US 12,490,111 B2
Antenna system of in-flight entertainment and communication system
Jaideep Malhotra, Lake Forest, CA (US)
Assigned to Panasonic Avionics Corporation, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Panasonic Avionics Corporation, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/651,757.
Prior Publication US 2023/0269597 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. H04W 16/18 (2009.01); H04B 7/06 (2006.01); H04W 4/42 (2018.01); H04W 76/10 (2018.01)
CPC H04W 16/18 (2013.01) [H04B 7/0617 (2013.01); H04W 4/42 (2018.02); H04W 76/10 (2018.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An antenna system of an in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) system provided in a commercial passenger vehicle, the antenna system comprising:
monitors associated with passenger seats on the commercial passenger vehicle and configured to display entertainment content for passengers;
wireless transceivers disposed outside of the monitors and configured to transceive radio signals that have beam patterns defined according to locations of the wireless transceivers relative to passenger seats; and
one or more control circuits communicatively coupled to the wireless transceivers and configured to support a wireless connectivity for the passengers through the wireless transceivers, and
wherein the wireless transceivers include 1) a first set of wireless transceivers configured to receive and transmit the radio signals and disposed in armrests of first passenger seats, 2) a second set of wireless transceivers configured to receive and transmit the radio signals and disposed in headrests of second passenger seats, 3) a third set of wireless transceivers configured to receive and transmit the radio signals and disposed in close proximity to monitors of third passenger seats, and 4) a fourth set of wireless transceivers configured to receive and transmit the radio signals and disposed in passenger controllers disposed at fourth passenger seats, and
wherein the first set of wireless transceivers is coupled to a first electronic circuit and configured to radiate a first beam pattern along an upward direction from the armrests of the first passenger seats, and the second set of wireless transceivers is coupled to a second electronic circuit and is configured to radiate a second beam pattern along a forward direction towards a front seat of the second passenger seats, the third set of wireless transceivers is coupled to a third electronic circuit and is configured to radiate a third beam pattern along the forward direction, and the fourth set of wireless transceivers is coupled to a fourth electronic circuit and is configured to radiate a fourth beam pattern along a lateral axis of the commercial passenger vehicle.