Touch screen control interface for passenger seat

Abstract

An aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus is provided. The control apparatus includes a plurality of seat actuators operable to adjust the passenger seat to a selected one of a plurality of discrete seat positions and a touch-sensitive control interface having a plurality of touch-responsive sites thereon corresponding to the plurality of discrete seat positions. The control interface communicates with the plurality of seat actuators and is positioned in proximity to the aircraft passenger seat for use by a passenger seated in the passenger seat. The control interface is also adapted to output a signal to the plurality of seat actuators in response to a touch-selected position by the passenger to thereby adjust the position of the aircraft passenger seat to selected one of the plurality of discrete seat positions.

1 . An aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of seat actuators operable to adjust the passenger seat to a selected one of a plurality of discrete seat positions;   (b) a touch-sensitive control interface having a plurality of touch-responsive sites thereon corresponding to the plurality of discrete seat positions; and   (c) the control interface communicating with the plurality of seat actuators and positioned in proximity to the aircraft passenger seat for use by a passenger seated in the passenger seat, and adapted to output a signal to the plurality of seat actuators in response to a touch-selected position by the passenger to thereby adjust the position of the aircraft passenger seat to selected one of the plurality of discrete seat positions.   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control interface includes a display screen that displays a representative image of the selected one of the plurality of discrete seating positions. 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein each seat actuator of the plurality of seat actuators outputs a position-indicating value corresponding to the position to the control interface that corresponds to the position of the passenger seat. 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to claim  3 , wherein the control interface calculates a range of the position-indicating values of each actuator and divides the range of position-indicating values into a plurality of distinct subranges, wherein each subrange corresponds to one of the discrete seating positions. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein, when the actuator outputs a position-indicating value within a subrange of the plurality of distinct subranges, the display screen displays the representative image of the selected one of the plurality of discrete seating positions corresponding to that subrange. 
     
     
         6 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the passenger seat comprises a backrest portion, a legrest portion, and an armrest portion, and at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators adjusts the position of each of the backrest portion, legrest portion, and armrest portion. 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive control interface also includes a plurality of touch-responsive symbols corresponding to passenger convenience features. 
     
     
         8 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the passenger convenience features are selected from the group consisting of media controls, temperature controls, communication controls, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . An aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of seat actuators operable to adjust portions of the passenger seat to a preferred seating position;   (b) a touch-sensitive control interface having a plurality of touch-responsive sites thereon corresponding to the portions of the passenger seat; and   (c) the control interface communicating with the plurality of seat actuators and positioned in proximity to the aircraft passenger seat for use by a passenger seated in the passenger seat, and adapted to output a signal to the plurality of seat actuators in response to a touch-selected position by the passenger to thereby adjust the portions of the passenger seat to the preferred seating position.   
     
     
         10 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the control interface includes a display screen that displays a representative image of the passenger seat corresponding to the position of the passenger seat. 
     
     
         11 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein each seat actuator of the plurality of seat actuators outputs a position-indicating value to the control interface that corresponds to the position of the portion of the passenger seat. 
     
     
         12 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the control interface calculates a range of the position-indicating values of each actuator and divides the range of position-indicating values into a plurality of distinct subranges, wherein each subrange corresponds to a discrete position of the portion of the passenger seat. 
     
     
         13 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein, when the actuator outputs a position-indicating value within a subrange of the plurality of distinct subranges, the display screen displays the representative image of the selected discrete position of the portion of the passenger seat corresponding to that subrange. 
     
     
         14 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the portions passenger seat comprise a backrest portion, a legrest portion, and an armrest portion, and at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators adjusts the position of each of the backrest portion, legrest portion, and armrest portion. 
     
     
         15 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the touch-sensitive control interface also includes a plurality of touch-responsive symbols corresponding to passenger convenience features. 
     
     
         16 . The aircraft passenger seat position control apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the passenger convenience features are selected from the group consisting of media controls, temperature controls, communication controls, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A method for calibrating an actuator operable to adjust an aircraft passenger seat, comprising the steps of:
 (a) adjusting the passenger seat to a first position;   (b) recording a first position-indicating value output by the actuator;   (c) adjusting the passenger seat to a second position;   (d) recording a second position-indicating value output by the actuator; and   (e) calculating the range between the first and second position-indicating values.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further including the step of dividing the range into a plurality of subranges, each subrange corresponding to a discrete seating position of a plurality of seating positions. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further including the step of providing a touch-responsive control interface having a plurality of touch-responsive sites thereon corresponding to the plurality of discrete seating positions, wherein the seat actuator is adapted to output a signal to the seat actuator in response to a touch-selected position to thereby adjust the position of the aircraft seat to the selected one of the plurality of discrete seating positions.