FREIGHT EVALUATION FOR AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20130159205A1
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Scherenberger, Sven, Schnrwangen, Bernd
• Application Number:
  US13/756,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159205A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/337
• 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: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A freight evaluation system for providing freight information with respect to an item of freight of an aircraft includes a freight evaluation unit for collecting and analyzing data of a freight loading system and a recognition system and for determining the current position of the item of freight therefrom.

Claims

1. A freight evaluation system for providing freight information relating to a specific item of freight of an aircraft, the freight evaluation system comprising:

a freight loading system for moving a freight container containing the item of freight, in a freight space of the aircraft;

a recognition system for providing sensor measured data related to the item of freight; and

a freight evaluation unit coupled to the freight loading system and the recognition system for communication therewith, for analyzing the sensor measured data and data present in the freight loading system;

wherein the freight evaluation unit is implemented to determine a current position of the item of freight on the basis of the analyzed data.

2. The freight evaluation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a radio interface for transmitting the information determined by the freight evaluation unit to a terrestrial receiving station;

wherein the information determined by the freight evaluation unit is adapted to display the current position of the item of freight on a display device.

3. The freight evaluation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a satellite navigation module for determining the current position of the aircraft, is the satellite navigation module coupled to the freight evaluation unit for communication therewith;

wherein the position data determined by the satellite navigation module are configured to be used by the freight evaluation unit to determine the current position of the item of freight.

4. The freight evaluation system according to claim 1,

wherein the recognition system comprises at least one optical sensor integrated in at least one drive of the freight loading system.

5. The freight evaluation system according to claim 1,

wherein the data present in the freight loading system comprise travel commands on the basis of which the freight container is moved.

6. The freight evaluation system according to claim 1,

wherein the freight evaluation unit is implemented to perform a function check of the freight loading system on the basis of the sensor measured data.

7. The freight evaluation system according to claim 1,

wherein the recognition system comprises a sensor for detecting environmental parameters for concluding a status of the item of freight;

and

wherein the freight evaluation unit is implemented to determine the status of the item of freight on the basis of the detected environmental parameters.

8. The freight evaluation system according to claim 1,

wherein the freight evaluation unit is implemented to provide data for allowing a display of the status and the position of the item of freight at any point in time.

9. An aircraft having a freight evaluation system, the freight evaluation system comprising:

a freight loading system for moving a freight container containing the item of freight, in a freight space of the aircraft;

a recognition system for providing sensor measured data related to the item of freight; and

a freight evaluation unit coupled to the freight loading system and the recognition system for communication therewith, for analyzing the sensor measured data and data present in the freight loading system;

wherein the freight evaluation unit is implemented to determine a current position of the item of freight on the basis of the analyzed data.

10. A method for providing freight information relating to a specific item of freight of an aircraft, the method comprising:

moving a freight container containing the item of freight in a freight space of the aircraft;

providing data present in the freight loading system to a freight evaluation unit;

providing sensor measured data related to the item of freight to the freight evaluation unit;

analyzing the sensor measured data and the data present in the freight loading system; and

determining the current position of the item of freight on the basis of the analyzed data.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the information determined by the freight evaluation unit from the aircraft to a terrestrial receiving station; and

displaying the current position of the item of freight on a terrestrial display device.