US 12,459,401 B2
Aircraft passenger service unit, aircraft passenger service unit assembly, and method of determining spatial positions and/or orientations of a plurality of aircraft passenger service units
Andreas Ueberschaer, Guetersloh (DE); Andre Hessling-Von Heimendahl, Koblenz (DE); Carsten Pawliczek, Lippstadt (DE); and Marion Depta, Lippstadt (DE)
Assigned to GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG, Lippstadt (DE)
Filed by Goodrich Lighting Systems Gmbh & Co. KG, Lippstadt (DE)
Filed on May 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/319,822.
Claims priority of application No. 22174553 (EP), filed on May 20, 2022; and application No. 22174554 (EP), filed on May 20, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0412214 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H04B 5/00 (2024.01); B60N 2/00 (2006.01); B64D 11/00 (2006.01); B64D 45/00 (2006.01); G01S 1/04 (2006.01); G01S 1/68 (2006.01); G01S 1/70 (2006.01); H04B 5/72 (2024.01)
CPC B60N 2/002 (2013.01) [B64D 11/00 (2013.01); B64D 45/00 (2013.01); G01S 1/0423 (2019.08); G01S 1/68 (2013.01); G01S 1/7034 (2019.08); H04B 5/72 (2024.01); B64D 2011/0053 (2013.01); B64D 2231/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft passenger service unit assembly, comprising:
a plurality of aircraft passenger service units, wherein each aircraft passenger service unit comprises: at least two near field communication interfaces;
wherein each of the at least two near field communication interfaces is configured for a wireless exchange of messages with a corresponding near field communication interface of a neighboring aircraft passenger service unit; and
wherein the messages include information that identifies the aircraft passenger service unit and the near field communication interface sending the respective message; and
a master controller;
wherein each of the plurality of aircraft passenger service units is coupled to the master controller via its master communication interface;
wherein each of the plurality of aircraft passenger service units is configured to send identification information about itself and identification information about its respective neighboring aircraft passenger service units, which has been obtained by exchanging messages with its respective neighboring aircraft passenger service units, to the master controller; and
wherein the master controller is configured to process said identification information, received from the plurality of aircraft passenger service units, for generating a virtual map of the arrangement of the plurality of aircraft passenger service units, wherein the virtual map indicates spatial positions and/or orientations of the plurality of aircraft passenger service units with respect to each other.