CLIAMS:We claim:
1. A processor-implemented in-flight content personalization method, comprising:
receiving at an airline server, including one or more hardware processors, flight information associated with an aircraft;
identifying, via the one or more hardware processors, one or more passengers related to the flight information;
determining, via the one or more hardware processors, content, for the one or more passengers, to be synchronized to an in-flight entertainment server located on the aircraft;
determining, via the one or more hardware processors, that the airline server is operatively connectable to the in-flight entertainment server; and
synchronizing, via the one or more hardware processors, the content to the in-flight entertainment server after determining that the airline server is operatively connectable to the in-flight entertainment server.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using user information received from at least one of: a mobile device associated with one of the passengers; a display device located in the aircraft; or an airline passenger account.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using at least one of: phase of a journey of the aircraft; one or more user content playlists; one or more user content preferences; available storage space associated with the in-flight entertainment server; content pre-existing on the in-flight entertainment server; content usage on a prior phase of a journey of the aircraft; or content usage during a previous flight of the same phase of the journey of the aircraft.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using information on a geographic extent of content rights associated with the content.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using user information for at least two passengers, the two passengers boarding the aircraft at different points of a journey of the aircraft from each other.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using content preferences provided by a user for a passenger different than the user.
7. An in-flight content personalization system, comprising:
one or more hardware processors; and
one or more memory devices storing instructions executable by the one or more hardware processors for:
receiving at an airline server, including one or more hardware processors, flight information associated with an aircraft;
identifying, via the one or more hardware processors, one or more passengers related to the flight information;
determining, via the one or more hardware processors, content, for the one or more passengers, to be synchronized to an in-flight entertainment server located on the aircraft;
determining, via the one or more hardware processors, that the airline server is operatively connectable to the in-flight entertainment server; and
synchronizing, via the one or more hardware processors, the content to the in-flight entertainment server after determining that the airline server is operatively connectable to the in-flight entertainment server.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using user information received from at least one of: a mobile device associated with one of the passengers; a display device located in the aircraft; or an airline passenger account.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using at least one of: phase of a journey of the aircraft; one or more user content playlists; one or more user content preferences; available storage space associated with the in-flight entertainment server; content pre-existing on the in-flight entertainment server; content usage on a prior phase of a journey of the aircraft; or content usage during a previous flight of the same phase of the journey of the aircraft.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using information on a geographic extent of content rights associated with the content.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using user information for at least two passengers, the two passengers boarding the aircraft at different points of a journey of the aircraft from each other.
12. The system of claim 7, wherein the content to be synchronized is determined using content preferences provided by a user for a passenger different than the user.
13. A processor-implemented in-flight entertainment personalization method, comprising:
receiving, at an in-flight entertainment server including one or more hardware processors, content from an off-aircraft airline server via a network connection;
receiving, via the one or more hardware processors, a user request for personalized content from a device located on an aircraft during flight;
identifying the personalized content for responding to the user request; and
providing the personalized content for responding to the user request.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
aggregating, via the one or more hardware processors, information on user preferences for the personalized content from at least one of: a mobile device; a display device located in the aircraft; or an airline passenger account; and
providing, via the one or more hardware processors, the aggregated user preferences to the off-aircraft airline server via the network connection.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the personalized content for responding to the user request is identified using at least one of: a phase of a journey of the aircraft; one or more user content playlists; one or more user content preferences; content usage on a prior phase of a journey of the aircraft; or content usage during a previous flight of the same phase of the journey of the aircraft.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the personalized content is identified using information on a geographic extent of content rights associated with the personalized content.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the in-flight entertainment server is operatively connectable to a display device affixed in the aircraft during flight; and
wherein the personalized content is provided to the display device for responding to the user request from the device located on the aircraft during flight.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the device located on the aircraft during flight is one of: a passenger mobile device; and a display device affixed in the aircraft during flight.
19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
receiving a query for a list of subordinate accounts to a master account;
determining a list of subordinate devices that are being used with the subordinate accounts;
providing instructions to control the subordinate devices based on commands received from the master account.
20. An in-flight entertainment personalization system, comprising:
one or more hardware processors; and
one or more memory devices storing instructions executable by the one or more hardware processors for:
receiving, at an in-flight entertainment server including one or more hardware processors, content from an off-aircraft airline server via a network connection;
receiving, via the one or more hardware processors, a user request for personalized content from a device located on an aircraft during flight;
identifying the personalized content for responding to the user request; and
providing the personalized content for responding to the user request.
21. The system of claim 20, further storing instructions for:
aggregating, via the one or more hardware processors, information on user preferences for the personalized content from at least one of: a mobile device; a display device located in the aircraft; or an airline passenger account; and
providing, via the one or more hardware processors, the aggregated user preferences to the off-aircraft airline server via the network connection.
22. The system of claim 20, wherein the personalized content for responding to the user request is identified using at least one of: a phase of a journey of the aircraft; one or more user content playlists; one or more user content preferences; content usage on a prior phase of a journey of the aircraft; or content usage during a previous flight of the same phase of the journey of the aircraft.
23. The system of claim 20, wherein the personalized content is identified using information on a geographic extent of content rights associated with the personalized content.
24. The system of claim 20, wherein the in-flight entertainment server is operatively connectable to a display device affixed in the aircraft during flight; and
wherein the personalized content is provided to the display device for responding to the user request from the device located on the aircraft during flight.
25. The system of claim 20, wherein the device located on the aircraft during flight is one of: a passenger mobile device; and a display device affixed in the aircraft during flight.
26. The system of claim 20, further storing instructions for:
receiving a query for a list of subordinate accounts to a master account;
determining a list of subordinate devices that are being used with the subordinate accounts;
providing instructions to control the subordinate devices based on commands received from the master account.

Dated this 28th day of March, 2015

Swetha S.N
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
,TagSPECI:TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates generally to personalized entertainment content, and more particularly to systems and methods for personalized in-flight entertainment.