System and method for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position
First Claim
1. A system for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position adjacent to a passenger boarding bridge, comprising:
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for being disposed at a location that is remote from the aircraft, the location being known relative to the stopping position, the RFID tag comprising a tag antenna and an integrated circuit for encoding data relating to the RFID tag;
an antenna for being disposed aboard the aircraft, for emitting radio frequency waves and for receiving from the RFID tag a wireless data communication signal including the encoded data; and
,a processor for being disposed aboard the aircraft and in communication with the antenna, the processor for identifying the encoded data within the wireless data communication signal, and for determining spatial information relating to a location of the RFID tag relative to the antenna, and for determining instruction data for guiding the aircraft to the stopping position based on the determined spatial information and the known location of the RFID tag relative to the stopping position.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position adjacent to a passenger boarding bridge includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for being disposed at a location that is remote from the aircraft, and that is known relative to the stopping position. The RFID tag has a tag antenna and an integrated circuit for encoding data relating to the RFID tag. The system also includes an antenna for being disposed aboard the aircraft, for emitting radio frequency waves and for receiving from the RFID tag a wireless data communication signal including the encoded data. A processor disposed aboard the aircraft and in communication with the antenna identifies the encoded data within the wireless data communication signal, and determines spatial information relating to a location of the RFID tag relative to the antenna. The processor is also for determining instruction data for guiding the aircraft to the stopping position based on the determined spatial information and the known location of the RFID tag relative to the stopping position.
60 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A system for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position adjacent to a passenger boarding bridge, comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for being disposed at a location that is remote from the aircraft, the location being known relative to the stopping position, the RFID tag comprising a tag antenna and an integrated circuit for encoding data relating to the RFID tag; an antenna for being disposed aboard the aircraft, for emitting radio frequency waves and for receiving from the RFID tag a wireless data communication signal including the encoded data; and
,a processor for being disposed aboard the aircraft and in communication with the antenna, the processor for identifying the encoded data within the wireless data communication signal, and for determining spatial information relating to a location of the RFID tag relative to the antenna, and for determining instruction data for guiding the aircraft to the stopping position based on the determined spatial information and the known location of the RFID tag relative to the stopping position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position adjacent to a passenger boarding bridge, comprising:
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a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for being disposed within an aircraft approach area to the stopping position, each one of the plurality of RFID tags being spaced-apart from adjacent RFID tags so as to form an array of RFID tags extending in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction relative to an aircraft approach path through the aircraft approach area; an RFID tag reader for being disposed aboard the aircraft for interrogating in real time at least some of the RFID tags of the plurality of RFID tags, as the aircraft moves along the aircraft approach path through the aircraft approach area; and
,a processor for being disposed aboard the aircraft for analyzing interrogation response signals received from the interrogated RFID tags, and for determining a correction to the aircraft approach path based upon the analysis, such that the corrected aircraft approach path terminates at the stopping position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position adjacent to a passenger boarding bridge, comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag disposed at a location that is remote from the aircraft, the RFID tag comprising a tag antenna and an integrated circuit for encoding data relating to the RFID tag; an RFID tag reader disposed aboard the aircraft for interrogating the RFID tag and for receiving an interrogation response signal therefrom; and
,a user interface disposed aboard the aircraft and in communication with the RFID reader, the user interface for providing human intelligible instruction data to a user of the aircraft, the human intelligible instruction data for use in guiding the aircraft to the stopping position and being determined based on the interrogation response signal from the RFID tag.
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35. A method for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position adjacent to a passenger boarding bridge, comprising:
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during an aircraft approach to the stopping position, using an RFID tag reader disposed aboard the aircraft to transmit an interrogation signal for interrogating an RFID tag that is disposed at a location that is remote from the aircraft; receiving an interrogation response signal from the RFID; processing the interrogation response signal for determining a correction to the aircraft approach to the stopping position; and
,performing the determined correction to the aircraft approach to the stopping position. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification