Method, system and computer program product for aircraft multimedia distribution

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for aircraft multimedia distribution, including a multimedia server provided within an aircraft of an airline and a multimedia communications network within the aircraft coupled to the multimedia server. The multimedia server is configured to distribute, over the aircraft multimedia communications network, multimedia in-flight to a device of a passenger for at least one of viewing, listening and purchasing by the passenger.

1 . A method comprising:
 presenting a graphical user interface for selection of one or more multimedia contents to be provided to a user during flight; and   receiving an input specifying a selection, pre-flight, of one of the multimedia contents, wherein the selected multimedia content is to be transmitted to a device on board an aircraft for presentation to the user.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia contents are stored in a multimedia server on-board the aircraft, the multimedia server being configured to communicate with the device over a communication network of the aircraft. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected multimedia content comprises one of streaming video, streaming audio, video for download, audio for download, software, games, digital literary works, data, sports statistics, trivia, encyclopedia information, served software applications, graphical images, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises one of a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, moving pictures experts group (MPEG) audio layer 3 (MP3) player, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected multimedia content is encrypted or compressed for transmission to the device via a network interface, and the network interface device comprises one of a custom device or plug-in device configured to decrypt or decompress the selected multimedia content. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network interface device is one of proprietary or specific to an airline. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting the graphical user interface for selection of the multimedia contents to be provided to another user during the flight or another flight.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is configured to further present a plurality of pre-flight functions that comprise one of previewing of the multimedia contents, or downloading of a software to enable viewing of the multimedia contents. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor configured to present a graphical user interface for selection of one or more multimedia contents to be provided to a user during flight,   wherein the processor is further configured to receive an input specifying a selection, pre-flight, of one of the multimedia contents, wherein the selected multimedia content is to be transmitted to a device on board an aircraft for presentation to the user.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a communication interface configured to a communicate with a multimedia server configured to store the multimedia content, wherein the multimedia server is on-board the aircraft and is configured to communicate with the device over a communication network of the aircraft.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the selected multimedia content comprises one of streaming video, streaming audio, video for download, audio for download, software, games, digital literary works, data, sports statistics, trivia, encyclopedia information, served software applications, graphical images, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the device comprises one of a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, moving pictures experts group (MPEG) audio layer 3 (MP3) player, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the selected multimedia content is encrypted or compressed for transmission to the device via a network interface, and the network interface device comprises one of a custom device or plug-in device configured to decrypt or decompress the selected multimedia content. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the network interface device is one of proprietary or specific to an airline. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to present the graphical user interface for selection of the multimedia contents to be provided to another user during the flight or another flight. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the graphical user interface is configured to further present a plurality of pre-flight functions that comprise one of previewing of the multimedia contents, or downloading of a software to enable viewing of the multimedia contents. 
   
   
       17 . A network interface device comprising:
 a first interface configured to receive, from a multimedia server on-board an aircraft, a multimedia content that was selected pre-flight;   a processor configured to decrypt or decompress the multimedia content; and   a second interface configured to transmit the decrypted or decompressed multimedia content to a user device on-board the aircraft.   
   
   
       18 . The network interface device of  claim 17 , wherein the selection of the multimedia content is selected via a web server that is remotely located from the multimedia server,
 wherein the selected multimedia content comprises one of streaming video, streaming audio, video for download, audio for download, software, games, digital literary works, data, sports statistics, trivia, encyclopedia information, served software applications, graphical images, or a combination thereof.   
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the user device is one of a custom device or plug-in device. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the network interface device is one of proprietary or specific to an airline.