Aircraft Passenger Activity Monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017283086-A1
Application number	US-201715478771-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an illustrative embodiment, a crew information system is coupled to sensors in passenger seats, seatbelts, tray tables and overhead bins. If the vehicle seat sensor subsystem senses a passenger on a seat and senses the corresponding passenger seat belt is unbuckled, the vehicle seat sensor subsystem may alert the flight crew of a non-compliance condition. The crew information system may also, for example, facilitate preparation for take-off by signaling the crew when, for all seats in which passengers are detected, all tray tables are stowed and all seatbelts are buckled. The crew may be similarly informed of overhead bins which are not properly latched. Crew member notifications may advantageously report the specific nonconforming issue and seat or bin position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A passenger activity monitoring system for an aircraft cabin, the system comprising:
a first set of sensors disposed in seat bottoms of a plurality of passenger seats; a second set of sensors disposed in seat belts a plurality of passenger seats; a crew display disposed in a galley area of an aircraft; processing circuitry operably coupled to the first set of sensors, the second set of sensors and the crew display, the processing circuitry configured to execute a plurality of machine-readable instructions stored to a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to
receive, from the first set of sensors, signals associated with the presence or absence of a passenger at a respective seat position,
receive, from the second set of sensors, signals associated with a buckling status of a passenger seat belt at a respective seat position,
store, in a non-transitory computer readable data store, real-time information about the presence or absence of a passenger at a respective seat position and the buckling status of a passenger seat belt at a respective seat position, wherein the stored information is uniquely associated with the respective passenger seats of the plurality of passenger seats,
transmit, to the crew display, a notification of noncompliance based on the presence or absence of a passenger at a respective seat position and the buckling status of a passenger seat belt at a respective seat position, and
cause display, at the crew display, of the notification and an indication of a seat position associated with the notification.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third set of sensors disposed in tray tables.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to receive, from the third set of sensors, signals associated with the stowage condition of a tray table at a respective seat position.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the notification of noncompliance is further based on the stowage condition of a tray table at a respective seat position.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth set of sensors disposed in a plurality of overhead stowage bins.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to receive, from the fourth set of sensors, signals associated with the presence or absence of items in the respective stowage bins.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to receive, from the fourth set of sensors, signals associated with the closure status of an overhead bin door of each storage bin of the plurality of storage bins.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the notification of noncompliance is further based on the stowage condition of a stowage bin.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to transmit a remedial message to a passenger service unit at the passenger seat position associated with the notification.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to transmit a notification indicating whether the plurality of passenger seats are occupied as set forth in a passenger manifest.

11 . A passenger activity monitoring system for an aircraft cabin, the system comprising:
a first set of sensors disposed in seat bottoms of a plurality of passenger seats; a second set of sensors disposed in a plurality of overhead bins; a crew display disposed in a galley area of an aircraft; processing circuitry operably coupled to the first set of sensors, the second set of sensors and the crew display, the processing circuitry configured to execute a plurality of machine-readable instructions stored to a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to
receive, from the first set of sensors, signals associated with the presence or absence of a passenger at a respective seat position,
receive, from the second set of sensors, signals associated with a closure status of a respective overhead bin,
store, in a non-transitory computer readable data store, real-time information about the presence or absence of a passenger at a respective seat position and the buckling status of a passenger seat belt at a respective seat position, wherein the stored information is uniquely associated with each respective passenger seat of the plurality of passenger seats,
transmit, to the crew display, a notification of noncompliance based on at least one of i) the presence or absence of a passenger at a respective seat position, and ii) the closure status of a respective overhead bin, and
display, at the crew display, the notification and an indication of a seat or bin position associated with the notification.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a third set of sensors disposed in tray tables.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to receive, from the third set of sensors, signals associated with the stowage condition of a tray table at a respective seat position.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the notification of noncompliance is further based on the stowage condition of a tray table at the respective seat position.

15 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a fourth set of sensors disposed in seat belts of the plurality of passenger seats.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to receive, from the fourth set of sensors, signals associated with a buckling status of the seat belt at a respective seat position.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the notification of noncompliance is further based on the buckling status of the seat belt at the respective seat position.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the notification of noncompliance is generated in response to signals indicating that a passenger present in a respective seat of the plurality of seats has an unbuckled seat belt.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to transmit a remedial message to a passenger service unit proximate the passenger seat position associated with the notification.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to transmit a notification indicating whether the plurality of passenger seats are occupied as set forth in a passenger manifest.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Garing Francis Xavier L
• Stephens Benjamin
• Pozzi Alexander Nicholas
• Gu Jae Hun

Classifications

• B64D45/0005 Primary

  Devices specially adapted to indicate the position of a movable element of the aircraft, e.g. landing gear · CPC title

• B64D45/0051

  by monitoring passengers or crew on aircraft · CPC title

• B64D11/003

  Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage · CPC title

• B64D11/0638 Primary

  with foldable tables, trays or cup holders · CPC title

• B64D11/00155

  Individual entertainment or communication system remote controls therefor, located in or connected to seat components, e.g. to seat back or arm rest · CPC title