Method and hand luggage trolley for facilitating a flow of passengers in an airport terminal
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating a flow of passengers in an airport terminal, comprising the steps of:
- providing a computer network within the airport terminal, the computer network being optionally connected to one or more remote networks, the computer network within the airport terminal comprising;
at least one server comprising a data storage unit storing airport information data selected from flight departure information and passenger wayfinding information;
stationary wireless communication means for dissemination of the airport information data;
continuously or intermittently updating the airport information data in the data storage unit of the at least one server;
providing a plurality of hand luggage trolleys;
assigning one of the trolleys to each of the passengers, each trolley comprising;
an interface for receiving information identifying the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight;
an electronic control unit connected to the interface, the electronic control unit comprising an electronic memory for storing passenger identification data and/or flight data of the passenger'"'"'s flight;
mobile wireless communication means for receiving, at the electronic control unit, said airport information data from the at least one server via the stationary wireless communication means of the computer network within the airport terminal, the mobile wireless communication being connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to forward the airport information data to the electronic control unit;
data output means connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to communicate, to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, at least a part of the airport information received by the electronic control unit;
identifying, at each of the trolleys, the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight;
continuously or intermittently disseminating the airport information data to the trolleys;
receiving the airport information data at each of the trolleys;
selecting, by means of the electronic control unit of each of the trolleys, parts of the disseminated airport information data, to be forwarded to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned;
outputting to the passenger the selected parts of the airport information data;
repeating the steps of updating, disseminating and receiving the airport information data as well as the step of outputting the selected parts of the airport information data, as long as the trolley remains assigned to the passenger,so as to thereby facilitate each of the passenger'"'"'s way through the airport terminal, wherein the trolley further comprises a communication port for communicating with a portable device belonging to the passenger, such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or laptop computer, and wherein said communication port comprises the data output means for communicating at least said selected part of said airport information to the passenger;
and wherein;
the passenger carries the portable device when entering the airport terminal;
the passenger establishes or accepts a connection of the portable device to the trolley;
the step of outputting the selected parts of the airport info/illation data to the passenger comprises the step of communicating said selected parts from the electronic control unit through said communication port and generating an alert at the portable device;
the passenger disconnects the portable device from the trolley at the latest when boarding the flight.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a trolley for facilitating a passenger'"'"'s way through an airport terminal, and improved methods for boarding aircrafts. The trolley may include an interface, such as a boarding card reader, for receiving information identifying the passenger and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight. Mobile wireless communication means may be provided at the trolley for receiving airport information data, such as flight departure gate, delay or cancellation information, from a computer network within an airport terminal. Data output means are provided to communicate information to the passenger. The trolley may be X-ray compliant. A communication interface may be provided at the trolley for communicating with a portable device, such as a smartphone or equivalent means of the passenger. Individually selected information based on passenger identity, destination, position or past collection of passenger behavior may be disseminated to passengers on an individual basis. Passengers may be allowed to pass a gate for aircraft boarding only when called in accordance with a predetermined boarding sequence on the basis of, e.g., seat number or seat row.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating a flow of passengers in an airport terminal, comprising the steps of:
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providing a computer network within the airport terminal, the computer network being optionally connected to one or more remote networks, the computer network within the airport terminal comprising; at least one server comprising a data storage unit storing airport information data selected from flight departure information and passenger wayfinding information; stationary wireless communication means for dissemination of the airport information data; continuously or intermittently updating the airport information data in the data storage unit of the at least one server; providing a plurality of hand luggage trolleys; assigning one of the trolleys to each of the passengers, each trolley comprising; an interface for receiving information identifying the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; an electronic control unit connected to the interface, the electronic control unit comprising an electronic memory for storing passenger identification data and/or flight data of the passenger'"'"'s flight; mobile wireless communication means for receiving, at the electronic control unit, said airport information data from the at least one server via the stationary wireless communication means of the computer network within the airport terminal, the mobile wireless communication being connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to forward the airport information data to the electronic control unit; data output means connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to communicate, to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, at least a part of the airport information received by the electronic control unit; identifying, at each of the trolleys, the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; continuously or intermittently disseminating the airport information data to the trolleys; receiving the airport information data at each of the trolleys; selecting, by means of the electronic control unit of each of the trolleys, parts of the disseminated airport information data, to be forwarded to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned; outputting to the passenger the selected parts of the airport information data; repeating the steps of updating, disseminating and receiving the airport information data as well as the step of outputting the selected parts of the airport information data, as long as the trolley remains assigned to the passenger, so as to thereby facilitate each of the passenger'"'"'s way through the airport terminal, wherein the trolley further comprises a communication port for communicating with a portable device belonging to the passenger, such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or laptop computer, and wherein said communication port comprises the data output means for communicating at least said selected part of said airport information to the passenger; and wherein; the passenger carries the portable device when entering the airport terminal; the passenger establishes or accepts a connection of the portable device to the trolley; the step of outputting the selected parts of the airport info/illation data to the passenger comprises the step of communicating said selected parts from the electronic control unit through said communication port and generating an alert at the portable device; the passenger disconnects the portable device from the trolley at the latest when boarding the flight. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for facilitating a flow of passengers in an airport terminal, comprising the steps of:
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providing a computer network within the airport terminal, the computer network being optionally connected to one or more remote networks, the computer network within the airport terminal comprising; at least one server comprising a data storage unit storing airport information data selected from flight departure information and passenger wayfinding information; stationary wireless communication means for dissemination of the airport information data; providing a plurality of hand luggage trolleys; assigning one of the trolleys to each of the passengers, each trolley comprising; an interface for receiving information identifying the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; an electronic control unit connected to the interface, the electronic control unit comprising an electronic memory for storing passenger identification data and/or flight data of the passenger'"'"'s flight; mobile wireless communication means for receiving, at the electronic control unit, said airport information data from the at least one server via the stationary wireless communication means of the computer network within the airport terminal, the mobile wireless communication being connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to forward the airport information data to the electronic control unit; data output means connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to communicate, to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, at least a part of the airport information received by the electronic control unit; identifying, at each of the trolleys, the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; continuously or intermittently disseminating the airport information data to the trolleys; receiving the airport information data at each of the trolleys; outputting to the passenger the selected parts of the airport information data; so as to thereby facilitate each of the passenger'"'"'s way through the airport terminal, wherein the airport terminal comprises an area open to the public, a departure area accessible to flight passengers only, and a security checkpoint area separating the public area from the departure area, and wherein the security checkpoint area comprises a plurality of passageways between the area open to the public and the departure area, the passageways being staffed by human security staff; the method comprising the steps of; determining, at said at least one server of the computer network, a number of trolleys assigned to passengers, who are present in the area open to the public; using said number of trolleys and optionally the passenger'"'"'s flight information to determine any possible need for increasing or decreasing the number of staff and/or the number of open passageways.
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22. A method for facilitating a flow of passengers in an airport terminal, comprising the steps of:
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providing a computer network within the airport terminal, the computer network being optionally connected to one or more remote networks, the computer network within the airport terminal comprising; at least one server comprising a data storage unit storing airport information data selected from flight departure information and passenger wayfinding information; stationary wireless communication means for dissemination of the airport information data; continuously or intermittently updating the airport information data in the data storage unit of the at least one server; providing a plurality of hand luggage trolleys; assigning one of the trolleys to each of the passengers, each trolley comprising; an interface for receiving information identifying the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; an electronic control unit connected to the interface, the electronic control unit comprising an electronic memory for storing passenger identification data and/or flight data of the passenger'"'"'s flight; mobile wireless communication means for receiving, at the electronic control unit, said airport information data from the at least one server via the stationary wireless communication means of the computer network within the airport terminal, the mobile wireless communication being connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to forward the airport information data to the electronic control unit; data output means connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to communicate, to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, at least a part of the airport information received by the electronic control unit; identifying, at each of the trolleys, the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; continuously or intermittently disseminating the airport information data to the trolleys; receiving the airport information data at each of the trolleys; outputting to the passenger the selected parts of the airport information data; so as to thereby facilitate each of the passenger'"'"'s way through the airport terminal, wherein the electronic control unit of the trolley is configured to generate passenger convenience data on the basis of at least one of an identification of the passenger'"'"'s flight and/or the passenger'"'"'s location within the airport terminal and/or other information available to the electronic control unit; the method comprising outputting said passenger convenience data to the passenger in addition to the selected parts of the airport information data.
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23. A method for facilitating a flow of passengers in an airport terminal, comprising the steps of:
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providing a computer network within the airport terminal, the computer network being optionally connected to one or more remote networks, the computer network within the airport terminal comprising; at least one server comprising a data storage unit storing airport information data selected from flight departure information and passenger wayfinding information; stationary wireless communication means for dissemination of the airport information data; continuously or intermittently updating the airport information data in the data storage unit of the at least one server; providing a plurality of hand luggage trolleys; assigning one of the trolleys to each of the passengers, each trolley comprising; an interface for receiving information identifying the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; an electronic control unit connected to the interface, the electronic control unit comprising an electronic memory for storing passenger identification data and/or flight data of the passenger'"'"'s flight; mobile wireless communication means for receiving, at the electronic control unit, said airport information data from the at least one server via the stationary wireless communication means of the computer network within the airport terminal, the mobile wireless communication being connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to forward the airport information data to the electronic control unit; data output means connected to the electronic control unit and arranged to communicate, to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, at least a part of the airport information received by the electronic control unit; identifying, at each of the trolleys, the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned, and/or the passenger'"'"'s flight; continuously or intermittently disseminating the airport information data to the trolleys; receiving the airport information data at each of the trolleys; selecting, by means of the electronic control unit of each of the trolleys, parts of the disseminated airport information data, to be forwarded to the passenger, to which the trolley is assigned; outputting to the passenger the selected parts of the airport information data; repeating the steps of updating, disseminating and receiving the airport information data as well as the step of outputting the selected parts of the airport information data, as long as the trolley remains assigned to the passenger, so as to thereby facilitate each of the passenger'"'"'s way through the airport terminal.
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Specification