INTEGRATED AIRCRAFT CARGO LOADING AND MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20100100225A1
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Kavlie, Garreth, Reed, Blake Allen, Samuelson, Louis Carl
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/213
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/125 of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A cargo loading and monitoring system for an aircraft having a plurality of separate cargo compartments includes a processor in communication with a plurality of power drive units located within a first cargo compartment. A cargo monitoring display unit is located in a second cargo compartment that is separate from the first cargo compartment, and is in communication with the processor. The cargo monitoring display unit is configured to selectively display information received from the power drive units.

Claims

1. A cargo loading and monitoring system for an aircraft having a plurality of separate cargo compartments, the system comprising:

(a) a processor in communication with a plurality of power drive units located within a first cargo compartment;

(b) a cargo monitoring display unit located in a second cargo compartment that is separate from the first cargo compartment, the cargo monitoring display unit being in communication with the processor and configured to selectively display information received from the power drive units.

2. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor in the first cargo compartment and being in communication with the cargo monitoring display unit, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the location of a cargo container within the first cargo compartment and to communicate the detected location to the cargo monitoring display unit, and wherein the cargo monitoring display unit is configured to display the detected location.

3. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to calculate a center of gravity of the aircraft based on the detected location of the cargo container, and wherein the cargo monitoring display unit is configured to display the calculated center of gravity.

4. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to determine a tail tip boundary based on the calculated center of gravity, and wherein the cargo monitoring display unit is configured to display the determined tail tip boundary.

5. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein the cargo monitoring display unit is configured to selectively control operation of the plurality of power drive units.

6. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein the power drive units include built-in test equipment, and wherein the cargo monitoring display unit includes a user interface configured to permit a person to test operation of at least one of the power drive units via the built-in test equipment.

7. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein the cargo monitoring display unit is configured to simultaneously display aircraft balance information, power drive unit status information, and the locations of a plurality of cargo containers located within the first cargo compartment.

8. A cargo loading and monitoring system for an aircraft having a plurality of separate cargo compartments, the system comprising:

(a) a first processor;

(b) a plurality of power drive units within a first cargo compartment, each power drive unit being coupled to the first processor;

(c) at least one sensor in the first cargo compartment, the sensor being configured to detect the location of a cargo container within the first cargo compartment;

(d) a second processor in communication with the first processor, the power drive units, and the sensor, the second processor being operable to receive information from the first processor, the power drive units, and the sensor;

(e) wherein the second processor comprises a cargo monitoring display unit located in a second cargo compartment that is separate from the first cargo compartment, the cargo monitoring display unit being configured to selectively display information received from the cargo loading processor, the power drive units and the sensor.

9. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 8 wherein the sensor is a radio frequency identification reader configured to detect the location of a radio frequency identification tag on the cargo container.

10. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein the sensor is further configured to receive data transmitted by the radio frequency identification tag.

11. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 8 wherein the information from the first processor includes a current status of at least one of the plurality of power drive units.

12. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 8 wherein at least one of the first processor and the second processor is configured to calculate a current center of gravity of the aircraft based on information received from at least one of the first processor, the power drive units and the sensor, and the second processor is configured to graphically display the current center of gravity of the aircraft on the cargo monitoring display unit.

13. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 8 wherein at least one of the first processor and the second processor is configured to calculate a tail tip boundary of the aircraft based on information received from at least one of the first processor, the power drive units and the sensor, and wherein the second processor is configured to graphically display the tail tip boundary of the aircraft on the cargo monitoring display unit.

14. A cargo loading and monitoring system according to claim 8 wherein the cargo monitoring display unit is configured to selectively display the location of the cargo container within the first cargo compartment.

15. A method of remotely monitoring a process of loading a plurality of cargo containers into a first cargo compartment of an aircraft having a plurality of power drive units located in the first cargo compartment, the method comprising:

a) determining the locations of the cargo containers within the first cargo compartment;

b) determining the status of each of the power drive units in the first cargo compartment;

c) in a second cargo compartment which is separate from the first cargo compartment, graphically displaying the locations of the cargo containers within the first cargo compartment and the status of each of the power drive units in the first cargo compartment.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising calculating a center of gravity of the aircraft based on the determined locations of the cargo containers within the first cargo compartment, and graphically displaying the calculated center of gravity in the second cargo compartment.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising calculating a tail tip boundary of the aircraft based on the determined locations of the cargo containers within the first cargo compartment, and graphically displaying the calculated tail tip boundary in the second cargo compartment.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising controlling operation of the power drive units via a user interface located in the second cargo compartment.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising testing operation of one of the power drive units via a user interface located in the second cargo compartment.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein determining the locations of the cargo containers within the first cargo compartment includes scanning a radio frequency identification tag on each of the cargo containers with a plurality of spaced radio frequency identification readers located in the first cargo compartment.