SYSTEM FOR MONITORING A PASSENGER CABIN

Abstract

A system for monitoring a passenger cabin, in particular a passenger cabin of an aircraft, has a power supply channel (PSC) having a recess and extending longitudinally in a passenger cabin, wherein the recess points in the direction of the passenger cabin, a multiplicity of power supply unit modules (PSU) for arrangement in the recess, a multiplicity of cover modules for partially covering the recess, wherein the multiplicity of power supply unit modules and the multiplicity of cover modules can be arranged in the power supply channel such that the recess is partially covered by the multiplicity of power supply unit modules and the multiplicity of cover modules in the longitudinal orientation of the power supply channel in the direction of the passenger cabin, and at least one camera for capturing images of at least one part of the passenger cabin.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a passenger cabin, the system comprising: a power supply channel having a recess and extending longitudinally in a passenger cabin, wherein the recess points in the direction of the passenger cabin; a multiplicity of power supply unit modules for arrangement in the recess; a multiplicity of cover modules for partially covering the recess; wherein the multiplicity of power supply unit modules and the cover modules are configured to be arranged in the power supply channel such that the recess is partially covered by the multiplicity of power supply unit modules and the multiplicity of cover modules in the longitudinal orientation of the power supply channel in the direction of the passenger cabin, and at least one camera for capturing images of at least one part of the passenger cabin, wherein the system further comprises at least one camera module for arrangement in the recess, so that the multiplicity of power supply unit modules is configured to be arranged in the recess with the multiplicity of cover modules and the at least one camera module such that the recess is coverable completely, and wherein the at least one camera module has an integrally designed bracket for a camera, so that the vertical angle of view of the latter is a shallow angle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical angle of view is approximately 10 to 20.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the recess has rails for mounting the multiplicity of power supply unit modules, the multiplicity of cover modules and the at least one camera module.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera is connected to a display for presenting the captured images of the at least one part of the passenger cabin via a network switch and a video control unit.

5. A passenger aircraft comprising a system according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention is explained below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a supply channel having a supply unit module and a camera module (without a camera), which are both arranged in the recess and are mounted on rails.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the camera module according to the invention.

[0015] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the system according to the invention.

[0016] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the supply of the camera and the flow of data from the camera.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a supply channel 1 having a supply unit module 3 and a camera module 5 (without a camera), which are both arranged in the recess 7 of the supply channel 1 and are mounted on rails 9. The camera module 5 firstly has a largely planar area 11 (see FIG. 2). This planar area 11 forms the ceiling (together with cover modules and further supply unit modules; not shown in FIG. 1) visible to a passenger sitting beneath the supply channel when the camera module 5 is installed in the recess 7 of the supply channel 1 by means of the rails 9. Secondly, the camera module 5 has an integrally designed bracket 6 for the camera, so that the vertical angle of view of the latter for capturing the passenger space is approximately 10 to 20, in particular 15 (see FIG. 2). As a result of this shallow angle, the camera projects only insubstantially over the planar area 11. It is in particular conceivable for the bracket to have a similar appearance to e.g. the oxygen supply, reading lights or information displays (e.g. seatbelt sign, no smoking) for passengers, for example.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary design of a system 13 according to the invention for monitoring a passenger cabin of an aircraft having a supply channel 1, extending longitudinally in a passenger cabin, and having a supply unit module 3 and also a multiplicity of cover modules 15 for partially covering the recess 7. Further, the system 13 has at least one camera module 5 having an integrally designed bracket 6 in which a camera for capturing images of at least one part of the passenger cabin can be arranged and is held in a desired position by the bracket. The vertical angle of view of the camera is in this case preferably approximately 10 to 20, in particular 15. For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that the vertical angle of view is in this case situated between the supply channel 1 extending over the passenger seats and the perpendicular from the supply channel in the direction of the passenger seats.

[0019] Finally, FIG. 4 shows a block diagram 17 for the supply 19 of the camera 20 and the data connection 21 from the camera. The at least one camera for capturing images of at least one part of the passenger cabin, in particular of a not very visible area, is in this case situated in a camera module arranged in a supply channel. The two cameras 20 are connected to a video control unit 25 via a network switch 23 (what is known as the area distribution unit, ADB) and via a data connection 21 and also a supply 19. In this way, the image data captured by the cameras 20 can be forwarded via the data connection 21 to the video controller and subsequently then for example to a display 27 or a display unit, where e.g. a stewardess keeps an eye on the presented parts of the passenger cabin. This can be a personal electronic device (PED), for example, such as a tablet or a smart watch (what are known as wearable devices), for example.

[0020] 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 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.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0021] 1 supply channel [0022] 3 supply unit module [0023] 5 camera module [0024] 6 integrally designed bracket [0025] 7 recess of the supply channel [0026] 9 rails [0027] 11 planar area [0028] 13 system according to the invention [0029] 15 multiplicity of cover modules [0030] 17 block diagram [0031] 19 supply [0032] 21 data connection [0033] 23 network switch (area distribution unit, ADB) [0034] 25 video control unit [0035] 27 display [0036] vertical angle of view