System and method for guiding an aircraft to a stopping position
First Claim
1. A method for guiding an aircraft toward a stopping position within an aircraft stand of an airport, there being associated with the aircraft stand a passenger boarding bridge for supporting passenger loading and unloading operations and a visual docking guidance system (VDGS) for displaying instructions for guiding the aircraft toward a stopping position, the method comprising:
- receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is carried by the aircraft, the RF signal comprising aircraft-type data that is retrievably stored in an integrated circuit of the RFID tag, the aircraft-type data being indicative of a type of the aircraft;
sensing a current location of the aircraft;
based on the aircraft-type data and the sensed current location of the aircraft, determining instructions for guiding the aircraft from the current location thereof to a predetermined stopping position for the type of the aircraft; and
,using the VDGS, displaying the instructions in human-intelligible form for being viewed by a user aboard the aircraft.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for guiding an aircraft toward a stopping position within an aircraft stand of an airport includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is carried by the aircraft. The RF signal comprises aircraft-type data that is retrievably stored in an integrated circuit of the RFID tag, the aircraft-type data being indicative of a type of the aircraft. A current location of the aircraft is sensed, and based on the aircraft-type data and the sensed current location of the aircraft, instructions are determined for guiding the aircraft from the current location thereof to a predetermined stopping position for the type of the aircraft. Using a visual docking guidance system (VDGS) associated with the aircraft stand, the instructions are displayed in human-intelligible form for being viewed by a user aboard the aircraft.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for guiding an aircraft toward a stopping position within an aircraft stand of an airport, there being associated with the aircraft stand a passenger boarding bridge for supporting passenger loading and unloading operations and a visual docking guidance system (VDGS) for displaying instructions for guiding the aircraft toward a stopping position, the method comprising:
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receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is carried by the aircraft, the RF signal comprising aircraft-type data that is retrievably stored in an integrated circuit of the RFID tag, the aircraft-type data being indicative of a type of the aircraft; sensing a current location of the aircraft; based on the aircraft-type data and the sensed current location of the aircraft, determining instructions for guiding the aircraft from the current location thereof to a predetermined stopping position for the type of the aircraft; and
,using the VDGS, displaying the instructions in human-intelligible form for being viewed by a user aboard the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for guiding an aircraft toward a stopping position within an aircraft stand of an airport, there being associated with the aircraft stand a passenger boarding bridge for supporting passenger loading and unloading operations and a visual docking guidance system (VDGS) for displaying instructions for guiding the aircraft toward a stopping position, the method comprising:
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providing a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader proximate an aircraft engaging end of the passenger boarding bridge; positioning the passenger boarding bridge to an interrogation position, so as to define an interrogation region along a portion of an aircraft approach route to the aircraft stand; subsequent to the aircraft entering the interrogation region, interrogating a RFID tag that is carried by the aircraft so as to obtain aircraft-type data that is stored in an integrated circuit of the RFID tag, the aircraft-type data being indicative of a type of the aircraft; determining instructions for guiding the aircraft from the interrogation region to a target stopping position for the type of the aircraft; and
,using the VDGS, displaying the instructions in human-intelligible form for being viewed by a user aboard the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for guiding an aircraft toward a stopping position within an aircraft stand of an airport, there being associated with the aircraft stand a passenger boarding bridge for supporting passenger loading and unloading operations, comprising:
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a visual docking guidance system (VDGS) including a display portion for displaying instructions in human intelligible form for being viewed by a user aboard the aircraft; and
,a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader disposed in communication with the VDGS for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from a RFID tag that is carried by an aircraft during approach of the aircraft toward the aircraft stand, the RF signal comprising aircraft-type data relating to the type of the aircraft, and the RFID reader for providing to the VDGS a signal relating to the aircraft-type data. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification