Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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B;~C~G:IROUND OF T~I~ I~E:NTIO:N
The present invention relakes to an entertainment system
for delivery of video and audio information to individ~al
passengers on coaches such as buses. The system may be readily
adapted to and used on trains, boats, motor homes, school buses and
other forms of public transit.
Conventionally, the bus industry has installed video
systems on coaches comprising a single video cassette player (VCP)
with a pair of monitor spaced in the coach so that the passengers
lO can see them. The audio from the VCP is passed by wires to
existing overhead speakers. An inverter converts D.C. from the
bus' battery (usually 24 volts) to A.C. (110 volts) to power the
system. Problems with such systems have included the fact that
they are fixed in place and hard to install and remove from the bus
15 for servicing or tha like, the driv~r has very little control over
the system when the bus is in motion since he must go to the VCP to
turn it on, etcetera. As well persons who do not want to follow
the monitor can still hear the audio. Also, these systems are very
prone to internal "noise" from the bus' electronic system and,
20 because of the manner in which the player and monitors are mounted,
vibrations of the coach tend to affect the quality of the image
delivered to the monitors.
Of general background interest describing video systems
for passengers in public transit vehicles is U.S. Patent No.
25 4,756,528 o~ U~a~hankar issued July 1~, 1988 which describes ~nd
illustrates a TV screen arranged in the seat back o~ a bus or the
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like and disposed immediately ahead of a second s~at with a video
cassette player conventionally connected to the screen.
It is an object of the present inven-tion to provide an
entertainment system for delivery of video and audio inPormation to
individual passengers on coaches such as buses which will overcome
many of the problems ~ound with such prior art systems.
8UMM~RY OF T~IE I~VENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is
providsd a passenger entertainment system for coaches having seats
for passengers. The system comprises one or more video cassette
player means, one or more video monitor means electrically
associated with the video cassette player means, and circuitry to
electrically connect the video cassette player means and monitor
means to an electrical power means, to drive the video cassette
player means. A radio transmitter means, to be powered by the
electrical power means, is electrically associated with the video
cassette player means to effect wireless transmission of audio
signals from the video cassette player means to a plurality of
receiver means positioned in the vicinity of the passengers. The
receiver means are each selectively operable in conjunction with a
head set releasably securable thereto to provide audio signals
directly to the ears of a passenger.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there
is also provided a remote control switch means electrically
associated with the video cassette player means to control the
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on/off and video casset~e playing switching o~ the video cassette
player, and the providing of power to the system. In addition, a
receiver is located in the vicinity of each passenger, each such
receiver being powered by battery means releasably insertable into
that receiver. The head sets comprise earphones having a wire lead
to be releasably connected to one of said receiver means.
The modular nature of the present invention permits easy
installation of the components on a coach, where they may be
readily locked in place or removed as required. The system
according to the present invention provides improved quality of
image to the monitors with little or no effect from vibration or
internal noise generated by the bus' electronic system. The system
provides individual audio delivery to each passenger in the coach,
as desired, with the audio being delivered in one embodiment, by
wireless means without the use of overhead speakers o~ the bus. As
well the system is very portahle. It is designed to be remotely
operated by a bus driver while driving the bus.
BRXEF _ESCRIPTION OF ~HE D~WING8
These and other objects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent upon reading the following detailed
description and upon referring to the drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of an entertainment system
for coaches in accordance with the present invention, as installed
in a bus, the system including video cassette players, a radio
transmitter and wireless receivers;
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FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a pair of video
cassette players and their casing in accordance with the present
invention;
FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of a monitor and part of the
monitor support system of the system of FIGURE l;
FIGURE 4 is a schematic exploded side view of the monitor
support system of FI~URE 3;
FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a receiver of FIGURE l;
and FIGURE 5a is a side view o~ a battery/earphone combination to
be used in conjunction therewith;
FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a remote control panel
for the system of FIGURE 1 to be positioned in the vicinity of and
operated by a bus driver:
FIGURE 7 is a schematic functional layout diagram of the
contacts and circuitry of a logic control means which controls the
functioning of various compor.ents of the sytem of the invention;
FIGURE 8 is a circuitry diagram of a common-mode choke
filter used to minimize electrical interference and noise in the
circuitry for the system of FIGURE 1;
EIGURE 9 is a schematic view of a bus carrying the system
of the present invention modified to receive external signals for
passing through the system of the present invention installed on
the bus; and
FIGURE 10 is a flow sheet of a cellular video
distribution concept for use in conjunction with a system according
to FIGURE 9.
While the invention will be described in conjunction with
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example embodimen~s, it will be understood that it i5 not intended
to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is
intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents
as may be included within the spirit and scope o~ the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DE8CRIPTION OF TH~ D~ENTION
In the drawings, similar features have been given similar
reference numerals.
Turning to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated, in schematic
fashion, a passenger entertainment system 2 for a bus 4 having
seats 6 for passengers. System 2 comprises, in the illustrated
embodiment, a pair of video cass~tte players 8 (VCPs) and monitors
lO spaced in the ~us from front to rear and secured in overhead
fashion, as will be described in more detail hereinafter, to the
luggage rack 12 in a manner such that all passengers will have a
clear view of at least one of the monitors. Electrical power
means, preferably the bus' battery 14 provides electrical power
through appropriate circuitry, which will be described in more
detail hereinafter, to drive the electrical components of the
system, including the VCPs and the monitors. An FM transmitter 16
is electrically associated with the VCPs 8, again powered by
battery 14, to e~fect wireless transmission of audio signals
received from the VCPs to receivers 18 which are positioned in the
vicinity of the passengers. Each of the receivers 18 is operable
in conjunction with a head set 20 which is releasably securable
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thereto to provide audio signals directly to the ears of an
individual passenger. Receivers 18 in khe illustrated embodiment
are attached, by releasable attachment means 22 (FIGURE 5), to the
backs of seats 6.
Turning to FIGURE 2 there are illustrated, in more
detail, the VCPs 8 mounted in place in accordance with the present
invention. These VCPs are supported within case 24, one ov~r the
other, with a lock means to releasably secure the vcPs in case 24
and prevent theft and the like. case 24 provides individual racks
28 for each of the VCPs 8. Racks 28 are securely mounted to the
bus, for example, to the luggage rack 12 near the front of the bus,
whereby the bus driver will have r~ady access to the VCPs for
inserting and removing cassettes. A blind-mating connector 30 at
the back of each of the racks 28 aligns itsel~ with the electrical
contacts for the corresponcling VCP 8 when that VCP 8 is in position
in its rack 28 and makes contact therewith. Appropriate cabling 32
is releasably connected, at one end, to sliding connector 30 and,
as will be described in more detail hereinafter/ extends to a logic
control means 34 (FIGURE 1).
The construction and mounting of monitors 10 is
illustrated in more detail in FIGURES 3 and 4. Safety, since the
monitors are mounted overhead and might otherwise be prone to being
hit by a passenger's head is a factor taken into account. As well,
it is important to ensure that as little vihration as possible is
transmitted to the monitor by movement of the bus. As well, theft
and vandalism of the monitors is an important consideration in
their construction and mounting, since the monitors are essentially
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mounted in a public environment.
To minimize head injuries as a result of passengers
coming in contact with monitor 10 and to minimize vandalism as
well, monitors 10, which are conventional T.V. monitors, modified
to have internal D.C. - D.C. H.V. converters 35 so that they will
operate on D.C. current from the bus' battery 14, are encased in a
wraparound, moulded plastic housing 36 as illustrated. The housing
is moulded of three pi~ces, 38, 40 and 42, with front pi~ce 42
having its lower saction 44 of a soft, resilient, more rubbery
consistency. No controls are normally exposed, to avoid vandalism
and the like. Monitor 10 is wired so that its electrical contacts
46 are at top, at the side of a pocket or depression 48 having side
support and guide tracks 50 extending along opposite sides for
guiding and receiving the sides of a support shoe 52. At end 54 of
shoe 52 are mating electrical contacts 56 for monitor contacts 46,
so that one set of contacts may be plugged inko the other when shoe
52 is properly seated in pocket 48. As well, a key operated lock
means 58 is associated with monitor housing 36 and cooperates with
shoe 52 in a conventional manner so thak monitor 10 may be locked
in position on shoe 52 to prevent its unwanted removal. Lock means
58 may be of any conventional construction.
Shoe 52 is formed from a moulded polymer, with electrical
contacts 56 and square brackeks 60 (which slide in guide tracks 50)
moulded in it. Also embedded in shoe 52 is one end of pipe 62.
Cable wires 63 extend from contacts 56 of shoe 52, through that
shoe and up pipe 62 to logic control means 34, for providing power
and video signals to monitor 10.
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As can be seen in FIGURE 4, the upper end of pipe 62 is
provided with threads 64. ~n appropriate hole 65 to flushly
re~eive and let pass that end of pipe 62 is providad in lugyage
rack 12 as illustrated, on which luggage rack 12 sits shock mount
66 which again is provided with an aperture 68 aligned with
aperture 65 throu~h luggage rack 12 for passage of the upper end
of pipe 62. ShocX mount 66 is secured, Eor example by means o~
self-tapping screws 67, to luggage rack 12. Shock mount 66 is made
of an appropriate resilient material such as rubber or the like.
A flange 70 and keyed washer 71 are bolted by means of bolts 72 to
shock mount 66 and luggage rack 12, to hold shock mount 66 in
position. Flange 70 has a central aperture threadably to receive
the upper end of pipe 62. A lock nut 74 is threaded to the upper
end of pipe 62, with keyed washer 71 positioned between lock nut 74
and flange 70 as illustrated. These components form an excellent
shock mount assembly for monitor 10 which ensures that monitor lo
is securely held in position, suspended downwardly from lug~age
rack 12, in such a manner that minimal vibrations are passed to the
monitor.
Transmitter 16 (FIGURE 1) is a standard FM radio wave
transmitter, preferably transmitting on any one of five channels in
the ~9 megaHertz band (i.e. 4g.~3 mHz, 49.845, 49.86, 49.875,
49.89) (conforming to Part 15 of the F.C.C. Rules). It is
preferred that transmitter 16 have a short range (e.g. 100 yards).
Through logic control means 34, the audio signal from VCP 8 is
received and, if transmitter 16 is activated, transmitted to
receivers 18.
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Turning to FIGURE 5, receivers 18 are provided ~or each
passenger. The receiver ls an FM tuner 70, less a speaker,
inserted in a specially desiyned houging 80 releasably moun'ced to
the back o~ a seat 6. The shaping o~ housing 80 is such that it
provides no outwardly projecting sharp corners which might expose
a passenger to injury. Each receiver has a volume control 82 and
channel control 84, the receiver to receive FM transmissions from
a preselected channel of transmitter 16. Battexy receiving pocket
86 is formed in the front surface of case 80, ~or insertion of a
battery 88 (FIGURE 5A) (preferably a 9 volt battery). Resilient
clips so force the battery, when inserted in pocket 86, upwardly so
that its terminals 92 come in contact with corresponding receiver
battery contacts 94.
Instead of inserting a jack mounted on the lead wire of
head set 20 into an aperture, as would be the case with a
conventional receiver, to connect head set 20 to the audio contact
(such aperture being prone to vandalism), the audio contact for the
receiver of the present invention is provided by means of an
external contact point 96 in pocket 86. The lead wire 98 for head
set 20 has its free end terminate on the casing 100 o~ battery 88
in such a location that, when battery 88 is properly inserted in
pocket 86, lead wire 98 will be in electrical contact with audio
contact point 96. In this way, the walls of pocket 86 as well as
clips 90 act as guides not only to properly position battery 88
within pocket 86, but also in conjunction with battery 86, to
ensure that the end of lead wire 98 contacts audio contact point 96
when the battery is in position.
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As an option, a bridge rectifier may be associaked with
contacts 94 50 tha~ regardless of which te~ninal of battery 88
touches either of terminals g2, the battery will operatively power
receiver 18.
As can be seen in FIGURE 5, lead wire 98 extends to ear
phones 102 of headset 20 to provide a very simply y~t effec~ive
means of providing audio signals directly to a passenger's ears.
Transmitter 16 may be arranged to be portable, or an
auxiliary transmitter 16 may be provided, together with removable,
portable receivers 18 so that, for example, a tour guide with the
bus may take transmitter 16 and provide audio information to
passengers, for example when touring a site outside of the bus.
As can be seen in FIGURE 1, through logic control means
34, the existing audio paging system 104 of the bus, whereby
speakers direct audio signals through the bus to the passengers may
be used as an alternative to or in conjunction with transmitter 16
and receivers 18.
Turning to FIGURE 6 there is illustrated a remote control
hand-operated unit 106 to be positioned near the operator of the
bus. Electrically connected with logic control means 34, remote
control unit 106 provides a power switch 108 for activating power
to the system from battery 14, power indicator lamp 110 to indicate
whether or not the system is on or off, video switches 1~2 to
permit activation of a predetermined one of VCPs 8, audio switches
114 to provide audio from the activated VCP 8 to the passengers
either through the speakers of the bus' audio paging system 104 or
through receivers 18 and a ~eries of control switches 116 for each
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of VCPs 8 (rewind, stop and forward play functions). The face 117
of remote control unit 106 is pre~erably provided with back
lighting means so that the bus driver can readily see each of the
switches and ascertain its intend~d ~unction in darkened
conditions. An appropriate mounting bracket 118 is provided so
that control unit 106 can be readily mounted in the vicinity of the
bus driver for ease of operation.
Remote control unit 106 is electronically associated by
cabling 119 with control logic means 34. A typical functional lay-
out of logic control means 34 is illustrated in FIGURE 7. Logiccontrol means 34 operates like a small computer, taking signals
~rom remote control unit 106 and translating and buffering them to
effect the proper control functions for the VCPs 8, FM transmitter
16 (or audio paging system 10~) and monitors 10.
It should ba noted that cabling 120, shown schematically
in FIGURE 1, extending from logic controller means 34 to VCPs 8,
monitors 10, remote control unit 106, transmitter 16 and battery 14
is sectional, each section being provided at both ends with plug
connectors to facilitate the installation and removal of the system
and its individual components.
To improve the image from the VCP 8 to monitors 10 and
minimize or eliminate electrical noise which might otherwise
distort or inter~ere with that image, a noise filter 122 is
installed in the circuitry between battery 24 and logic control
means 34 as illustrated (FIGURE 1). This filter 122 also provides
electrical isolation from khe power source. Filter 122 preferably
takes the form of a common-mode choke, a schematic example
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emhodiment of the circuitry thereo-f beiny illustrated in FIGURE 8.
Under normal operating conditions, power supplie~ ~hrouyh this
common-mode choke is balanced. Transient noise pulses cause an
imbalance in the power line curren~ with resul~ant inter~erence to
or distortion of the monitor image. Since the coils 124 and 126 of
the common-mode choke are wound out of phase with each other on a
common core 128, noise is cancelled or minimized to an accepkable
level. Fast transient noise is amplitude limited with the use of
a semi-conductor transient voltage suppressor 130 (TVS~. Power
supplied to the components of system 2 is therefore essentially
clean and isolated from the battery source 24.
While the invention has been described and illustrated
powered by a 24 volt bus battery, a 12 volt battery, for exam~le,
might be used with a 24 volt D.C. converter and filter 122 being
provided. Other power sources of course, with appropriate filters
and converters being provided as required, may be used.
The system of the present invention will permit selective
transmission or different transmitter channels of individual audio
tracks on a video cassette played (e.g. one track/channel in
English, one track/channel in French). The system may be readily
installed in, for example, coaches or sleepers in trains, boats,
motor homes, school buses and other forms o~ public transit.
As illustrataed schematically in FIGURE 9, with an
external antenna 126 and a modem 128, the system can be adapted to
receive digitally transmitted audio and/or video signals from a
studio 130 or other source, and air or store them in the bus, as
illustrated schematically in FIGURE 9. FIGURE 10 illustrates a
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schematic flow chart of a cellular video distribution system to
provide audio and video signals ~o a system 2 adapted to receive
and decode digitized signals. The system may use fibre optics
cabling, particularly where it is desired to have the siynal
digiti2ed.
Monitors 10, while being shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4 as
being wired to VCPs 8 through logic control means 34, may
alternatively be arranged so that video signals are passed to the
monitors by wireless transmitter means.
Satellite reception of video ancl audio signals with an
appropriate antenna is also possible and i5 considered to be within
the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is also envisaged as being readily
adaptable for sporting events, air shows, golf tournaments, auto
racing and the like, where small, low power transmitters can be
placed throughout the sporting event area and the spectators then
be given raceivers with appropriate ear phones to receive the audio
information being transmitted. Transmitters can be fed from a
central transmitter by another channel.
The entertainment system according to the present
invention has many advantages over prior art systems, including a
significant improvement in quality of picture provided, the
provision of audio signals on a selective basis (i.e. only to those
who have a head set), arrangement of the components in a manner
which minimizes the potential for theft and vandalism, and ready
installation of the system or its individual components on or
removal from the bus or other form of coach in which the system is
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Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in
accordance with the invention a passenger entertainment system for
coaches that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set
forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction
with specific embodiments thereof, it is evidenk that many
alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to
those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description.
Accordingly, it is intended ko embrace all such alternatives,
modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad
scope of khe invention.
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