US-12626196-B2 - Central cabin control systems and methods

US12626196B2US 12626196 B2US12626196 B2US 12626196B2US-12626196-B2

Abstract

A central cabin control system comprises a central controller in operable communication with various sub-systems in an aircraft cabin. The central controller is configured to provide data of various systems to crew members and/or facilitate interactions with various passengers. The central controller is configured for operable communication with each controller disposed in the aircraft cabin.

Inventors

Bryce C Baker
Pankaj Kalore
ASHISH SHRIKHANDE
SHIVASHANKAR MADDANIMATH VEERAYYA
Brian E. St. Rock

Assignees

B/E AEROSPACE, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230616
Priority Date: 20230327

Claims (10)

1 . A cabin control system for an aircraft, comprising: a central controller configured to be disposed in the aircraft; a first controller for a first lavatory in electronic communication with the central controller; a second controller for a second lavatory in electronic communication with the central controller; a third controller for a galley insert (GAINs) device in electronic communication with the central controller; a fourth controller for a first water device of a water system in the aircraft, the fourth controller in electronic communication with the central controller; a fifth controller for a second water device of the water system of the aircraft, the fifth controller in electronic communication with the central controller; and a control panel in electronic communication with the central controller, the control panel configured to display information corresponding to the first lavatory, the second lavatory, the galley insert (GAINs) device, and the first water device, wherein the central controller is configured to: determine that the first water device is low on water; determine that the second water device has an excess water capacity; and command the second water device to transfer a portion of water to the first water device.
2 . The cabin control system of claim 1 , wherein the central controller is configured to: receive, through a passenger user interface, a lavatory request; analyze an occupancy status of the first lavatory and the second lavatory; and transmit an assigned lavatory to the passenger user interface based on the occupancy status.
3 . The cabin control system of claim 1 , further comprising a sixth controller for a service cart system, the sixth controller configured to track a location of a service cart.
4 . The cabin control system of claim 3 , wherein the central controller is configured to: receive, through a passenger user interface, a lavatory request; analyze an occupancy status of the first lavatory and the second lavatory; analyze a location status of the service cart; and transmit an assigned lavatory to the passenger user interface based on the occupancy status and the location status.
5 . The cabin control system of claim 1 , further comprising a sixth controller for a passenger seat.
6 . The cabin control system of claim 5 , wherein the central controller is configured to receive a seat status corresponding to seat back position of the passenger seat from the sixth controller.
7 . The cabin control system of claim 6 , wherein the central controller is configured to transmit the seat back position of the seat in an aircraft cabin to the control panel.
8 . The cabin control system of claim 1 , wherein the control panel is further configured to display information corresponding to the second water device.
9 . The cabin control system of claim 1 , wherein the central controller is further configured to receive a water volume status from the fourth controller and the fifth controller.
10 . An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with a processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving a first signal from a first controller associated with a first water device; determining, based on the first signal, that the first water device is low on water; sending a second signal from a second controller associated with a second water device; determining, based on the second signal, that the second water device has an excess water capacity; and commanding the second water device to transfer a portion of water to the first water device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, India Provisional Patent Application No. 202341021885, filed Mar. 27, 2023 and titled “CENTRAL CABIN CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to electronic communication systems, and more particularly to central cabin control systems for use an aircraft cabin. BACKGROUND A connected aircraft may rely on a central controller to manage multiple interior subsystems or perform prognostic health monitoring. These subsystems may be distributed throughout the aircraft. However, these subsystems may utilize sensors that communicate with a local controller (or any other separate controller) of the subsystem that is independent of the central controller. In this regard, sensors of various subsystems are connected to separate systems and controllers. Devices within an aircraft cabin not only connect with the aircraft but with each other. For example, a water system may connect to a lavatory and to a galley. However, a water system is typically considered an independent system from a lavatory system. Yet, water system data can help both lavatories and galley products perform better without these products adding additional sensors to get the same data. SUMMARY A cabin control system for an aircraft is disclosed herein. In various embodiments, the cabin control system comprises: a central controller configured to be disposed in the aircraft; a first controller for a first lavatory in electronic communication with the central controller; a second controller for a second lavatory in electronic communication with the central controller; a third controller for a galley insert (GAINs) device in electronic communication with the central controller; a fourth controller for a first water device of a water system in the aircraft, the fourth controller in electronic communication with the central controller; and a control panel in electronic communication with the central controller, the control panel configured to display information corresponding to the first lavatory, the second lavatory, the galley insert (GAINs) device, and the first water device. In various embodiments, the central controller is configured to: receive, through a passenger user interface, a lavatory request; analyze an occupancy status of the first lavatory and the second lavatory; and transmit an assigned lavatory to the passenger user interface based on the occupancy status. In various embodiments, the cabin control system further comprises a fifth controller for a service cart system, the fifth controller configured to track a location of a service cart. In various embodiments, the central controller is configured to: receive, through a passenger user interface, a lavatory request; analyze an occupancy status of the first lavatory and the second lavatory; analyze a location status of the service cart; and transmit an assigned lavatory to the passenger user interface based on the occupancy status and the location status. In various embodiments, the cabin control system further comprises a fifth controller for a passenger seat. In various embodiments, the central controller is configured to receive a seat status corresponding to seat back position of the passenger seat from the fifth controller. In various embodiments, the central controller is configured to transmit the seat back position of each passenger seat in an aircraft cabin to the control panel. In various embodiments, the cabin control system further comprises a fifth controller for a second water device of the water system of the aircraft. In various embodiments, the central controller is configured to: determine that the first water device is low on water; determine that the second water device has an excess water capacity; and command the second water device to transfer a portion of water to the first water device. In various embodiments, the central controller is further configured to receive a water volume status from the fourth controller and the fifth controller. An article of manufacture is disclosed herein. In various embodiments, the article of manufacture includes a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with a processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving, by the processor, a request for a specific item in an aircraft cabin; determining, by the processor, a task status of each flight attendant in the aircraft cabin; and transmitting, by the processor, the request to a user device based on the task status. In various embodiments, the operations further comprise receiving, by the processor, an indication from the user device that the flight attendant is handling the request. In various embodiments, the operations furth