JPH09512401A - Aircraft passenger phone - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] A handset (20) designed to be installed in an armrest (22) of a conventional aircraft economy class seat (24). Preferably, the handset (20) is equipped with voice pickup and speaker functionality, a conventional 12-key push button telephone keypad (32) and a credit card reader (46). The handset (20) fits within a cradle (26) mounted within the armrest (22) so that the handset (20) extends upward from the armrest (22) by approximately 1.27 cm (0.5 inches) or more. It is sized so that it does not. A handset (20) for each passenger is provided within his or her armrest (22). The handset (20) includes other functions such as an attendant call button (104), an attendant call cancel button (106), a lighting switch (108), a channel control (110), a channel display (112) and Radio / television controls such as a volume control (114) may be incorporated into the handset (20) to provide easy access to these buttons on the armrest (22). In addition, it may include the functionality of video game controls, ie direction control (124), game selection keys (126) and trigger keys (128).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Aircraft passenger telephones. Related application This application is a partial continuation application of the pending design application entitled "Aircraft Telephone Headset Design" filed April 21, 1994. Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to the field of passenger telephone units used in commercial aircraft. Background of the Invention As is well known to most business people who use aircraft, space on commercial aircraft is tight because airlines must maximize the number of passengers each aircraft can accommodate. It is important that the supplemental equipment used to provide the functions and services of the aircraft does not compromise the space within the aircraft that can be used to accommodate passengers. As one of the aircraft services that have been continuously popularized, there is a standard ground long distance service and a telephone service wirelessly connected. As general travelers have become increasingly accustomed to using airplane phones, it has become desirable to mount a large number of phones on an airplane without blocking passenger space. In the prior art, it is common to mount telephone units on bulkheads near the front and rear of the aircraft and on the back of the seat. These locations avoid the use of significant passenger space. However, this impairs passenger convenience. If the telephone is located on a bulkhead, usually only one or two telephone units are provided for an entire group of passengers. Therefore, a passenger who wants to use the telephone must wake up the passengers in the line to find an available telephone unit. Further, passengers in the seats near the telephone unit are bothered every time the passenger uses the telephone. If a telephone is located at the back of the seat, it is common to have one telephone for each row or group of passengers. Therefore, a passenger who does not have a telephone in the front must approach the telephone and make a call by bothering passengers near the telephone. Even if a telephone is provided on the back of the next row seat for each passenger, the use of the telephone is somewhat inconvenient. The user may annoy a passenger sitting in the seat to which the telephone is attached, as he approaches the telephone from the back of the seat. Furthermore, since the telephone is connected to its plug by a cord, the cord is pulled between seat rows when using the telephone. Therefore, while the telephone is in use, passengers cannot exit the aisle from their seats through the caller's seats. Therefore, it is desirable to find another location to install the phone unit, but most aircraft do not have the extra space to install the phone unit. The size of aircraft telephone units varies significantly in the prior art because size is not a major constraint when placing a telephone behind the seat of an aircraft. The only major constraint when mounting a phone on the back of the seat is the width of the seat back. That is, ensuring that the telephone unit does not extend beyond the width of the seat back. The overall size of a conventional telephone unit mounted on a seat back or a bulkhead of an aircraft is such that there are not many other places where the telephone unit can be arranged. Therefore, it is desirable to design a telephone unit that can be placed in a small location in the aircraft so that each passenger can approach the telephone unit without disturbing other passengers. Another problem with the installation of passenger service equipment on aircraft is related to maintenance. In order to operate an aircraft profitably, it is necessary to reduce downtime of the aircraft as much as possible. Since the system newly installed in each passenger seat may break down, the increased comfort of passengers adds to the difficulty of maintenance. If there are many failures, the aircraft will not operate long enough to affect repairs. Generally, passenger service equipment is distributed in several places around the passenger seats. The attendant call button, along with a light switch and reading light, is often located in the overhead panel. If a video screen is installed, the phone is usually installed with it behind the seat. Voice controls such as volume and channel controls are often mounted in armrests, where lighting controls and attendant call buttons may also be located. When video game controllers are installed, they are often also installed in the armrests. This distribution of potentially failing parts complicates aircraft maintenance and adds cost to airlines. Periodically when it comes to removing several different systems in several different places, the need to remove and replace the failing unit to fix most of these systems and lock them in time for flight The increased number of replacement parts that must be stocked in the aviation will increase the cost of scheduled aviation to train humans to remove and replace each part. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an all-purpose controller / telephone unit that could be easily replaced by an unskilled person to control as many passenger service facilities as possible. Disclosure of the invention A preferred embodiment of the passenger telephone of the present invention is a telephone unit designed to allow the handset to be mounted within the armrest of a conventional economy or tourist class seat of an aircraft. Of course, it is this part of the aircraft that has the most tight space and must accommodate as many passengers as possible. A preferred embodiment of an aircraft passenger telephone unit includes a standard economy class passenger seat with a retractable armrest on at least one side, a cradle with an open cavity forming a fastener, and a cradle mounted in the open cavity of the cradle. It is equipped with a handset. Preferably, the handset is sized to fit within a cradle mounted within the armrest and extend no more than about 1.27 cm (0.5 inches) from the sides of the armrest. This ensures that the passenger seating area is not constrained. Preferably, the overall outer dimensions of the cradle mounted on the side of the armrest is less than 21.0 cm (8.25 inches) x 5.72 cm (2.25 inches) x 2.54 cm (1.0 inches) width . The overall size of the handset is smaller than 18.4 cm (7.25 inches) x 5.08 cm (2.0 inches) x 3.81 cm (1.5 inches), and the handset cooperates with the fastener to cradle the handset. It includes a member to be retained therein. Preferably, the handset has a 12-key keypad for inputting a called number, a microphone arranged adjacent to one end of the handset, a speaker arranged adjacent to the other end of the handset, and an armrest from the handset via a cradle. And a multi-conductor cord that is threaded through. Since the handset can fit within the armrest of a conventional economy class seat of an aircraft, each passenger preferably has his or her handset mounted within his or her armrest. This eliminates the need for a passenger to bother another passenger when approaching the phone. Desirably, each passenger is provided with a handset within each person's armrest so that other features that each passenger desires to access can be incorporated into the handset. For example, functions associated with a typical Digital Passenger Control Unit (DPCU), such as attendant call buttons, attendant cancel buttons, and personal lighting controls for passenger reading light switches, have been incorporated into the handset and each passenger has their own. You can provide easy access to these buttons on the armrests. Other DPCU functions including radio or television controls such as channel control, channel display, volume control, etc. can also be incorporated into the handset. In addition, the handset can incorporate functions such as, for example, a cursor control switch, a game select switch and directional keys, and a set of video game control switches that can include fire control buttons. The handset is connected to the telescoping reel by a multi-wire cable. Preferably, the connection to the cable is difficult for passengers to easily remove the handset from the aircraft, but to the extent that even less experienced aircraft maintenance personnel can remove it without the use of special equipment. It is sex. As a result, even such maintenance personnel can easily replace virtually all of the passenger control elements and repair failed switches or components without delaying the aircraft. Since virtually all controls are located within a single handset, airliner can repair most passenger seat control failures simply by keeping this one control element in stock. These and other features and advantages of the present invention are more fully described by the accompanying figures and the description below. Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a handset installed in a cradle of a conventional economy class aircraft seat. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the handset which is removed from the cradle. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the first embodiment of the handset. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the handset. FIG. 5 is a right side view of the first embodiment of the handset. FIG. 6 is a left side view of the first embodiment of the handset. FIG. 7 is a side view of the first embodiment of the handset connected to the cord reel. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the passenger seat showing the position of the cord reel connected to the handset of the first embodiment mounted under the seat. FIG. 9 is a more detailed exploded perspective view of the handset, the cradle and the flexible tube of the first embodiment surrounding the telephone connection cord shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the passenger seat showing the position of the cord reel connected to the handset of the fourth embodiment mounted in the armrest. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a handset including a digital passenger control function. FIG. 12 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of a handset including a digital passenger control function equipped with a video game control. FIG. 13 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a handset equipped with a video game control. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a telephone unit 18 of the present invention comprises a handset 20 which mounts within a standard economy class passenger seat 24 having a retractable armrest 22 on at least one side. be able to. More preferably, the handset 20 fits within a cradle 26 mounted in the side of the armrest 22 and extends outward from the cradle 26 within the armrest 22 approximately 1. 27 cm (0. It does not extend more than 5 inches) and is sized not to invade the leg space of passengers. Handset 20 is designed to fit within armrest 22 of economy class seats 24 made by most aircraft seat manufacturers because the dimensions of economy class and tourist class passenger seats 24 vary by manufacturer. There is. The smallest armrest 22 configuration that allows the handset 20 of the present invention to fit without changing the size of the armrest 22 is a PTC economy class seat, a wholly owned subsidiary of BE Aerospace. Preferably, the size of the cradle 26 that can be mounted within the armrest 22 of a conventional economy class seat 24 is 21. 0 cm (8. 25 inches) length x 5. 72 cm (2. 25 inches) high x 2. 54 cm (1. Within 0 inch) width. Preferably, the size of handset 20 substantially contained within cradle 26 within armrest 22 of conventional economy class seat 24 is 18. 4 cm (7. 25 inches) length x 5. 08 cm (2. 0 inch) high x 3. 81 cm (1. Within 5 inches) width. More preferably, the size of the cradle 26 that can be mounted within the armrest 22 of a conventional economy class seat 24 is approximately 20. 84 cm (8. 205 inches) length x 5. 3 cm (2. 1 inch) width x 2. 5 cm (0. 97 inches). More preferably, the size of handset 20 substantially contained within cradle 26 within armrest 22 of conventional economy class seat 24 is approximately 18. 0 cm (7. 1 inch) length x 4. 47 cm (1. 76 inches) width x 3. 28 cm (1. 29 inches) high. Taking advantage of the preferred dimensions of the cradle 26 and the preferred dimensions of the handset 20, the handset 20 extends approximately 0. 82 cm (0. Except for the 32 inch) high portion, it is substantially contained in the cradle 26. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the telephone art, the dimensions of the handset 20 described above are in many respects much smaller than the preferred standard ergonomic design of the handset. First, the length of the aircraft handset 20 that defines the distance between the microphone voice pickup unit and the speaker in the earpiece is significantly shorter than the preferred distance of a typical handset. Moreover, the width of the aircraft handset 20 that defines the width of the telephone keypad is significantly smaller than the preferred keypad width of a typical handset. To overcome these design constraints while providing a properly functioning handset, many standard specifications for handset design must be reinterpreted. Preferably, the first embodiment of handset 20 shown in FIGS. 2-6 includes the following elements of a typical handset: Microphone 28, earpiece with built-in speaker 30, 12-key telephone keypad 32, and volume control 34. In addition, the handset has a start / stop control button that initiates and terminates a series of calls to one caller, a new call button that allows the caller to initiate a new call charged to the same credit card number, and It is equipped with a plurality of function control buttons 36, such as function keys, which are used to provide access to upgraded functions that can be added to the telephone unit in the future. The handset also includes an LED display panel 38 that indicates the status of the telephone call. The LED display panel 38 is a first display 40 that indicates when a channel is available, a second display 42 that indicates when there is an error in the calling sequence, and the user must wait until the next step in the calling process begins. A display function such as a third display 44 indicating when it must be provided can be provided. Finally, the handset can also be equipped with a credit card reader unit 46. The credit card reader unit 46 provides a simple payment method for the user's telephone, but the space required for the credit card reader unit 46 reduces the amount of space available for the above-mentioned telephone function. The credit card reader unit 46 is arranged in the side surface 52 of the handset 20 and includes a trough 48 containing a magnetic card reader 50. The credit card is inserted into the trough 48 and passed longitudinally along the trough 48 so that its magnetic strip passes across the card reader 50. The width of the trough 48 is defined by the location of the magnetic strip of a typical credit card, and therefore must have this minimum width to perform its function. The required trough width reduces the area within the handset 20 that is available for telephone electronics. In addition, there is physical, electrical, and magnetic isolation that prevents the magnetic strip of the credit card from interfering with the telephone electronics within the handset 20. Preferably, the trough 48 is shielded from internal handset electronics, except for the magnetic card reader 50 itself which extends into the trough 48 for reading the magnetic strip of the credit card. The keypad 32 of the handset 20 is significantly reduced in size due to the reduced available space within the handset 20, but still allows the necessary functions to be performed. The preferred center-to-center distance of the keys 54 of the keypad 32 used in the handset 20 is significantly reduced over conventional telephone keypads, that is, the keys are placed closer together than conventional telephone keypads. Moreover, the actual size of the keys 54 on the keypad 32 of the handset 20 is reduced over standard telephone keys. Preferably, the keys 54 are made of conductive silicone rubber and mate with a keypad connection PCB located below the keypad. When the key 54 is pressed, the conductive silicone rubber makes an electrical connection with the keypad PCB matrix, indicating to the telephone's electronic device that the key has been pressed. Further, although the silicon rubber key 54 is extremely small, the tactile sensation necessary for the user to know that the key 54 is pressed and is in contact with the key switch film placed under the silicon key 54 is provided. Designed to give. In addition, commercial aircraft that may operate at night require a keypad 32 with a backlight function that allows the user to use the handset 20 in the cabin of a dark aircraft. Preferably, the silicon key 54 is translucent so that a light source located behind the key 54 illuminates the key 54. An opaque mask is provided around each key so that each key is individually illuminated so that it can be easily distinguished from other nearby keys 54. A key identifier 56 such as a number, letter and / or symbol is printed on the surface of the key 54 in opaque ink. When the key 54 is illuminated, the opaque identifier 56 can be easily identified on the illuminated key 54. As shown in FIG. 7, the first embodiment of the handset 20 is connected to one end 58 of a multi-conductor cord 60 which is wound and retained within a cord reel housing 62 except when it is pulled out during use. Has been done. Preferably, the size of the cord reel housing 62 is determined by the mounting position and the amount of cord that needs to be retained. Desirably, the shape bear of the first embodiment of the cord reel 62 is 8. 90 cm (3. It is 5 inches in diameter and can hold cords 60 up to 150 cm (60 inches). The second embodiment of the cord reel 62 is 6. 35 cm (2. The cord 60 having a diameter of 5 inches can hold up to 100 cm (40 inches). Preferably, the cord 60 is placed in the flexible tube 68 when it is pulled out from the cord reel 62. The other end of the multi-conductor cord 60 housed in the housing 62 is connected through an electrical connector 64 to a part of the main telephone electronic device control system that controls the operation of the handset 20 in the aircraft. Preferably, a portion of the main telephone electronics control system is located below one seat in the group of seats (FIG. 1), and therefore below the electrical connector 64 from the cord reel 62 and below the seat. Connection with part of the deployed telephone electronics control system is uncomplicated. The cord reel 62 provides a convenient means for storing a length of multi-conductor cord 60 so that the handset 20 can be lifted from the armrest (FIG. 1) and extended to the user's ear. Further, the cord reel 62 provides a convenient means for storing the cord 60 having a sufficient length, and the cord reel 62 can be placed at various positions near the armrest, and the handset 20 can be placed at various positions near the armrest. The cord 60 can be provided to the user long enough to stay in its desired position without the resistance to carry and pull the handset 20. Further, the passenger can control the length of the cord 60 extending from the reel 62, so that the extra length hangs down from the handset 20 and is inadvertently caught in a part of the rear armrest between the seats or between the handset and the cradle. There is nothing. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 8, the cord reel 62 allows the cord 60 to extend as the user pulls the handset 20 when the handset 20 is pulled out of the cradle 26 in the armrest 22. When the user pulls and stops handset 20 to the desired position, the locking mechanism of cord reel 62 engages to temporarily lock the usable length of electrical connection cord 20 to the length of the user's preferred connector. To do. When the user wants to change the recode length of the handset 20 returned to the cradle 26, when the user separates the handset 20 from the cradle 26, the engagement with the lock mechanism of the cord reel 62 is released and the length of the cord 60 is expanded or contracted. can do. When the user pulls the handset 20 away from the cradle 26, the length of the cord 60 is extended again. When the user does not release the handset 20 from the cradle 26 even when the lock mechanism is disengaged, the multiconductor cord 60 is pulled back into the cord reel 62 when the handset 20 is pulled toward the cradle 26. This locking of the cord reel 62 provides a constant retraction force to the cord 60, and other cord length controls of conventional handsets, which tend to pull the handset 20 away from the user when the user is attempting to make a call. The mechanism is advantageous. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the cord reel 62 of the first embodiment holding a cord 60 up to 150 cm (60 inches) is mounted below the bottom cushion 66 of the passenger seat 24 and the armrest 22. It is connected to the handset 20 of the first embodiment arranged inside. Attaching the cord reel 62 under the seat is advantageously used in seats where the armrest 22 is of an extremely small design, allowing the handset 20 to be placed within the armrest 22, but without the cord reel 62 inside the armrest 22. There is not enough additional space to place it. The cord reel 62 is mounted in a bracket 67, which is attached to the bottom surface of the bottom cushion 66 of the passenger seat 24. Preferably, a length of cord 60 extending from the cord reel 62 to the cradle 26 is placed within the flexible tube 68 so that it does not catch on the armrest 22 or underlay the seat 24 as the cord 60 expands and contracts. The flexible tube 68 is sent out from the bottom cushion 66 of the seat 24 along one surface of the seat back portion 70 into the armrest 22 in which the handset 20 is housed. When the handset 20 is detached from the armrest 22 and moved around, the cord 60 in the cord reel 62 is unwound, passes through the flexible tube 68, passes through the opening 72 of the cradle 26, and is required for the movement of the handset 20. A multiconductor cord 60 of the length necessary to provide the degree of freedom is provided. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, to allow the handset of the present invention, such as the handset 130 of the third embodiment, to be mounted within each armrest 22 of the economy class aircraft seat 24, The cord reel 62 of the two embodiments may be located near the armrest 22 in any other suitable position known to those skilled in the art. Referring to FIG. 9, the cradle 26 is a five-sided cavity 74 that is completely contained within the armrest 22 of the aircraft seat 24. The sixth surface 76 of the cradle 26 is open to the side 78 of the armrest 22 (FIG. 8) so that the handset 20 can be inserted into the cradle 26 and stored substantially therein. When the handset 20 is inserted into the cradle 26, the first end 80 of the handset 20 is preferably inserted into the opening of the first end 82 of the cradle 26. A second end 84 of the cradle 26 is provided with a pivot attachment or fastener 86 extending at a right angle into the cradle opening 76 and biased to retain the handset 20 in the cradle 26. ing. The receiving groove 90 at the second end 92 of the handset 20 engages the flange 88 of the attachment member 86 to retain the handset 20 in the cradle 26. Preferably, the attachment member 86 is integrally formed with the cradle 26. The attachment member 86 is cantilevered by the cradle 26, and the upper end 85 is movable by an escape slot 87 that separates the side surface of the member 86 from the adjacent structure. Although the attachment member 86 is self-biased to the locked position, it can move outward relative to the structural web 89 to release the handset 20. Preferably, along the perimeter of the cradle 26, a structural web 89 underlies the attachment member 86 to stabilize the structure of the second end 84 of the cradle 26 adjacent the attachment member 86. A travel limiter 91 is mounted on the back surface of the attachment member to prevent the attachment member 86 from being started contrary to the normal release, thereby protecting the attachment member from excessive stress and breakage. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, any number of other attachment means may be utilized to hold the handset 20 substantially within the cradle 26 when not in use. When the user depresses the pivot attachment member 86 on the cradle 26 to remove the handset 20 from the cradle 26, the attachment flange 88 is retracted from the receiving groove 90 on the handset 20, and the handset 20 is moved to the cradle 26. Is released from. In addition, the cradle 26 has a spring biased ejection button 94 in its floor 96, which provides ejection force to the handset 20 and biases it away from the cradle 26. When the handset 20 is held in place by the attachment member 86 on the cradle 26, the spring of the ejection button 94 is compressed and the spring force is contained within the cradle 26 by the attachment member 86 holding the handset 20. When the attachment member 86 is released from the handset 20, the spring force of the ejection button 94 urges the handset 20 away from the cradle 26. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the cord reel 62 of the second embodiment is arranged in the armrest 22. Attaching the cord reel 62 to the armrest is used for the seat 24 where there is an additional space for mounting the cord reel 62 in the armrest 22. Armrest installation is preferred because the entire electrical cord reel 62, cradle 26, and handset 20 can be located in one location on the aircraft, namely within the armrest 22. The length of cord 60 extending from cord reel 62 to cradle 26 should be preferred. As noted above, a portion of the telephone electronic device control system is placed under one seat in a group of seats, and thus the electronic device with the cord reel 62 in the armrest 22 disposed under the seat 24. An electrical connector (not shown) is required to connect to the. Since the handset 20 can fit within the armrest 22 of a conventional economy class seat 24 of an aircraft, each passenger is preferably provided with a handset 20 for each person mounted within the respective armrest 22. Thus, it does not disturb other passengers when approaching the telephone. Further, by locating the handset 20 within the armrest 22, the cord 60 attached to the handset 20 extends to other passengers' spaces or passageways, as in prior art seat back handset systems. There is no blockage. Desirably, each passenger is provided with the handset 20 in his or her armrest 22 so that other functions that each passenger wants to access can be incorporated into the handset 20. As shown in FIG. 11, the second embodiment of the handset 100 includes a digital passenger control unit (DPCU) 102. For example, the following functions from the Digital Passenger Control Unit (DPCU) 102 can be incorporated into the handset 100 to allow each passenger to easily access it through the buttons on their armrest 22. Buttons on the armrest 22 are an attendant call button 104, an attendant cancel button 106, and a lighting switch 108. Other DPCU 102 functions including radio or television controls such as channel control 110, channel display 112, volume control 114, TV power switch 116, etc. can be incorporated into the handset. Preferably, the DPCU function 102 is implemented using a plastic membrane type switch pad. In membrane switch pads, the upper membrane is flexible and activates the typical button-type switch below the membrane. As shown in FIG. 13, the third embodiment of the handset includes video game control. The video game control has a cursor control switch and a game select switch. For example, the video game control switch 122 such as the cursor position adjusting device 124, the game selection key 126, and the trigger key 128 can be incorporated in the handset 20. Preferably, the video game functions such as the game selection key 126 and the trigger key 128 are implemented using a rubber actuator type hard cap key with a spring mechanism. Preferably, the video game controls 122 all comply with the Nintendo Super NES video game standard. As shown in FIG. 12, the fourth embodiment of the handset includes not only the function of the video game control 122 but also the function of the digital passenger control unit 102 as described above. The handset is advantageously designed to incorporate various control functions in addition to the traditional handset functionality. Depending on the type of aircraft to which the handset is attached, some or all of the additional functions described above can be incorporated into the handset without further filling the space of the aircraft. By combining some of the DPCU functionality with the handset, the space previously reserved for each passenger's DPCU functionality can be utilized for other purposes. Therefore, the handset according to the invention can be used to free up other space normally reserved for these additional functions, using only a small amount of additional space on the aircraft, and providing additional services to aircraft passengers. Can increase the net space available on the aircraft. An additional function incorporated into the telephone unit of the present invention is a facsimile and / or modem transfer data connection port. Referring to FIG. 9, the cradle 26 includes an RJ-11 connector 140 in its floor 96 to allow a user to connect a facsimile or modem device to the connector to transfer facsimile and modem data from an aircraft to a ground receiving location. Can be sent. Preferably, the RJ-11 is wired directly to the telephone control electronics located below the row of seats, i.e., the RJ-11 connector is wrapped around a cord reel 62 and the wire of the handset cord 60 is wound. Is not directly connected to. As mentioned above, another problem with the installation of passenger service facilities for aircraft is with respect to maintenance. This downtime must be reduced as much as possible for the aircraft to operate profitably. The handset according to the invention is designed for quick repair by splitting the telephone unit into a unit that is easy to repair and replaceable in the field. Preferably, the telephone unit is divided into three separate field replaceable units: a handset, a cradle and a cord reel. As described above with respect to FIG. 9, the handset 20 can be easily removed from the cradle 26 by disengaging the attachment member or tightening mechanism 86, but the cord 60 attached to the end of the handset 20 It remains attached to the cord reel mechanism 62. Cord 60 terminates in electrical connector 142, which connects to a mating connector (not shown) on handset 20. The end of the electrical connector 142 is housed in the mounting housing 146. Preferably, the mounting housing 146 has a first extension pin 148 that mates with a slot 150 (FIG. 3) in the handset 20 to connect and retain the first end 58 of the cord 60 to the handset 20. Contains. To separate handset 20 from cord 60 and cord reel mechanism 62, mounting housing 146 is disengaged from handset 20 to expose the first connection of cord 60 to handset 20. The electrical connector 142 at the end 58 of the cord 60 is disconnected from the mating connector (not shown) of the handset 20. When the cord 60 is disconnected from the handset 20, the handset 20 can be easily replaced with another handset. When the cord 60 is disconnected from the handset 20, the flexible tube 68, through which the cord 60 is threaded, remains connected to the cradle 26. In order to remove the cradle 26 or cord reel 62, the flexible tube 68 and cradle 26 must be disconnected. Tube 68 is preferably connected to cradle 26 via snap-on connector 152. The snap-on connector 152 mates with the receiving opening 72. When the snap-on connector 152 is removed from the receiving opening 72 of the cradle 26, the cradle 26 or the cord reel 62 can be easily replaced. As shown in FIG. 10, preferably, the cradle 26 is a seat of the armrest 22 by means of a rotating bolt and two claw assemblies (not shown) at a first end 82 and a second end 85 of the cradle 26. It is attached to metal. To remove the cradle 26, rotate the bolt counterclockwise to release the contact between the pawl and the armrest 22. Another cradle 26 can be inserted according to the reverse steps described above. The cord reel 62 is placed in the armrest 22 or under the seat 24 and can be easily replaced as a single unit. The only complicated procedure involved in replacing the cord reel 62 is that the multi-conductor cord 60 is threaded through the flexible tube 68 through the armrest 22 and / or from under the seat 24 to the cradle 26 connecting the flexible tube 68. It is to send it out. As mentioned above, the multi-conductor cord 60 is then connected to the mating connector of the handset 20. Further, the mounting housing 146 of the cord 60 is snapped into the handset 20. Advantageously, the telephone unit of the present invention can be easily replaced in the event of failure of any part of the system. Therefore, downtime due to failure of the telephone system is minimized. Passenger service equipment is typically distributed in several locations around the passenger seats 24. The attendant call button, along with a light switch and reading light, is often mounted on the overhead panel. If a video screen is attached, the telephone is typically attached with it to the back of the seat. Audio controls such as volume and channel controls are often mounted in armrests, where lighting controls and attendant call buttons are also sometimes placed. Video game controllers are often also mounted within the armrests. This distribution of potentially failing parts each adds to the complexity of maintaining the aircraft and adds to the cost of airlines. Most of these systems require the removal and replacement of the faulty unit at the time of repair so that it can be repaired without incurring flight delays, so it is routine to remove several different systems at several different locations. The increased number of replacement parts that the aviation must stock will increase the cost of scheduled aviation to train people to remove and replace each part. Advantageously, the handset according to the present invention is a digital passenger control unit and other passenger service equipment features such as the television and video game controls described above that are combined with the handset to facilitate easy replacement by inexperienced persons. It is used as a controller / telephone unit. By reducing the number of replaceable units and making the replacement procedure as easy as possible for an inexperienced person, the all-purpose controller / telephone unit of the present invention improves the overall reliability of the aircraft and repairs any of the above function failures. The downtime required for this is reduced. The present invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The above-described embodiment is merely for explanation in all respects and has no restrictive meaning. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

[Procedure of Amendment] Article 184-8 of the Patent Act [Submission date] June 13, 1996 [Correction contents]                             The scope of the claims 1. An aircraft passenger telephone and a video game control unit, comprising: The phone and video game control unit       Standard economy class ride with at least one side retractable armrest Passenger seats,       A cradle having an open cavity and fasteners, said armrest Cradle placed on the side of       A handset and a video game console mounted in the open cavity of the cradle. A control unit combination in cooperation with the fastener and the handset and And a member for holding the video game control unit in the cradle. The handset and a combination of video game control units. The handset and game control unit         12-key keypad to enter the called number,         A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,         A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,         A set of buttons including a cursor control switch and a select switch Deo Game Controls Itch,         Personal lighting controls for passenger reading light switches,         With attendant call button,         Passed through the cradle from the handset into the armrest Passenger telephone and video game controller equipped with a multi-conductor cord Lu Unit. 2. The handset further comprises:         An aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 1, further comprising an attendant cancel button. . 3. The handset further comprises:         Volume control,         An aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 2, comprising a channel control. . 4. An aircraft passenger telephone, the telephone comprising:       Standard economy class ride with at least one side armrest retractable Passenger seats,       A cradle that forms an open cavity and has a fastener with an overall external dimension of 2 Than 1.0 x 5.72 x 2.54 cm (8.25 x 2.25 x 1.0 inch) A small cradle placed on the side of the armrest,       Mounted in the open cavity of the cradle It is a handset, and the overall external dimensions are 18.4 x 5.08 x 3.81 cm (7.2 5 x 2.0 x 1.5 inches) and the handset in cooperation with the fastener And a handset including a member held in the cradle, wherein the handset is         12-key keypad to enter the called number,         A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,         A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,         Passed through the cradle from the handset into the armrest Multi-conductor cord,         A set of buttons including a cursor control switch and a select switch Deo game control switch,         Personal lighting controls for passenger reading light switches,         An aircraft passenger telephone having an attendant call button. 5. The handset further comprises:         An aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 4, further comprising an attendant cancel button. . 6. The handset further comprises:         Volume control,         An aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 5, comprising a channel control. . 7. An aircraft passenger telephone and a control unit, the telephone and And the control unit       Standard economy class ride with at least one side retractable armrest Passenger seats,       A cradle having an open cavity and fasteners, said armrest Cradle placed on the side of       A handset and control unit mounted in the open cavity of the cradle. A combination of nits, the handset and controller in cooperation with the fastener. The handset and controller including a member for holding the unit in the cradle. And a control unit, wherein the handset and the control unit are         12-key keypad to enter the called number,         A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,         A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,         A set of buttons including a cursor control switch and a select switch Deo game control switch,         Personal lighting controls for passenger reading light switches,         With attendant call button,         Passed through the cradle from the handset into the armrest A passenger telephone and control unit for an aircraft, which is provided with a multi-conductor cord. 8. The handset further comprises:         The aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 7, further comprising an attendant cancel button. . 9. The handset further comprises:         Volume control,         9. An aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 8, comprising a channel control. . 10. A handset,           A 12-key keypad for entering the called number and an adjacent keypad on one end of the handset A microphone placed in close contact,           A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,           1 set including cursor control switch and select switch Video game control switch,           Lighting control,           A handset having an attendant call switch.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── [Continued summary] Video game control, or direction control (124), game selection key (126) and trigger The function of the key (128) may be included.

Claims (1)

[Claims]   1. An aircraft passenger telephone, the telephone comprising:       Standard economy class ride with at least one side retractable armrest Passenger seats,       A cradle that forms an open cavity and has a fastener with an overall external dimension of 2 Than 1.0 x 5.72 x 2.54 cm (8.25 x 2.25 x 1.0 inch) A small cradle placed on the side of the armrest,       A handset mounted in the open cavity of the cradle, Shape dimensions are 18.4 x 5.08 x 3.81 cm (7.25 x 2.0 x 1.5 inches) ) To hold the handset in the cradle in cooperation with the fastener And a handset including a member, wherein the handset is         12-key keypad to enter the called number,         A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,         A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,         Passed from the handset to the armrest via the cradle An aircraft passenger telephone having a multi-conductor cord. 2. The handset further comprises:         Passenger lighting control for the switch of passenger reading lights,         The aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 1, further comprising an attendant call button. 3. The handset further comprises:         The aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 2, further comprising an attendant cancel button. . 4. The handset further comprises:         Volume control,         An aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 3, comprising a channel control. . 5. An aircraft passenger telephone and control unit, the telephone and The control unit is       Standard economy class ride with at least one side retractable armrest Passenger seats,       A cradle having an open cavity and fasteners, said armrest Cradle placed on the side of       A handset and control unit mounted in the open cavity of the cradle. A combination of nits, the handset and controller in cooperation with the fastener. The handset and controller including a member for holding the unit in the cradle. Combination of Luunit The handset and control unit are         12-key keypad to enter the called number,         A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,         A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,         Personal lighting controls for passenger reading light switches,         With attendant call button,         Passed through the cradle from the handset into the armrest A passenger telephone and control unit for an aircraft, which is provided with a multi-conductor cord. 6. The handset further comprises:         An aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 5, further comprising an attendant cancel button. . 7. The handset further comprises:         Volume control,         7. The aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 6, further comprising a channel control. . 8. An aircraft passenger telephone and a video game control unit, comprising: The phone and video game control unit       Standard economy class ride with at least one side retractable armrest Passenger seats,       A cradle having an open cavity and fasteners, said armrest Cradle placed on the side of       A handset and a video game console mounted in the open cavity of the cradle. A control unit combination in cooperation with the fastener and the handset and And a member for holding the video game control unit in the cradle. The handset and a combination of video game control units. The handset and game control unit         12-key keypad to enter the called number,         A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,         A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,         A set of buttons including a cursor control switch and a select switch Deo game control switch,         Passed through the cradle from the handset into the armrest Passenger telephone and video game controller equipped with a multi-conductor cord Lu Unit. 9. The handset further comprises:         Personal lighting control for passenger reading light switch Rolls,         9. The aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 8, further comprising an attendant call button. 10. The handset further comprises:           The aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 9, further comprising an attendant cancel button. Machine. 11. The handset further comprises:           Volume control,           11. An aircraft passenger power supply according to claim 10, further comprising a channel control. Talk machine. 12. An aircraft passenger telephone, the telephone comprising:       Signs with seat cushions and retractable armrests on at least one side Semi-economy class passenger seats,       A cradle having an open cavity and fasteners, said armrest Cradle placed on the side of       A reel arranged in the seat cushion,       A handset mounted within the open cavity of the cradle, the handset Handset including a member for holding the handset in the cradle in cooperation with a tool And the handset includes         12-key keypad to enter the called number,         A microphone adjacent to one end of the handset Rophon,         A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,         From the handset to the reel via the armrest and cradle Passenger telephone for an aircraft, which is provided with a multi-conductor cord passed through. 13. The handset further comprises:           Personal lighting controls for passenger reading light switches,           The aircraft passenger telephone according to claim 12, further comprising a attendant call button. Machine. 14． The handset further comprises:           The aircraft passenger electric power supply according to claim 13, further comprising an attendant cancel button. Talk machine. 15. The handset further comprises:           Volume control,           A passenger power supply for aircraft according to claim 14, further comprising a channel control. Talk machine. 16. A handset,           12-key keypad to enter the called number,           A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,           The speaker located adjacent to the other end of the handset With the           1 set including cursor control switch and select switch A handset having a video game control switch. 17． A handset,           12-key keypad to enter the called number,           A microphone disposed adjacent to one end of the handset,           A speaker disposed adjacent to the other end of the handset,           Lighting control,           A handset having an attendant call switch.