35 does not cover the window 33. The control command in the case of the automatic window shade system 27 corresponds to switching between the opened position and the closed position of the window shade 35, such that the control signal controls the automatic window shade system 27 for switching between the opened and the closed position of the window shade 35, wherein also intermediate positions are possible.

(11) The input device 21 is connected to a cabin management system 39 provided in the aircraft cabin 1. The cabin management system 39 is configured to store the control commands and to display the control commands to the flight attendants, e.g. on a flight attendant panel. Passenger calls or other control commands of the passengers 23 can be monitored remotely by the flight attendants in such a way.

(12) The subject matter disclosed herein can be implemented in software in combination with hardware and/or firmware. For example, the subject matter described herein can be implemented in software executed by a processor or processing unit. In one exemplary implementation, the subject matter described herein can be implemented using a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps. Exemplary computer readable mediums suitable for implementing the subject matter described herein include non-transitory devices, such as disk memory devices, chip memory devices, programmable logic devices, and application specific integrated circuits. In addition, a computer readable medium that implements the subject matter described herein can be located on a single device or computing platform or can be distributed across multiple devices or computing platforms.

(13) While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a, an or one do not exclude a plural number, and the term or means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.