Vehicle attendant task management systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018308037-A1
Application number	US-201715496134-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 25, 2017
Priority date	Apr 25, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A task management system is configured to assign tasks to one or more attendants of a vehicle. The task management system includes one or more passenger interfaces associated with one or more passenger seats within an interior cabin of the vehicle. The passenger interface(s) are configured to output service request signals indicative of service requests from passengers that are input into the passenger interface(s). One or more attendant devices are configured to be carried by the one or more attendants. A task manager includes a management control unit that is in communication with the passenger interface(s) and the attendant device(s). The management control unit receives the service request signals from the passenger interface(s) and assigns tasks to the attendant device(s) based, at least in part, on the service request signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A task management system that is configured to assign tasks to one or more attendants of a vehicle, the task management system comprising:
one or more passenger interfaces associated with one or more passenger seats within an interior cabin of the vehicle, wherein the one or more passenger interfaces are configured to output service request signals indicative of service requests from passengers that are input into the one or more passenger interfaces; one or more attendant devices that are configured to be carried by the one or more attendants; and a task manager including a management control unit that is in communication with the one or more passenger interfaces and the one or more attendant devices, wherein the management control unit receives the service request signals from the one or more passenger interfaces and assigns tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals.

2 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attendant devices comprise a smart watch that is configured to be worn on a wrist.

3 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more passenger interfaces comprise an entertainment system secured to a seat.

4 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attendant devices comprise a display that is configured to show the tasks assigned by the management control unit.

5 . The task management system of claim 1 , further comprising galley equipment within the interior cabin of the vehicle, wherein the management control unit receives galley signals from the galley equipment, wherein the galley signals are indicative of operational status of the galley equipment, and wherein the management control unit assigns the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals and the galley signals.

6 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the task manager further comprises a database coupled to the management control unit, wherein the database stores one or more of passenger data or attendant data, and wherein the management control unit assigns the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals and one or both of the passenger data or the attendant data.

7 . The task management system of claim 6 , wherein the management control unit prioritizes the tasks based, at least in part, on the passenger data or the attendant data stored in the database.

8 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attendant devices comprise a biometric sensor that is configured to detect at least one biometric parameter of the one or more attendants, wherein the management control unit receives biometric signals indicative of the least one biometric parameter from the biometric sensor, and wherein the management control unit assigns the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals and the biometric signals.

9 . The task management system of claim 8 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to detect one or more of heart rate, blood pressure, steps traveled, time of work, or time of rest.

10 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attendant devices comprise a position sensor that is configured to be tracked by the management control unit, wherein the management control unit assigns the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service requests signals and the positions of the one or more attendant devices within the interior cabin.

11 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the management control unit associates passenger names with the tasks.

12 . The task management system of claim 1 , wherein the management control unit bases task distribution and assignments on travel data that includes one or more of time to destination, current travel status, predicted turbulence, phase of flight, cabin temperature, or lavatory status.

13 . A task management method that is configured to assign tasks to one or more attendants of a vehicle, the task management method comprising:
associating one or more passenger interfaces with one or more passenger seats within an interior cabin of the vehicle; receiving, from the one or more passenger interfaces, service request signals indicative of service requests from passengers that are input into the one or more passenger interfaces; associating one or more attendant devices with the one or more attendants that carry the one or more attendant devices; communicating between a management control unit of a task manager and the one or more passenger interfaces and the one or more attendant devices, wherein the communicating comprises receiving, at the management control unit, the service request signals from the one or more passenger interfaces; and assigning, by the management control unit, tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals.

14 . The task management method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more attendant devices comprise a smart watch that is configured to be worn on a wrist, and wherein the one or more passenger interfaces comprise an entertainment system secured to a seat.

15 . The task management method of claim 13 , further comprising showing the tasks assignment by the management control unit on a display of the one or more attendant devices.

16 . The task management method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving, by wherein the management control unit, galley signals from galley equipment within the interior cabin of the vehicle, wherein the galley signals are indicative of operational status of the galley equipment, and wherein assigning comprises assigning the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals and the galley signals.

17 . The task management method of claim 13 , further comprising storing one or more of passenger data or attendant data within a database, and wherein assigning comprises assigning the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals and one or both of the passenger data or the attendant data.

18 . The task management method of claim 17 , wherein the assigning comprises prioritizing the tasks based, at least in part, on the passenger data or the attendant data stored in the database.

19 . The task management method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving biometric signals indicative of the least one biometric parameter of the one or more attendants from a biometric sensor of the one or more attendant devices, and wherein the assigning comprises assigning the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service request signals and the biometric signals.

20 . The task management method of claim 13 , further comprising tracking positions of the one or more attendant devices within the interior cabin, and wherein the assigning comprises assigning the tasks to the one or more attendant devices based, at least in part, on the service requests signals and the positions of the one or more attendant devices within the interior cabin.

21 . The task management method of claim 13 , further comprising associating passenger names with the tasks.

22 . The task management method of claim 13 , further comprising basing task distribution a

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Cloyd Cedar
• Nicks Eric Lee

Classifications

• B64D11/0007 Primary

  Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services · 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

• G06Q10/063114 Primary

  Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group · CPC title

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title

• B64D11/00151

  Permanently mounted seat back monitors · CPC title