Inflight Entertainment System with Selectively Preloaded Seat End Video Caches

Abstract

An inflight entertainment (IFE) system preloads from head end equipment onto seat end video caches subsets of prerecorded video entertainment programs from a library of prerecorded video entertainment programs stored on the head end equipment. Preloading is done independent of play requests made by passengers using the IFE system. The selected subsets are selected using selection metrics such as program popularity, passenger demographics and/or passenger preferences. The same or a different subset may be selected for different passengers. As a result of the selective preloading of the seat end video caches, if the head end equipment or the distribution system becomes inoperable during the flight, the IFE system is able to continue to deliver a limited offering of popular, demographically indicated and/or passenger preferred video entertainment from the seat end video caches, without requiring a large multiplier in storage capacity or loading time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inflight entertainment (IFE) system, comprising:
 head end equipment having stored thereon a library of prerecorded video entertainment programs and one or more selection metrics; and   seat end equipment communicatively coupled with the head end equipment and having a plurality of video caches and video displays for a respective plurality of passengers on a flight, wherein the system is configured to select from the library using the selection metrics a plurality of subsets of prerecorded video entertainment programs for the respective passengers and download the selected subsets to the video caches for the respective passengers, wherein the seat end equipment is configured to determine availability of the head end equipment, display on the video displays for the respective passengers when the head end equipment is available first video playlists for the respective passengers whose prerecorded video entertainment offerings include programs beyond the downloaded subsets for the respective passengers and display on the video displays for the respective passengers when the head end equipment is unavailable second video playlists for the respective passengers whose prerecorded video entertainment offerings are limited to programs that are within the downloaded subsets for the respective passengers.   
     
     
         2 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat end equipment is further configured to receive video play requests from the respective passengers through input on the seat end equipment, access requested video entertainment programs from the head end equipment and play the requested video entertainment programs accessed from the head end equipment on the video displays for the respective passengers when the head end equipment is available, and access requested video entertainment programs from the video caches for the respective passengers and play the requested video entertainment programs accessed from the video caches for the respective passengers on the video displays for the respective passengers when the head end equipment is unavailable. 
     
     
         3 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one or more passenger preference metrics. 
     
     
         4 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one or more passenger demographics metrics. 
     
     
         5 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the selections metrics are determined using passenger responses to pre-flight survey questions. 
     
     
         6 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the selection metrics are determined using passenger content selections on past flights. 
     
     
         7 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the head end equipment is further configured to select the subsets using a program popularity metric. 
     
     
         8 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the head end equipment is further configured to select the subsets using an on-aircraft program popularity metric. 
     
     
         9 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the head end equipment is further configured to select the subsets using an airline-specific popularity metric. 
     
     
         10 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the head end equipment is further configured to select the subsets using a flight leg-specific popularity metric. 
     
     
         11 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected subsets are different for different passengers. 
     
     
         12 . The IFE system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected subsets are identical for all passengers. 
     
     
         13 . In an inflight entertainment (IFE) system having head end equipment communicatively coupled with seat end equipment having a plurality of seat end video caches and a plurality of seat end video displays for a respective plurality of passengers on a flight, a method for preserving system availability, comprising:
 providing on the head end equipment a library of prerecorded video entertainment programs;   selecting by the system from the library, using one or more selection metrics, a plurality of subsets of the prerecorded video entertainment programs for the respective passengers;   downloading from the head end equipment to the seat end video caches for the respective passengers the selected subsets;   determining by the seat end equipment availability of the head end equipment;   displaying by the seat end equipment on the seat end video displays for the respective passengers, when the head end equipment is available, first video playlists for the respective passengers whose prerecorded video entertainment offerings include programs beyond the downloaded subsets for the respective passengers; and   displaying by the seat end equipment on the seat end video displays for the respective passengers, when the head end equipment is unavailable, second video playlists for the respective passengers whose prerecorded video entertainment offerings are limited to programs that are within the downloaded subsets for the respective passengers.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving play requests for video entertainment programs from the respective passengers through input on the seat end equipment;   accessing requested video entertainment programs from the head end equipment and playing the requested video entertainment programs accessed from the head end equipment on the seat end video displays for the respective passengers when the head end equipment is available; and   accessing requested video entertainment programs from the seat end video caches for the respective passengers and playing the requested video entertainment programs accessed from the seat end video caches for the respective passengers on the seat end video displays for the respective passengers when the head end equipment is unavailable.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one or more passenger preference metrics. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one more passenger demographics metrics. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics are determined using passenger responses to pre-flight survey questions. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics are determined using passenger content selections on past flights. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one or more program popularity metrics. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one or more on-aircraft program popularity metrics. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one or more airline-specific popularity metrics. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selection metrics comprise one or more flight leg-specific popularity metrics. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selected subsets are different for different passengers. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selected subsets are identical for all passengers.