Methods and systems for automated presence verification, location confirmation, and identification of objects in defined zones

• US 10,671,848 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kumar, Anil, Pei, Guangyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Stephen P
• Application Number:
  US15/951,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20190318164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 382103
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0631 for life vests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/08 Ejecting or escaping means escape apertures B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Provided are methods and systems for automated location and identification of multiple objects in an aircraft cabin. A method utilizes a wireless client, RFID reader, and camera, which together form a set. Each set is associated with a specific inspection zone in the cabin. The RFID reader determines the presence of a RFID tag in only one zone. Further, the camera captures an image of that zone. A data feedback is generated based on both the image and the RFID reader response. The data feedback is transmitted by the wireless client to a router and is analyzed to determine the presence of the object in the inspection zone and, if present, the identity of the object. The data feedback is associated with the location of the zone in the aircraft cabin, which is known or may be determined using a set of wireless routers positioned throughout the cabin.

Claims

1. A method for automated location and identification of multiple objects disposed in an aircraft cabin, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a first data request from a first wireless router to a first wireless client, wherein the first wireless router is one of wireless routers disposed throughout the aircraft cabin, and wherein the first wireless client is one of wireless clients, each one of the wireless clients associated with a different one of the multiple objects;

transmitting a first interrogation signal using a first RFID reader, communicatively coupled to the first wireless client, wherein the first wireless client instructs the first RFID reader to transmit the first interrogation signal upon receiving the first data request at the first wireless client;

monitoring a first response signal using the first RFID reader, wherein the first response signal depends on presence of a first RFID tag in a first inspection zone and, if present, information encoded on the first RFID tag;

capturing a first image of the first inspection zone using a first camera, communicatively coupled to the first wireless client, wherein the first wireless client instructs the first camera to capture the first image of the first inspection zone upon receiving the first data request at the first wireless client;

generating a first data feedback using the first wireless client, wherein the first data feedback is generated based on the first response signal and the first image;

wirelessly transmitting the first data feedback from the first wireless client o the first wireless router;

analyzing the first data feedback to determine at least one of presence of a first object of the multiple objects in the first inspection zone or identification of the first object; and

determining a location of the first inspection zone based on wirelessly transmitting a first location feedback from the first wireless client to the first wireless router and a second location feedback from the first wireless client to a second wireless router and analyzing the first location feedback, the second location feedback, location of the first wireless router in the aircraft cabin, and location of the second wireless router in the aircraft cabin to determine the location of the first inspection zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting the first data request from the first wireless router to the first wireless client is performed over a 60 GHz network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first inspection zone is one of a space under a seat or a space in an overhead compartment in the aircraft cabin.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first object is a personal flotation device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting inflight entertainment data from the first wireless router to the first wireless client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the irst inspection zone is specific to only one seat in the aircraft cabin.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the first data feedback comprises analyzing the first image in the first data feedback to determine at least the presence of the first object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the first data feedback further comprises comparing results of analyzing the first image with the first response signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

analyzing the first data feedback comprises generating a report validating the presence of the first object in the first inspection zone and the identification of the first object; and

if one of the presence of the first object in the first inspection zone or the identification of the first object does not meet corresponding predetermined criteria, the report comprises instructions to manually inspect the first inspection zone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise at least one of an indicium associated with the first object or an expiration date associated with the first object.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the report is generated using an off-board controller positioned outside of the aircraft cabin.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising, if the report comprises instructions to manually inspect the first inspection zone, manually inspecting the first inspection zone.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the report comprises validation of the presence of each one of the multiple objects disposed in the aircraft cabin and the identification of each one of the multiple objects.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the report validates presence of an object corresponding to each of aircraft seats in the aircraft cabin.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the first data feedback comprises associating the first data feedback with the location of the first inspection zone in the aircraft cabin.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the first inspection zone further comprises:

wirelessly transmitting a first location request from the first wireless router to the first wireless client, wherein the first location feedback is generated by the first wireless client upon receipt of the first location request from the first wireless router; and

wirelessly transmitting a second location request from a second wireless router to the first wireless client wherein the second location feedback is generated by the first wireless client upon receipt of the second location request from the second wireless router.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the first inspection zone comprises validating the location of the first inspection zone using an expected location area of the first inspection zone.

18. A method for automated location and identification of multiple objects disposed in an aircraft cabin, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a first data request from a first wireless router to a first wireless client, wherein the first wireless router is one of wireless routers disposed throughout the aircraft cabin, and wherein the first wireless client is one of wireless clients, each one of the wireless clients associated with a different one of the multiple objects;

transmitting a first interrogation signal using a first RFID reader, communicatively coupled to the first wireless client, wherein the first wireless client instructs the first RFID reader to transmit the first interrogation signal upon receiving the first data request at the first wireless client;

monitoring a first response signal using the first RFID reader, wherein the first response signal depends on presence of a first RFID tag in a first inspection zone and, if present, information encoded on the first RFID tag;

capturing a first image of the first inspection zone using a first camera, communicatively coupled to the first wireless client, wherein the first wireless client instructs the first camera to capture the first image of the first inspection zone upon receiving the first data request at the first wireless client;

generating a first data feedback using the first wireless client, wherein the first data feedback is generated based on the first response signal and the first image;

wirelessly transmitting the first data feedback from the first wireless client to the first wireless router;

analyzing the first data feedback to determine at least one of presence of a first object of the multiple objects in the first inspection zone or identification of the first object;

wirelessly transmitting a second data request from a second wireless router to a second wireless client, wherein the second wireless router is one of the wireless routers, and wherein the second wireless client is one of multiple wireless clients,

transmitting a second interrogation signal using a second RFID reader, communicatively coupled to the second wireless client, wherein the second wireless client instructs the second RFID reader to transmit the second interrogation signal upon receiving the second data request at the second wireless client;

monitoring a second response signal using the second RFID reader, wherein the second response signal depends on a presence of a second RFID tag and information encoded on the second RFID tag in a second inspection zone, and wherein the second inspection zone does not overlap with the first inspection zone;

capturing a second image of the second inspection zone using a second camera, communicatively coupled to the second wireless client , wherein the second wireless client instructs the second camera to capture the second image of the second inspection zone upon receiving the second data request at the second wireless client;

generating a second data feedback using the second wireless client, wherein the second data feedback is generated based on the second response signal and the second image;

wirelessly transmitting the second data feedback from the second wireless client to the second wireless router; and

analyzing the second data feedback to determine at least one of presence of a second object of the multiple objects in the second inspection zone or identification of the second object.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein monitoring the second response signal using the second RFID reader and monitoring the first response signal using the first RFID reader overlap in time.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein analyzing the first data feedback and analyzing the second data feedback overlap in time and are performed using one controller.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the first inspection zone and the second inspection zone correspond to areas under adjacent passenger seats in the aircraft cabin,

the first inspection zone is outside of an operating range of the second RFID reader, and

the second inspection zone is outside of an operating range of the first RFID reader.

22. An identification system for automated location and identification of multiple objects disposed in an aircraft cabin, the identification system comprising:

a first wireless router, positioned in the aircraft cabin;

a second wireless router, positioned in the aircraft cabin;

a first wireless client, positioned in the aircraft cabin closer to the first wireless router than to the second wireless router, wherein the first wireless client is configured to wireless communicate with the first wireless router and with the second wireless router;

a second wireless client, positioned in the aircraft cabin closer to the second wireless router than to the first wireless router, wherein the second wireless client is configured to wireless communicate with the first wireless router and with the second wireless router;

a first RFID reader, communicatively coupled to the first wireless client, wherein the first RFID reader defines a first inspection zone;

a second RFID reader, communicatively coupled to the second wireless client, wherein the second RFID reader defines a second inspection zone, not overlapping with the first inspection zone;

a first camera, communicatively coupled to the first wireless client and configured to capture an image of the first inspection zone; and

a second camera, communicatively coupled to the second wireless client and configured to capture an image of the second inspection zone,

wherein the first wireless client is configured to generate first data feedback from a first response signal received from the first RFID reader and a first image received from the first camera, and

wherein the second wireless client is configured to generate second data feedback from a second response signal received from the second RFD reader and a second image received from the second camera.

23. The identification system of claim 22, further comprising a controller, communicatively coupled to the first wireless router and to the second wireless router, wherein:

the controller is configured to analyze the first data feedback received from the first wireless client to determine at least one of;

presence of a first object of the multiple objects in the first inspection zone, and

identification of the first object; and

the controller is configured to analyze the second data feedback received from the second wireless client to determine at least one of;

presence of a second object of the multiple objects in the second inspection zone, and

identification of the second object.

24. The identification system of claim 23, wherein the controller is an off-board controller positioned outside of the aircraft cabin.

25. The identification system of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to associate the first data feedback with location of the first inspection zone and to associate the second data feedback with location of the second inspection zone.