A passenger control unit (PCU) network is provided for a passenger aircraft having passenger seats in a plurality of zones, each zone having at least one column of seats, and each column having at least one row of seats. The PCU network includes a direct current (DC) power distribution system, and a plurality of wired PCUs, one PCU associated with each passenger seat and coupled to the DC power distribution system. Each PCU has a processor and system memory and a standard data and power interface, the processor being programmed for differential peer-to-peer communication with adjacently interconnected PCUs throughout the PCU network and with an external system of the aircraft. A PCU of one seat of each row is serially coupled to all PCUs in the respective row, and designated as a row master PCU; a PCU of one seat of each column is serially coupled to all row master PCUs in the respective column, and designated as a column master PCU; a PCU of one seat of each zone is serially coupled to all column master PCUs in the respective zone, and designated as a zone master PCU; and one zone master PCU is designated as a PCU system master and connected to an external system. Two-conductor data wires couple all PCUs within the PCU network.
DC-based peer-to-peer network for aircraft
2018-03-06
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | G06F ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING , Elektrische digitale Datenverarbeitung / B64D Ausrüstung für Flugzeuge , EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT / G05B Steuer- oder Regelsysteme allgemein , CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL / H04L TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION , Übertragung digitaler Information, z.B. Telegrafieverkehr |
ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PEER-TO-PEER ELECTRICITY SOURCE NETWORK
European Patent Office | 2023
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