Electronic baggage stowage system and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10780980-B2
Application number	US-201715704209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2017
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Sep 22, 2020
Grant date	Sep 22, 2020

Abstract

An electronic baggage stowage system for an aircraft comprising a first detector to detect free space in a cabin stowage space, wherein the first detector is configured to output cabin stowage space data based on the detection, a processing unit communicating with the first detector, wherein the processing unit is configured to process the cabin stowage space data, receive and process baggage size data indicating the size of one or more baggage items, and output baggage stowage mapping data in response to the processing of the cabin stowage space data and the baggage size data. The baggage stowage mapping data indicates one or more target positions in the cabin stowage space at which the baggage items are to be placed. An indicator communicates with the processing unit to provide the indication of the one or more target positions to a flight attendant or passenger of the aircraft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic baggage stowage system for an aircraft comprising:
a first detector for detecting free space in a cabin stowage space, wherein said first detector is configured to output cabin stowage space data based on said detection;
a processing unit in communication with said first detector, wherein said processing unit is configured to:
process said cabin stowage space data;
receive and process unstowed baggage size data indicating the size of one or more unstowed baggage items; and
output baggage stowage mapping data in response to said processing of said cabin stowage space data and said unstowed baggage size data, wherein said baggage stowage mapping data indicates one or more target positions in said cabin stowage space at which said one or more unstowed baggage items are to be placed; and

an indicator in communication with said processing unit for providing said indication of said one or more target positions to a flight attendant or passenger of said aircraft.

2. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said detection of said free space comprises detecting whether a baggage slot in said cabin stowage space is free.

3. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said detection of said free space comprises measuring an available space volume in said cabin stowage space.

4. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said detection of said free space comprises continuously detecting said free space.

5. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a first wireless communication link for receiving said unstowed baggage size data, wherein said first wireless communication link is in communication with said processing unit to provide said unstowed baggage size data to said processing unit.

6. An electronic baggage stowage system for an aircraft comprising:
a first detector for detecting free space in a cabin stowage space, wherein said first detector is configured to output cabin stowage space data based on said detection;
a processing unit in communication with said first detector, wherein said processing unit is configured to:
process said cabin stowage space data;
receive and process unstowed baggage size data indicating the size of one or more baggage items; and
output baggage stowage mapping data in response to said processing of said cabin stowage space data and said unstowed baggage size data, wherein said baggage stowage mapping data indicates one or more target positions in said cabin stowage space at which said one or more unstowed baggage items are to be placed; and

an indicator in communication with said processing unit for providing said indication of said one or more target positions to a flight attendant or passenger of said aircraft, further comprising a second detector for detecting the size of said one or more unstowed baggage items, wherein said second detector is configured to output said unstowed baggage size data, and wherein said processing unit is in communication with said second detector to process said output unstowed baggage size data received from said second detector.

7. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said second detector is configured to read a tag identifying said unstowed baggage item in order to retrieve said unstowed baggage size data from said tag, in particular wherein said tag comprises one or more of:
an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag;
a bar code; or

an optical image.

8. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said second detector comprises an ultrasound scanner.

9. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to receive and process seating data indicating a seat number of one or more passengers of said aircraft, wherein said outputting further comprises outputting said baggage stowage mapping data in response to said processing of said seating data.

10. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said indicator comprises a second wireless communication link for sending said indication of said one or more target positions to an electronic portable device of said flight attendant or passenger.

11. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said indicator comprises a display or a beamer for displaying said one or more target positions at a corresponding, respective position of said cabin stowage.

12. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said display comprises an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display.

13. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said display comprises an LCD (liquid crystal display).

14. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said displaying of the one or more target positions is in the form of a baggage ID (identification).

15. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said indication of said target position comprises indicating a target orientation in which said unstowed baggage item is to be placed in said cabin stowage space.

16. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , further configured to update said one or more target positions when said unstowed baggage item has been placed in a wrong one of said target positions.

17. The electronic baggage stowage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said indicator is further configured to provide said indication of said free space after a corresponding, respective compartment has been closed.

18. A method for providing an indication of a target position of an unstowed baggage item in a cabin stowage space of an aircraft to at least one of a flight attendant or passenger, the method comprising:
detecting free space in said cabin stowage space and outputting cabin stowage space data based on said detection;
receiving unstowed baggage size data indicating the size of said unstowed baggage item;
processing said cabin stowage space data and said unstowed baggage size data;
outputting baggage stowing mapping data in response to said processing, wherein said baggage stowage mapping data indicates a target position in said cabin stowage space at which said unstowed baggage item is to be placed; and
providing an indication of said target position to said flight attendant and/or said passenger.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Riedel Christian
• Klose Peter

Classifications

• G06K17/0022

  arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device ("transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L) · CPC title

• B64D11/003 Primary

  Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage · CPC title

• G06T2207/30112

  Baggage; Luggage; Suitcase · CPC title

• B64F1/368

  Arrangements or installations for routing, distributing or loading baggage · CPC title

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title