Beacon docking system for automatically aligning a passenger loading bridge to a doorway of an aircraft
First Claim
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1. A system for automatically aligning one end of a passenger loading bridge to an aircraft having a doorway, comprising:
- a transmitter disposed aboard the aircraft for providing an electromagnetic signal for use in aligning the one end of the passenger loading bridge to the doorway of the aircraft;
a receiver disposed aboard the passenger loading bridge for receiving the electromagnetic signal transmitted from the transmitter and for providing an electrical output signal relating to the electromagnetic signal;
a bridge control circuit in operative communication with the receiver, for receiving the electrical output signal provided from the receiver, for determining a next movement of the one end of the passenger loading bridge in a direction toward the doorway of the aircraft based upon the electrical output signal, and for providing a control signal relating to the determined next movement; and
a drive mechanism in communication with the bridge control circuit for receiving the control signal provided from the bridge control circuit and for driving the one end of the passenger loading bridge in the determined direction toward the doorway of the aircraft.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a system and method for automatically aligning an end of a passenger loading bridge with a doorway of an aircraft. A beacon is transmitted from the doorway of the aircraft. The beacon is sensed and from the sensed beacon a direction for moving of the end of the passenger loading bridge is determined. The passenger loading bridge is then moved according to the determined direction. The process is iterated until the docking of the bridge to the aircraft is completed.
42 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for automatically aligning one end of a passenger loading bridge to an aircraft having a doorway, comprising:
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a transmitter disposed aboard the aircraft for providing an electromagnetic signal for use in aligning the one end of the passenger loading bridge to the doorway of the aircraft;
a receiver disposed aboard the passenger loading bridge for receiving the electromagnetic signal transmitted from the transmitter and for providing an electrical output signal relating to the electromagnetic signal;
a bridge control circuit in operative communication with the receiver, for receiving the electrical output signal provided from the receiver, for determining a next movement of the one end of the passenger loading bridge in a direction toward the doorway of the aircraft based upon the electrical output signal, and for providing a control signal relating to the determined next movement; and
a drive mechanism in communication with the bridge control circuit for receiving the control signal provided from the bridge control circuit and for driving the one end of the passenger loading bridge in the determined direction toward the doorway of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
a second transmitter disposed aboard the passenger loading bridge and in operative communication with the bridge controller, for providing a second electromagnetic signal corresponding to other data for use in aligning the one end of the passenger loading bridge to the doorway of the aircraft; and
a second receiver disposed aboard the aircraft and in operative communication with the processor, for receiving the second electromagnetic signal and for providing to the processor a second electrical output signal relating to the other data.
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13. A system according to claim 12, including an information display device in communication with the processor for receiving the second electrical output signal therefrom and for displaying one of an alignment complete indication and an alignment incomplete indication in dependence upon the received second electrical output signal.
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14. A system according to claim 12, including a transceiver fixedly mounted at a predetermined position remote from each one of the aircraft and the one end of the passenger loading bridge, the transceiver for receiving electromagnetic signals transmitted from at least one of the transmitter and the second transmitter, and for transmitting electromagnetic signals to at least one of the receiver and the second receiver.
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15. A system according to claim 14, including a second processor in electrical communication with the transceiver, for determining a next taxiing action of the aircraft based on the received electromagnetic signals, and for providing a third electrical control signal relating to the determined next taxiing action of the aircraft.
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16. A system according to claim 15, including a second display device in electrical communication with the second processor, for receiving the third electrical control signal transmitted from the second processor, and for displaying a human intelligible instruction relating to the determined next taxiing action of the aircraft.
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17. A system according to claim 15, including a control circuit disposed aboard the aircraft and in communication with the second receiver and with a central computer system of the aircraft, the control circuit for receiving the third electrical control signal transmitted from the transceiver to the second receiver, and for providing the third electrical control signal to the central computer system of the aircraft for performing the determined next taxiing action of the aircraft.
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18. A system according to claim 14, including a second transceiver fixedly mounted at a predetermined location that is remote from each one of the transmitter, the second transmitter and the transceiver, the second transceiver for co-operating with the transceiver and at least one of the transmitter and the second transmitter to determine a location of the at least one of the transmitter and the second transmitter.
Specification