`
`(19) AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE
`
`(11) Application No. AY 2001100022 A4
`
`(54)
`
`Title
`Computer input output apparatus integral with vessel passenger seat
`
`(51)®—International Patent Classification(s)
`GO6F 003/03
`GO6K 011/06
`
`
`
`
`Agent/Attorney
`(74)
`
`Walter Adamson 2/26 Red Bluff Street
`Black Rock VIC AU
`
`(21)
`
`(43)
`(43)
`
`(71)
`
`(72)
`
`Application No:
`
`9001100022
`
`(22) Application Date:
`
`9001.05.24
`
`Publication Date:
`Publication Journal Date:
`
`2001.07.05
`2001.07.05
`
`Applicant(s)
`Walter Adamson
`
`Inventor(s)
`Adamson, Walter John20010705
`
`EX-1036
`Microsoft Inc. v. LiTL LLC
`
`EX-1036
`Microsoft Inc. v. LiTL LLC
`
`

`

`Abstract
`
`There is disclosed a computer input output apparatus to be employed by a
`passengerin a vessel. The apparatus includes a tray, which is mounted on the
`rear of a vessel passengerseat. The tray has an aperture on the top surface into
`whichis fitted an input output device which surface faces upwardsto the
`passenger whenthetray is placed in a usable position. The computer input output
`device operates to provide an input device that operates computer-based systems
`accessible to the passenger. The computer input output device also includes
`output elements, which are coupled to the computer-based systems including an
`electronic notepad for handwritten notes. The computerinput output device is
`connected to the vessel communications network and passengersystems by
`cable or wireless means.
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`-2-
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`

`

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`
`AUSTRALIA
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`Patents Act 1990
`
`COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
`
`INNOVATION PATENT
`
`Computerinput output apparatus integral with vessel passenger
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`seat.
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`The following statementis a full description of this invention, including the best
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`method of performing it known to me.
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`

`

`EDITORIAL NOTE:
`
`Page 3 of this description appears as the claims.
`
`Page4 of the description appears at the end of the description as ‘Description of
`Drawings’.
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`-4-
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`

`

`Field of Invention
`
`The presentinvention relates to a computer input output apparatus and more
`particularly to an embodimentof such in a passengervessel integral with a
`passengerseat andtray table therein.
`
`Background
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`10
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`Passengervessels, such asaircraft, ferries and trains, generally provide means of
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`entertainment at passengers. Although oftenlimited, it is known to offer video
`gamesandinteractive games, and at least music, and movies. More advanced
`systems currently provide a limited range of on-demand movies and games, with a
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`video apparatus often attached proximal!to the passengerseat.
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`15
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`In the future vessel operators will find it advantageous to provide a greater range
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`of entertainment, including more interactive entertainment and moreinteractive
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`customer services. This will include much greater two-wayinteraction than at
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`present. Applications will include passenger to passengerchat, email, instant
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`20
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`messaging and video/keyboard dialogues andinteraction. Similar applicationsin
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`communication with the Internet will also be available.
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`A problem with moreintensive interaction is the potential disturbance to other
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`passengers. For example voice input would be disturbing to close neighbours,
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`25
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`and keyboard input is noisy and mechanically disturbing to people in close
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`proximity.
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`It is known in the art to provide screen based video games with special
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`purpose controllers, which are relatively undisturbing to other passengers.
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`Howeverwith greater keyboard interaction required by future on-board
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`entertainment systems a quite interaction means is needed.
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`30
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`Thus, a need exists for an apparatus to provide silent input with a full range of
`input functions and capabilities which provides for future on-board passenger
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`systems.
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`5.
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`

`

`Summary ofthe Invention
`
`According to a feature of the invention the system provides a meansfor
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`passengers on a vesselto interact with computer systems and entertainment
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`systems on the vessel. The apparatus has the advantage of being integral with
`commonly provider passenger equipmentin particular a tray table, and silent in
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`use so as to not disturb other passengers, and effective and efficient in that icons
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`10
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`and interaction displays can be both general and specific the particular needs or
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`each passenger.
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`6-
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`Detailed Description of the Invention
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`Implementation embodiments of the present invention include a computerinput
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`output touch screen meansintegrated into an aperture in a tray table. Although
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`the present invention will be described with reference to certain specific
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`embodiments thereof, it can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that these
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`specific details disclosed herein for the purpose of providing an understanding of
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`the present invention, and do notlimit its scope. One skilled in the art can
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`appreciate that another skilled in the art may perform many departures and other
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`10
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`modifications of the implemented embodiments of the present invention. This
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`invention can be practiced without these specific details.
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`The present innovation is directed to the provision of an apparatus for the
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`computerinput and output integral with a passenger seat. The noted determination
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`15
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`is of particular use with respect to being integral with a passengertray table. While
`the innovation will be described with respect to an aircraft passengertray
`telephone, it should be understood that the innovation can be used to advantage
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`with any type of passenger seat and table for the use of the passengers with
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`respect to interacting with computer systems during a voyage on manytypes of
`voyage vessels andcraft including ships, hovercraft and buses.
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`20
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`Referring to FIG 1 thereisillustrated a typical passenger seat 100 as those
`normally deployed on vessels carrying large numbers of passengers. For
`purposesof teaching the invention an embodimentusing an aircraft passenger
`seatis illustrated. The passenger seat as associated with a tray 120 which can be
`raised or lowered 140 by the occupantof a seat, most commonly an occupantto
`the rearof the illustrated seat 110 whenfixed in a configuration, and is used to
`accommodate meals, drinks and other passenger conveniences.
`The tray is
`normally either in the closed, or locked position, close against the seat backin
`front of the passenger. Whendesired for use, the conventionaltray is moved down
`to an approximately horizontal position 140 directly in front of the (rear) passenger.
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`30
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`-7-
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`-6 -
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`The design of such seats is well know in the art and said associated trays such as
`from US patent US3762766Airplane Seat Assembly, granted Oct 2, 1973, remain
`the art. Passengertray is normally secured to the back of the seat by meansofa
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`latch or latches, and which latches may also provide for different stops or positions
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`of securing of the tray. Key to the innovationis that all such trays constitute a flat
`planar surface whichis large enough surface area to conveniently accommodate a
`thin touch screen computer input output apparatus, for example a thin LCD touch
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`screen. Such a screen 130 would befitted into a tray, perhaps into an aperture of
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`the tray for example.
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`10
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`A touch screen is a computer display screen that is sensitive to human touch,
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`allowing a user to interact with the computer by touching pictures or words on the
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`screen. Touch screensare used with information kiosk computer-based training
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`devices, and systems designed to help individuals who havedifficulty manipulating
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`15
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`a mouse or keyboard. Touch screen technology can be used as an alternative
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`userinterface with applications that normally require a mouse, such as a Web
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`browser. Some applications are designed specifically for touch screen technology,
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`often having larger icons andlinks than the typical PC application. Monitors are
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`available with built-in touch screen technology or individuals can purchase a touch
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`20
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`screenkit.
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`A touch screen unit logically includes a touch screen panel, a controller, and a
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`software driver. The touch screen panel registers touch events and passes these
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`signals to the controller. The controller then processes the signals and sends the
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`25
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`data to the software driver. The software driver translates touch events into
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`“mouse” events.
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`For a general explanation see “At Your Fingertips” (Scientific American, April
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`2001).
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`30
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`Touch screen systems are know, howeveran inhibition in prior installation in
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`passengervessel seats has beenthe distortion of viewing angle. For example
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`parallax is a particularly acute problem with touch sensitive screens where the
`user of the system provides inputs to the system by pointing to, or touching,
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`-8-
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`-7-
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`objects displayed on the screen. This is because the constructionof flat panel
`LCDs causes the image to appearat a position that is not the true tangible screen
`surface position. The difference in depth between the image position and the
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`surface of the flat paneldisplay is called the image depth. Large image depth
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`contributes to the problem of parallax becausethe larger the image depth the
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`worsethe parallax. Often the image depth is enlarged when touch sensitive flat
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`panel touch screens are employed becausea special thick touch sensitive layer
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`rests on top of the outer layer of the LCD. This touch sensitive layer presents a
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`layer between the displayed image and the viewer through which the viewer must
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`10
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`view the display.
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`As a result of the image depth created by the touch sensitive layer, when the flat
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`panel touch sensitive screen is viewed off-axis the optical position of the imageis
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`different from the tangible position on the screen surface. Thus, the apparent
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`15
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`position of the pixel is not the sameas the position on the surface of the screen
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`vertically correspondentwith the electrode grid below responsible for creating the
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`apparent image. This is true because the screentilt and image depth causes the
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`image to appearin a screen location whichis not directly above the image and
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`thus difficult to touch when using thick touch sensitive screens, and is therefore
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`20
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`difficult to target when the display is used in a touch sensitive configuration.
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`This is a problem because when such a display is used as a touch screen, the
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`user touches the surface of the display with the expectation that the surface
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`coordinates correlate to the coordinatesof the pixels visible within the display.
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`25
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`Therefore, if a touch sensitive screen is used with this type of LCD thenit is
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`difficult, if not impossible, to accurately select various on-screen items because of
`the parallax problem. Accordingly US Patent US6,028,581 Method and Apparatus
`for a Liquid Crystal Display having an Input Function, granted 22" Feb, 2000
`addresses the above mentioned problem, andis incorporated into this description.
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`30
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`The presentinnovation is directed to the embodimentof a thin display of the type
`generically discussed above having an input function being integral with a
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`passengertray table. FIG2illustrates an embodiment. The physically dimensions
`of appropriate thin input output devices are congruent and available or will be
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`-9-
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`

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`-8-
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`shortly available to match the dimensions of the commonly available trays. Such
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`screens will be integrated with a plastic or other unit of a strength and character fit
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`for purpose and anartisan skilled in the art can appreciate the knowncraft offitting
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`a tray casing to the computer input output device.
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`With the advantage of US6,028,581 this apparatus will be practical and functional
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`as a device to input and view responses, and furthermore to accurately input by
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`human touch andto easily be viewed in the average passenger ergonomic
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`configurations.
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`While all the above are feasible input and interactions means, it seems mostlikely
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`that in areas of confinement, such asairline seating configuration, quietness of
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`operation will be a key requirement.
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`Furtherinnovation is achieved by the computer input output device being able to
`present dynamic options to passengersforinteracting with on-vessel systems.
`For example, while the primary purposeis to allow for silent input for advanced
`passengerentertainment systems, incorporating computer games andinteracting
`with other passengers,a further purposeis to enhance crew to passenger
`communications and service. A range of flexible and icon-oriented displays can
`be much more effective and more content rich in communicating the features of a
`journey, for example with respect to catering and movie options, and in seeking
`assistance from the crew during a journey.
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`With respect to forms of passengerelectronic entertainment, US Patent
`US6,177,887 Multipassenger Vehicle Catering and Entertainment System, granted
`23” Jan, 2001, includesin its content an apparatus integrated into the passenger
`tray to allow for input to video games and to make screen selections. However a
`stated objective of US6,117,887is to present a simple and limited numberof input
`controls to passengers, comprising asillustrated 6 buttons being special function
`buttons such as “Attendant Assistance” and menu commandssuchas“Scroil Up”
`or “Enter”. US6,117,887 claims such simple input asavirtue e.g. claim 12
`“information entry to be accomplished with a minimum ofinput controls, generally
`scroll up, scroll down, enter, and help”.
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`30
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`-10-
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`
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`The minimization of controls, as indicated by US6,117,887, is in general
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`undesirable and is also not necessary with the present invention. The computer
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`input output touch screen device can present unlimited icons and images 210 to
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`offer the most effective form of interaction for any desired purpose, including video
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`gamecontrols 230.
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`10
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`Thus, the present innovation claims as full data entry capabilities as are available
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`to any user of any general purpose information system and at least as full as can
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`be provided by the systems on board or in communication with a passenger
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`vessel. This is because the computerinput output device, integral to the tray, can
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`receive and transmit information to the full extent of known computer keyboards.
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`15
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`Furtherit can transmit more effectively where special purpose interactions are
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`transmitted for display 210 to the output apparatus contained therein, and are
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`respondedto via the input apparatus namely the touch screen. The extent of such
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`special purpose interactions is only limited by the capabilities of the interacting
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`computing system and the possible limitations on bandwidth between the
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`20
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`computerinput output device and the interacting computer.
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`For example, any other techniques can be usedfor inputting commands and
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`designating display positions. Joysticks and trackballs are technologies often
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`employed in military applications. Digitising tablets transform the tablet area into
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`25
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`an equivalent of the display screen when a "digitiser", say 230, is moved over the
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`tablet. A “mouse”, say also 230, is akin to turning a trackball over androlling it on
`top of the desktop surface. A “touch screen", the key meansof achieving the
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`present innovation, can be embodied asa thin transparent screen placed over the
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`display screen. This can then be activated with fingertip pressure. Of more recent
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`30
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`developmentis "voice input,” although still in the development stage for most
`practical applications, and is not suitable for the environmentfor which the present
`invention is intended. These alternative input devices can feasibly be incorporated
`into a more advanced version of the present invention, but are not considered
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`further herein at present, except for a computing tablet 220 discussed below.
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`-11-
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`“Mouse emulation” is knownin relation to such computer input output apparatus
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`and refers to the main function of a touch screen software driver. The software
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`driver runs on the host system of a touch screen system, being the onein
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`communication with the tray table (see below).
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`It has the job of taking touch event
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`data from the touch screen controller and translating it into something that the
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`computer's operating system can understand. Since most operating systems are
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`designed to work with mouse events, the software driver translates touch events
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`into mouse click and move events. By doing this mouse emulation at the system /
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`10
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`driverlevel, it frees application programmers from having to do anydifficult
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`programming to interface their program with the touchscreen. It also allows the
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`touch screen to work with a wide variety of software that was originally designed
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`for use with a mouse, thus being advantageousto the passenger's interaction.
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`15
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`The computerinput output deviceillustratively links to a computing device via a
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`cable or cables 310 carried through the arms 140linking the tray to the attaching
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`seat, and the means and apparatus to do this in accordancewith sayaircraft
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`requirements are know. This link would carry power and data communications
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`and other sensors information if necessary, such as heator tray orientation
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`20
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`sensors. The mechanical design of the tray and hinges would be designed to
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`ensure the safe carriage of the weight, and the power and heat of the cables and
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`wiring, as is known in the art.
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`Further to the wired communication the present innovation claims that the
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`25
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`computer input output apparatus in conjunction with the integral tray may include a
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`wireless network connection capability 320. Forillustration a PCMIA LAN 802.11
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`card or a Bluetooth card 320.
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`It is know for such cards as the Apple Airport card
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`and numerous PCMIAcards for the Palm Pilot to connect effectively and
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`economically to wireless and cellular networks. This same technology,for
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`30
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`example by chipset, can be innovatively incorporated into the present invention.
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`Further to the input functions being by humantouchinput the present innovation
`being aimed at more effective interaction with a vessel passenger advantageously
`includes an electronic notepad, which stores handwritten notes. Such is know
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`-12-
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`

`
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`-11-
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`(see IBM TransNote Computer 2001 or Stylistic from Fujitsu Corporation 2000)
`and comprises an electronic slate that stores handwriting and transfersit to the
`communicating computer system. This innovation combines a tablet computer
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`with a computer input output apparatus advantageous to the travelling passenger.
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`The unit 220 would be integral with the tray table 120, and configured for optimal
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`human ergonomics, which would be particular to specific seat and passenger
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`facilities.
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`In an embodimentit is expected that the cabling 310 and any hardware
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`10
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`interconnections between screens and tablets and other input devices would
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`occurs not necessarily in the confines of the tray or the aperture. Mostlikely the
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`cabling for each device respectively would be taken to a junction point via a
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`mechanical bridge such as tray table arms. At that bridging point they would be
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`joined into meansto coordinate their utility and inter-operability. Such means
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`15
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`include data networks, computing systems, andintelligent network connectors. An
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`embodimentof the present invention preferably includes computing meansin
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`proximity to the computerinput output touch screen device, perhaps for example
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`in or proximal to each passenger seat 110. The latter computing system would
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`then be connectedinto the vessel entertainment and communication system by
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`20
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`network means such as ethernet or TCP/IP or other known networking methods.
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`It is, therefore, understood that a major advantageof this innovation is the
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`incorporation of a silent touch screen computerinput output apparatus integral
`with the passenger seat tray. This enables silent and effective communication
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`25
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`with an on-board vessel system that may provide games, entertainment, movies,
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`requests, catering and interactive and inter-passenger communications.
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`Furthermore such communication may include handwritten notes and graphics
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`input to the computer input output device by the passenger.
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`30
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`The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposesof
`illustration and description. Further, the description is not intended tolimit the
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`invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications
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`commensurate with the above teachings, and the skill or knowledgein the relevant
`are within the scope of the present invention. The preferred embodiment described
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`-13-
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`-12 -
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`hereinaboveis farther intended to explain the best mode knownofpracticing the
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`invention and to enable other skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various
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`embodiments and with the various modifications required by their particular
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`applications or uses of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be
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`construedto include alternate embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior
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`art.
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`10
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`Walter J Adamson
`
`May 24, 2001
`
`Related Art
`
`15
`US 6028581 Method and apparatusforaliquid crystal display (LDC) having an
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`input function Feb 22, 2000.
`
`US 5659378 Polarizing fibre-optic layer in use with a flat panel display device Aug
`
`19, 1997.
`
`US 6177887 Multipassenger vehicle catering and entertainment system Jan 23,
`2001.
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`20
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`-14-
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`

`

`
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`Brief Description of the Drawings
`
`FIG 1 is a general schematic illustrating the configuration of the invention in
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`relation to a passenger seat.
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`FIG 2 is anillustrative drawing of the input output screen in as in a tray.
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`FIG 3 is a schematic highlighting mechanical connections.
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`-15-
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`

`

`
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`Claims
`
`Whatis claimed:
`
`1. An article of manufacture, including electronic means and communication
`
`meansoperative to control a computer input output device, said device
`
`including:
`
`e
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`*
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`*
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`10
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`aninput means comprising a computer input cutput touch screen;
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`anoutput means comprising a computer input touch screen;
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`aninput and output means comprising a tablet and control devices.
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`. The device of claim 1, wherein said computer input output touch screenis
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`integral with a passenger tray device in a multi-passengervessel.
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`15
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`. The device of claim 1, wherein the said computerinput output device has
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`communication means to a multi-passenger catering and entertainment
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`system.
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`The device of claim 1 wherein said computerinput out device is capable of
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`20
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`displaying a full icons, images, simulated keyboards, and commandsas
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`required by a multi-passenger catering and entertainment system.
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`The device of claim 1, wherein the said table and control devices further
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`include mouse devices, game control devices, tablet computer devices.
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`25
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`-16-
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`SHEET 1 OF 3
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`
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`140
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`FIGURE 1
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`SHEET 2 OF 3
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`30ri
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`FIGURE 2
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`-18-
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`SHEET 3 OF 3
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`
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`310
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`140
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`320
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`
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`FIGURE 3
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`-19-
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