WO2007036428A1

WO2007036428A1 - Aircraft local multimedia network

Info

Publication number: WO2007036428A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/066274
Authority: WO
Inventors: Serge Berenger; Olivier Hiernaux
Original assignee: Thales
Priority date: 2005-09-23
Filing date: 2006-09-12
Publication date: 2007-04-05
Also published as: FR2891429B1; FR2891429A1

Abstract

The invention relates to the IFE multimedia system wiring in the area of the seats of an aircraft passenger cabin. Said invention consists in simplifying said wiring by using current-carrying data transmission systems, for which at least one part of power supply cables of multimedia terminals is applied in the form of a propagation medium for leading signals between the passenger multimedia terminals and an on-board multimedia server.

Description

MUTLIMEDIA LOCAL NETWORK FOR AN AIRCRAFT

The present invention relates to an IFE multimedia system (acronym derived from the English expression: "In-Flight Entertainment") for the entertainment of passengers of an aircraft. More and more aircraft have passenger cabins equipped with multimedia entertainment systems, in order to increase the perception of comfort, especially during longhaul flights ("Long Haul" in English language) during which passengers are expected to sit for quite a long time. The first entertainment multimedia devices on board aircraft were film projectors, then collective video with video screens and speakers arranged on the walls (partitions and ceiling) of the passenger cabins and finally the individual video with screens distributed at the level of the seats, individual remote controls, sound headphones, handsets, power outlets and connection to a local data exchange network with Internet access for personal computers. Together they constitute what is referred to as the generic IFE system.

Current IFE systems use an embedded local area network with a multimedia information server with access to various external networks including the Internet and satellite telephone and television networks, as well as a centralized on-board distributor. audio and video programs placed in an equipment cabinet of the aircraft called CEC (acronym derived from the English expression: "Cabin Equipment Center"), and multimedia terminals placed at the passenger seats or, possibly, when these are screens or loudspeakers, on the walls of the passenger cabin. They require two kinds of wiring, one for the electrical power supply of seat position adjustment engines, multimedia terminals and possibly passenger laptops, and the other for the exchange of multimedia information between the vehicle. server and terminals. These two cabling run in the walls and the floor of a passenger cabin to end at the seats or rows of seats, to junction boxes equipped with detachable connectors providing connections to the seats or blocks of seats. They are often performed independently of one another.

More specifically, the electric power supply wiring of the seats and walls of a passenger cabin of an aircraft is in a zoned distribution. In each passenger compartment power zone, the connection boxes placed in the cabin floor at the seats or the seat blocks are connected by electrical power cables arranged in a more or less arboreal connection. star, to a general electrical power distribution box called RPDU (acronym derived from the English expression: "Remote Power Distribution Unit"), itself placed in bypass on power rails from a secondary distribution board supplied with electrical energy by the generators of the aircraft. The wiring, for the multimedia information exchange, of the seats and the walls of a passenger cabin or multimedia wiring is also done according to a division by zones. In each area of distribution of the multimedia signals, a general multimedia signal distribution box called ADB (acronym derived from the English expression: "Area Distribution Box"), connected by an individual transmission link to the multimedia signal server, is connected to the connection boxes placed in the floor of the cabin, at the level of the seats or blocks of seats of the zone, by means of multimedia signal transmission cables arranged according to a branch also more or less arborescent star.

Multimedia distribution areas do not necessarily correspond to electric power distribution areas.

The distribution, in a passenger cabin, of the general distribution boxes of electric power RPDU and ADB general distribution boxes of multimedia signals as well as the subscriber service capacity of these boxes are chosen on various criteria among which the search for ease of installation and minimum weight for the IFE entertainment system, a significant part of which comes from the octopuses of conductors used for distribution of electrical energy and multimedia data at the seats or blocks of seats.

In practice, the RPDU electric power distribution boxes have a capacity of serving a hundred passenger seats and the ADB boxes for distributing multimedia signals, rather sized according to the bandwidth of the transmission cables that connect them. to the embedded multimedia information server and information flow granted to each passenger, a service capacity of fifty seats. To simplify the wiring of an IFE system and possibly lighten it, it has been proposed to replace the octopus of conductors providing the individual multimedia links connecting the connection boxes placed at the seats or the passenger seat blocks of an area. multimedia distribution to a general ADB multimedia distribution box, by short-range UHF / SHF radio links, for example of the Wifi, Bluetooth or DVB-T type. The frontal parts SEB (acronym derived from the English expression "Seat Electronics Box") of the multimedia terminals equipping the seats or the multimedia terminals of the passengers are then provided with transceivers with individual antennas, and the general distribution boxes ADB multimedia transceivers whose antennas are arranged on the ceiling of the cabin area to be covered. This technique has the disadvantage of creating risks of interference with other aircraft on the ground or approach because the fuselages of modern aircraft are increasingly using composite materials and behave less and less in Faraday cage.

It has also been proposed to adopt for the multimedia terminals a chain connection mode instead of the usual star connection mode. This method of chain connection allows the use of a composite cable having power conductors and transmission conductors snaking under the floor of the passenger cabin. But it can lead to a lengthening of the pathways going against a desired relief. The present invention is intended in particular to facilitate the wiring of an IFE system on board an aircraft and to tend to its lightening.

It relates to an IFE multimedia local network for an aircraft passenger cabin whose elements are powered by an electrical energy source of the aircraft via an on-board electrical energy distribution network. This IFE multimedia local network comprises a multimedia signal server embedded on board the aircraft, multimedia terminals equipping an area of the passenger cabin of the aircraft, at least one general equipment for distributing electrical energy connected to the onboard network of the aircraft. electrical distribution, electrical power cables connecting each multimedia terminal to a general power distribution equipment and at least one general multimedia signal distribution equipment connected to the multimedia signal server and serving the multimedia terminals. It is remarkable in that it comprises, to ensure the servicing of multimedia terminals by a general multimedia distribution equipment, at least one carrier data transmission system borrowing, as propagation medium, at least a portion of the electric cables. power supply unit connecting the multimedia terminals to the general power distribution equipment.

Advantageously, the general equipment for distributing electrical energy and the general equipment for distributing multimedia signals are in equal numbers and arranged in pairs in mixed general boxes for the distribution of electrical energy and multimedia signals.

Advantageously, when a multimedia terminal is supplied with electrical energy by a general mixed box for distributing electrical energy and multimedia signals by means of an electric cable for individual power supply, it is served with multimedia signals by the intermediate of an individual powerline data transmission system borrowing, as propagation medium, the electrical cable of its individual power connection.

Advantageously, when a multimedia terminal is supplied with electrical energy by a general mixed energy distribution box electrical and multimedia signals by means of an electrical cable of individual power supply connecting it to an auxiliary distribution box, itself connected by electric power cables to the general distribution box, it is served by multimedia signals by the general distribution box supplying it with electrical energy, via:

a first individual carrier data transmission system using, as propagation medium, the individual power supply electrical cable connecting it to the distribution auxiliary box supplying it, and

a second carrier system in common with the other individual multimedia terminals powered by the same auxiliary distribution box, using, as propagation medium, the electric supply cables connecting the auxiliary distribution box supplying it, to the general mixed distribution box.

Advantageously, when the power supply cables connecting each multimedia terminal to a general electrical power distribution equipment pass through auxiliary distribution boxes, distribution auxiliary boxes and general equipment for distributing multimedia signals are in use. equal numbers and arranged in pairs in mixed auxiliary distribution boxes.

Advantageously, when a multimedia terminal is supplied with electrical energy by a general electrical power distribution equipment by means of a power supply individual electrical cable connecting it to a mixed auxiliary distribution box itself connected by electric power supply cables to the general electrical power distribution equipment, II is served in multimedia signals by the mixed auxiliary distribution box via an individual powerline data transmission system using, as a medium of propagation, the power supply individual power cable connecting it to the mixed distribution auxiliary box feeding it.

Advantageously, the auxiliary distribution boxes serve columns of seats or blocks of seats of the passenger cabin. Advantageously, the mixed auxiliary distribution boxes serve columns of seats or blocks of seats of the passenger cabin.

Advantageously, the auxiliary distribution boxes serve terminal elements (screens, speakers) attached to the walls of the passenger cabin.

Advantageously, the mixed auxiliary distribution boxes serve terminal elements (speakers, screens) attached to the walls of the passenger cabin.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description of exemplary embodiments. This description will be made with reference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a known multimedia local network architecture for a passenger cabin of an aircraft,

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are diagrams of several examples of multimedia LAN architecture for an aircraft passenger cabin according to the invention, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a link within a multimedia local area network between, on the one hand, a passenger multimedia terminal and, on the other hand, the multimedia server of the local network and a power supply source.

Identical elements found in different figures have the same indexing. In addition, a line representing a connection cable appears in an appearance depending on the function performed by the cable it represents: continuous line for an exclusive power supply function, dashed or dotted line for an exclusive function of signal transmission and mixed line for a mixed power supply and signal transmission function.

FIG. 1 shows a portion of a passenger cabin of a two-lane aircraft 1, 2. This portion contains three rows 3, 4, 5 of passenger seats 6 each formed of a central block of three passenger seats. placed between the two corridors 1, 2 and two lateral blocks of three passenger seats arranged on the outer sides of the two corridors 1, 2. Each passenger seat 6 is equipped with an individual multimedia terminal for an audio-video service à la carte , which includes: - a flat screen display attached to the back of each seat back for the passenger seated in the seat of the next row,

- a remote control and headphone jack accessible from one of the armrests of a seat, - the usual connections for powering and networking an individual laptop,

a first power supply network interface circuit called SPB (acronym for the English expression "Seat Power Box") ensuring, from the voltage delivered by an electrical energy supply network on the edge of the aircraft, the generation of the different electrical supply voltages required by the equipment of a seat, and

a second transmission network interface circuit called SEB (acronym for the English expression "Seat Electronics Box") acting as a network input / output port for multimedia signals.

Although this is not shown with the purpose of simplifying the figures, a passenger cabin may comprise, in addition to or instead of the individual multimedia terminals, multimedia terminals whose screens and loudspeakers are fixed on its partitions or at the same time. ceiling. These other multimedia terminals are connected in the same way as the individual multimedia terminals, so that what is mentioned in the following description for the individual multimedia terminals also applies to them. Each multimedia terminal equipping a passenger seat has its power supply network interface circuit SPB connected by power supply cables 7 to a general electric power distribution box RPDU and its transmission network interface circuit SEB connected by one or more data transmission cables 8 to a general ADB multimedia signal distribution box. A general electric power distribution box RPDU not only serves multimedia terminals on passenger seats 6 but also posture adjustment engines of passenger seats 6. Its dimensioning is established according to a maximum of distributed electrical power and of an optimization of the electrical wiring that connects it to the passenger seats 6 that it serves. It usually has a capacity of serving a hundred passenger seats. When the passenger cabin contains more than one hundred seats, there are provided several general electrical power distribution boxes RPDU, as shown in the figures. The set of general electric power distribution boxes RPDU serving the seats of a passenger cabin are connected bypass on power rails from a secondary distribution board ASPDU (acronym from the English expression). "Airplane Secondary Power Distribution Unit") supplied with electrical energy by the generators PS (acronym for the English expression "Power Source") of the aircraft.

A general ADB multimedia signal distribution box serves a set of passenger seats that do not necessarily correspond to those of a power supply serving area of a general electrical power distribution box RPDU. Its sizing is established according to the bandwidth of the transmission cables that connect it to the embedded multimedia information server and the information rate given to each multimedia terminal served. It usually has a service capacity of about fifty seats. In the example of FIG. 1, a general electrical power distribution box RPDU serves all three rows of seats represented while a general ADB multimedia signal distribution box only serves two of the rows of seats represented. , the third row of seats being served by another general box of distribution of multimedia signals. The set of general ADB multimedia signal distribution boxes serving the seats of a passenger cabin are connected by transmission cables to a switch ESU (acronym for the "Ethernet Switch Unit") input a media server. The switch is often of Ethernet type hence its name because the cable signal transmissions are carried out most of the time in accordance with the IEEE 802.3 standard.

The multimedia server is equipped, in the usual manner, with one or more satellite television receivers, one or more audio-video program banks, and includes access to the Internet network and the satellite telephone network.

As shown in FIG. 1, the multimedia terminals equipping the seats of a passenger cabin are generally connected individually, on the one hand, to the general electric power distribution boxes RPDU, by electrical supply conductors which form a first set of cables 7, and, on the other hand, the general ADB multimedia signal distribution boxes, by transmission cables which form a second set of cables 8. The two sets 7 and 8 of power cables and transmission follow separate paths under the floor of the passenger cabin. Often, as shown in FIG. 1, the general RPDU electric power distribution boxes are disposed on a side wall of the passenger cabin and the ADB multimedia signal distribution boxes on the opposite side wall of the cabin in order to separate as much as possible the paths of the two sets 7 and 8 of cables to facilitate their assemblies.

These two sets 7 and 8 of power and transmission cables providing the connections of the multimedia terminals to the general electric power distribution boxes RPDU and to the general ADB multimedia signal distribution boxes contribute significantly to the total weight of an IFE entertainment system which is deducted from the commercial load of the aircraft. In addition, the installation of these two sets 7 and 8 of power cables and transmission under the floor of the passenger cabin takes a significant part of the assembly time of an IFE entertainment system on board an aircraft. This is why we seek solutions to simplify and possibly reduce the connection wiring multimedia terminals fitted to the seats of a passenger cabin.

To simplify the connection wiring of the multimedia terminals of an IFE network, and possibly lighten them, one can either remove all transmission cables terminating at the individual multimedia terminals and replace them with radio links, but there may be problems of availability of sufficient radio bandwidth to serve all passengers or problems of interference between aircraft ground or approach, the radio links inside the cabin of an aircraft projecting outside the cabin, either adopt routes for the two sets of cables with as many routes as possible in common, or adopt a chain connection mode instead of a star connection mode allowing connections using a composite cable having power conductors and transmission conductors. But these last two solutions can lead to a lengthening of the pathways going against a desired relief.

It is proposed to simplify the connection wiring of the multimedia terminals, whether individual or not, of an IFE network by means of powerline data transmission systems borrowing, as a transmission medium, a greater or lesser length of the power cables of the terminals. multimedia. Indeed, power transmission systems can achieve, on a power cable, data rates of the same order of magnitude as those of Ethernet transmission cables.

The network architecture proposed in FIG. 2 results from the replacement, in the network architecture shown in FIG. 1, of the set 8 of the transmission cables connecting the transmission network interface circuits SEB of the multimedia terminals to the boxes. ADB multimedia signal distribution systems, by powerline data transmission systems borrowing, as a transmission medium, the electric power supply cables 7 individually connecting the multimedia terminals to a general electric power distribution box RPDU grouped for the occasion with a general ADB multimedia signal distribution box in an entity called RPDU / ADB mixed general box.

As before, the RPDU portions of the RPDU / ADB combo boxes are shunt-connected to power rails from an ASPDU secondary distribution board powered by electrical power by PS generators of the aircraft while their ADB parts are individually connected by transmission cables to an ESU switch placed at the input / output of the multimedia server.

As is detailed in FIG. 5, a general mixed RPDU / ADB box contains, on each of its distribution ports intended to be connected individually by a power cable, to a power supply network interface circuit SPB. A multimedia terminal, a modulator / demodulator with carrying currents 9. This modulator / demodulator with carrying currents 9 ensures, on transmission a first modulation of the supply current supplied to a multimedia terminal, by multimedia signals coming from the part ADB of the general mixed box RPDU / ADB, and, on reception, a demodulation of a second modulation of the supply current carried out by the connected multimedia terminal, in order to extract multimedia signals (remote control data from the control station). PCU terminal control (acronym for "Passenger Control Unit") to the ADB portion of the RPDU / ADB combo box. The low pass filter 10 blocks the upconversion of multimedia signals to the RPDU portion of the RPDU / ADB combo box and the ASPDU secondary switchboard.

In the same way, a power supply network interface circuit SPB of a multimedia terminal contains a modulator / demodulator with carrying currents 1 1. This modulator / demodulator with carrying currents 11 ensures, on reception, a demodulation of the first modulation of the power supply current carried by the modulator / demodulator 9 of the mixed general box RPDU / ADB to extract multimedia signals to the transmission network interface circuit SEB of the multimedia terminal and, on transmission, the second modulation of the power supply current by multimedia signals coming from the PCT remote control part of the multimedia terminal or its PC part (acronym for the English term "Personal Computer") providing the interface with a personal computer. The propagation of the multimedia signals towards the part of the circuit SEB where are generated the various electrical voltages required by the multimedia terminal and the posture adjustment engines of an SMA seat (acronym for the English expression: "Seat Motor Attitude ") is blocked by the presence on its path of an inverter circuit 12 with rectifiers at the head.

In this IFE network architecture the general distribution boxes of electric power RPDU and the general boxes of distribution of multimedia signals which are associated within the same box

RPDU / ADB are in identical numbers and have the same capacity of serving multimedia terminals.

The network architecture proposed in FIG. 3 is based on an electrical power supply wiring of the multimedia terminals from general electrical distribution boxes RPDU passing through intermediate distribution equipments CPB ( Column Power Box) grouped together for the occasion with equipment for distribution of multimedia signals CDB (Column Distribution Box ") in mixed intermediate boxes CPB / CBD arranged under the floor of the passenger cabin to the right of the columns of seats or blocks of seats The CPB / CDB mixed intermediate boxes are connected to the multimedia terminals equipping a column of seats or blocks of seats with individual electrical cables. their CPB energy distribution equipment are connected to a general electrical distribution box RPDU by individual power supply cables or stitching on a common power cable while their CDB multimedia signal distribution equipment is connected by individual transmission cables to the ESU switch placed at the input of the multimedia server. This network architecture differs from the previous network architecture described with reference to FIG. 2, in that the power-line transmission systems have a range limited to the lengths of the individual power supply cables connecting the multimedia terminals to the boxes. mixed intermediates CPB / CBD.

In this network architecture, the intermediate electrical power distribution equipment CPB and the CDB multimedia signal distribution equipment that are associated within the same combined CPB / CDB intermediate box are in identical numbers and have the same service capacity. multimedia terminals. The network architecture proposed in FIG. 4 is a variant of that described with reference to FIG. 3, approaching the network architecture described with reference to FIG. 2. This variant is an adaptation of the network architecture of FIG. Figure 2 to a power supply wiring of the multimedia terminals from general distribution boxes RPDU electrical energy passing through FDB intermediate distribution boxes. In this adaptation, the multimedia signals continue to be routed to the multimedia terminals from general mixed RPDU / ADB distribution boxes by carrier currents according to the power supply cables. But this routing uses a chaining of two powerline data transmission systems:

a first individual carrier data transmission system using, as a transmission medium, the individual power cable connecting a multimedia terminal to an FDB auxiliary distribution box supplying it, and

a second carrier-current system in common with other multimedia terminals borrowing, as propagation medium, the power cables connecting the auxiliary distribution box FDB supplying the multimedia terminal concerned to the general mixed distribution box RPDU / ADB supplying the multimedia terminal concerned.

All architectures proposed with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 are suitable for connecting multimedia terminals having elements: screens, loudspeakers attached to the walls of the passenger cabin because these are treated as the individual multimedia terminals equipping a row of close seats. .

Claims

1. Multimedia local area network (IFE) for an aircraft passenger cabin whose elements are powered by an electrical power source (PS) of the aircraft via an on-board electrical power distribution network (ASPDU) , said IFE multimedia local network comprising an embedded multimedia signal server on board the aircraft, multimedia terminals of an area of the passenger cabin of the aircraft, at least one general electrical power distribution equipment (RPDU) connected to the on-board electrical distribution network (ASPDU), power supply cables (7) connecting each multimedia terminal to a general electrical power distribution equipment (RPDU) and at least one general multimedia signal distribution equipment (ADB) ) connected to the multimedia signal server and serving the multimedia terminals, characterized in that it comprises, to ensure the serving of multi terminals by a general multimedia distribution equipment (ADB), at least one carrier data transmission system (8, 9) borrowing, as propagation medium, at least a portion of the power supply cables (7) connecting the multimedia terminals with general electrical power distribution equipment (RPDU).

2. Network according to claim 1, characterized in that the general electrical power distribution equipment (RPDU) and the general equipment for distributing multimedia signals (ADB) are in equal numbers and arranged in pairs in mixed general boxes. distribution of electrical energy and multimedia signals (RPDU / ADB).

3. Network according to claim 2, characterized in that a multimedia terminal supplied with electrical energy by a general mixed box of electrical power distribution and multimedia signals (RPDU / ADB) by means of a single branch electrical cable. power supply, is served by multimedia signals via an individual carrier data transmission system. borrowing as the propagation medium, the electrical cable of its individual power supply.

4. The network of claim 2, wherein a multimedia terminal is supplied with electrical energy by a general mixed box of distribution of electrical energy and multimedia signals (RPDU / ADB) by means of an electric cable of individual branching. power supply connected to an auxiliary distribution box (FDB) itself connected by electric power cables to the mixed general box (RPDU / ADB), characterized in that a multimedia terminal is served by multimedia signals by the box Mixed General Distribution (RPDU / ADB) supplying it with electrical energy, via:

a first individual carrier data transmission system using, as propagation medium, the individual power supply electrical cable connecting it to the auxiliary distribution box (FDB) supplying it,

a second carrier system in common with the other individual multimedia terminals powered by the same auxiliary distribution box (FDB), using, as propagation medium, the power supply cable connecting the auxiliary distribution box (FDB) ) feeding it, to the mixed general box (RPDU / ADB).

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the power supply cables connecting each multimedia terminal to a general electrical power distribution equipment (RPDU) pass through auxiliary distribution boxes (FDB), characterized in that the distribution auxiliary boxes (FDB) and the general multimedia signal distribution equipment (ADB) are in equal numbers and arranged in pairs in mixed auxiliary distribution boxes (CPB / CDB).

6. A network according to claim 5, characterized in that a multimedia terminal supplied with electrical energy by a general electrical power distribution equipment (RPDU) by means of an electrical cable of individual power supply connection to a box Mixed Auxiliary Distribution System (CPB / CBD), which is itself connected by power supply cables to the general electrical power distribution equipment (RPDU), is served as multimedia signals by the mixed auxiliary distribution box (CPB / CBD) via an individual powerline data transmission system using as the propagation medium, the power supply single electrical cable connecting it to the mixed distribution auxiliary box (CPB / CDB). feeding.

7. Network according to claim 4, characterized in that the auxiliary distribution boxes (FDB) serve columns of seats or blocks of seats of the passenger cabin.

8. Network according to claim 5, characterized in that the mixed auxiliary distribution boxes (CPB / CBD) serving columns of seats or blocks of seats of the passenger cabin.

9. The network of claim 4, characterized in that the auxiliary distribution boxes (FDB) serve multimedia terminal elements attached to the walls of the passenger cabin.

10. Network according to claim 5, characterized in that the auxiliary distribution boxes (CPB / CDB) serve multimedia terminal elements attached to the walls of the passenger cabin