PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR PASSENGER CABIN LAYOUT

• US 20110010135A1
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: BOIN, Jean Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 1/04 General arrangements of seats B61D1/06 takes precedence; seats per se B61D33/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0601 Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A process for determining the distribution of seats of a passenger cabin, whereby the cabin includes at least one row of seats arranged essentially one behind the other along a longitudinal axis, and the cabin includes element for arranging each seat in a position on the ground among a set of possible positions spaced longitudinally at known intervals, includes a phase for optimization of the spacing of seats according to an overall comfort function of passengers, taking into account bodily characteristics that are specific to at least some of the passengers, including the length of the front segment of the passengers'"'"' legs, and the purpose of the optimization is to maximize a comfort function taking into account in particular the space that is free for each passenger between his knees and the seat that is located in front of him. The purpose of the invention is also the related device.

Claims

1. Process for determining the distribution of seats of a passenger cabin, whereby said cabin comprises at least one row of seats arranged essentially one behind the other along a longitudinal axis, whereby said cabin comprises means for arranging each seat in a position on the ground among a set of possible positions spaced longitudinally at known intervals,

characterized in that said process comprises a phase for optimization of the spacing of seats according to an overall comfort function of passengers for a given trip, said function taking into account characteristics that are specific to at least some of said passengers,

whereby said phase for optimization of the space between the seats and for assigning seats to passengers uses an algorithm for optimization under constraints.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the specific characteristics comprise bodily parameters that are linked to the length of the front segments of the passengers'"'"' legs.

3. Process according to claim 2, wherein it comprises phases of:

Acquiring bodily parameters of at least some of the passengers before passengers enter the cabin,

Calculating the optimization of space between the seats and assigning seats to passengers, optimized based in particular on the bodily parameters of the passengers,

Moving at least some seats according to the results of this calculation of optimization.

4. Process according to claim 3, wherein the acquisition of bodily parameters of the passengers is implemented by recovery of data stored in a discount card.

5. Process according to claim 3, wherein the acquisition of the bodily parameters of the passengers comprises a stage for acquisition of at least one image of the passenger and a stage of implementing an algorithm of automatic visual recognition of bodily segments on these images.

6. Process according to claim 1, wherein the algorithm for optimization under constraints is of the genetic algorithm type.

7. Process according to claim 6, wherein the optimization algorithm uses, as a function to be optimized, an overall passenger comfort function, determined in particular by the space left free in front of the passengers'"'"' knees.

8. Process according to claim 7, wherein the overall comfort function of the layout is the sum of the comfort functions of all of the passengers, whereby the “

comfort”

of a passenger is zero when the distance between the seat in front of him and his knees is negative or zero and increases quickly with the available space in front of his knees, reaching a limit beyond a certain preselected space.

10. Computer program product, comprising a set of code instructions that can implement a process according to claim 1 when these instructions are executed on a computer.

11. Process according to claim 2, wherein the algorithm for optimization under constraints is of the genetic algorithm type.

12. Process according to claim 3, wherein the algorithm for optimization under constraints is of the genetic algorithm type.

13. Process according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm for optimization under constraints is of the genetic algorithm type.

14. Process according to claim 5, wherein the algorithm for optimization under constraints is of the genetic algorithm type.

15. Computer program product, comprising a set of code instructions that can implement a process according to claim 2 when these instructions are executed on a computer.

16. Computer program product, comprising a set of code instructions that can implement a process according to claim 3 when these instructions are executed on a computer.

17. Computer program product, comprising a set of code instructions that can implement a process according to claim 4 when these instructions are executed on a computer.

18. Computer program product, comprising a set of code instructions that can implement a process according to claim 5 when these instructions are executed on a computer.

19. Computer program product, comprising a set of code instructions that can implement a process according to claim 6 when these instructions are executed on a computer.

20. Computer program product, comprising a set of code instructions that can implement a process according to claim 7 when these instructions are executed on a computer.

9. Device for layout of a passenger cabin, whereby said cabin comprises at least one row of seats arranged essentially one behind the other along a longitudinal axis, and means for arranging each seat in a position on the ground among a set of possible positions spaced longitudinally at known intervals,

wherein it comprises:

Means for acquiring bodily parameters of at least some of the passengers before they enter the cabin,

Means for calculating the optimization of space between the seats and for assigning seats to passengers, optimized based in particular on the bodily parameters of the passengers,

Means for automatic longitudinal movement of at least certain seats according to the results of this calculation of optimization, whereby these means comprise motorization means of the seats, and remote control means of these motorization means.