METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING AN AIRPLANE IN CONNECTION WITH PARKING OF THE AIRPLANE AT A STAND

• US 20130289866A1
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TK Airport Solutions SA
• Original Assignee: FMT International Trade AB
• Inventors: Thelander, Per
• Granted Patent: US 8,942,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/002 Taxiing aids
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/3055 with hinged head interface between aircraft and passenger bridge
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

Method for identifying an airplane in connection to parking of the airplane at a gate or a stand, for possible connection of a passenger bridge (1) or a loading bridge to a door of an airplane, where the airplane is positioned and stopped at a predetermined position using a touchless measurement of the distance between the airplane and a fixed point, where the distance is indicated on a display (6) mounted in front of the pilot of the airplane on for instance an airport building (7), which display (6) shows the position of the airplane (5) in relation to a stop point for the airplane and shows the current airplane type, where the distance measurement and display are caused to be activated by a computer system (20) belonging to the airport or manually, and wherein an antenna (16) is caused to receive information (17) transmitted by an airplane.

Claims

1. Method for identifying an airplane in connection to parking of the airplane at a gate or a stand, for possible convection of a passenger bridge (1) or a loading bridge to a door of an airplane, where the airplane is positioned and stopped at a predetermined position using a touchless measurement of the distance between the airplane and a fixed point, where the distance is indicated on a display (6) mounted in front of the pilot of the airplane on for instance an airport building (7), which display (6) is caused to show to the pilot the position of the airplane (5) in relation to a stop point for the airplane and to show the current airplane type, where the said distance measurement and display are caused to be activated by a computer system (20) belonging to the airport or manually, and wherein an antenna (16) is caused to receive information (17) transmitted by an airplane (5), characterized in that at least the identification number of the airplane and the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the airplane are extracted from said information (17), in that information regarding the airplane type and version in question for a certain identification number is obtained from a database in which the identification numbers of airplanes are stored, which information is transferred to a control system (18) for the said display (6), and in that the control system (18) is caused to control the said display (6) at the stand at which an airplane is to park and, on the display, indicate airplane type and version.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized n that the said antenna (16) is caused to receive information transmitted from the airplane (5) according to the ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast) system.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized n that, when an airplane (5) is detected in front of the said display (6), the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinate information received from the said antenna is compared to the coordinates which are valid within the said stand, and in that when they are in agreement, the said control system (18) is caused to allow that the airplane is brought to the stop point.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the airplane has been stopped at the stop point, a control unit (15) belonging to the passenger bridge (1) is caused to control the passenger bridge to a position in which it connects to the door of the airplane.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the current flight number is extracted from information transmitted from the airplane.