Aircraft cargo loading logistics system using machine readable identifiers

• US 7,003,374 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation), Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation), Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Larson, Corey M., Reed, Blake A., Olin, Craig J., Sterk, Marius
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/894,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 2441181-1186, 244/119, 244/122, 410/77, 410/78
• US Class Current: 700/213
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/003 Devices for retaining pallets or freight containers securing freight containers on vehicles B60P7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A cargo loading logistics system for verifying cargo loaded on an aircraft receives a desired restraint configuration from a database and determines an actual restraint configuration on the aircraft by receiving data from a plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of install points and data from a plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of restraints. The cargo loading logistics system then compares the desired restraint configuration with the actual restraint configuration and determines if the aircraft is properly configured to be loaded for an upcoming flight.

Claims

1. A method of verifying cargo restraints installed on an aircraft in preparation for loading said aircraft, the method comprising:

obtaining a desired restraint configuration;

determining an actual restraint configuration on the aircraft by receiving first data from a first plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of install points and by receiving second data from a second plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of restraints; and

comparing the desired restraint configuration with the actual restraint configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the actual restraint configuration, based on results of comparing the desired restraint configuration with the actual restraint configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the actual restraint configuration to satisfy the desired restraint configuration.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising modifying the actual restraint configuration to exactly match the desired restraint configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of machine readable identifiers and the second plurality of machine readable identifiers are bar codes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of machine readable identifiers and the second plurality of machine readable identifiers are radio frequency identification tags.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the actual restraint configuration to another computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data identify a plurality of install point and restraint pairs.

9. An aircraft cargo loading logistics system comprising:

a computer system; and

a reading device coupled to said computer system to receive identifier information from a plurality of machine readable identifiers coupled to install points and restraints;

wherein the computer system is configured to receive a desired restraint configuration, determine an actual restraint configuration from the identifier information, and compare the desired restraint configuration with the actual restraint configuration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of machine readable identifiers are bar codes.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of machine readable identifiers are radio frequency identification tags.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer system is further configured to notify another device, if the desired restraint configuration matches the actual restraint configuration.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer system is further configured to notify another device, if the desired restraint configuration does not match the actual restraint configuration.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer system is configured to send the actual restraint configuration to another computer.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of machine readable identifiers identify a plurality of install point and restraint pairs.

16. A computer readable medium having executable software code stored thereon, that, when executed, causes a computer to:

receive a desired restraint configuration of an aircraft;

determine an actual restraint configuration on the aircraft by receiving first data from a first plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of install points and by receiving second data from a second plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of restraints;

compare the desired restraint configuration with the actual restraint configuration; and

determine if the aircraft was properly configured based on the comparison.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of machine readable identifiers and the second plurality of machine readable identifiers are bar codes.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of machine readable identifiers and the second plurality of machine readable identifiers are radio frequency identification tags.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said instructions further cause the computer to send the actual restraint configuration to a second computer.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first data and the second data identify a plurality of install point and restraint pairs.

21. A cargo loading logistics system for verifying a restraint configuration on an aircraft, said system comprising:

means for receiving a desired restraint configuration;

means for determining an actual restraint configuration on the aircraft by receiving first data from a first plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of install points and by receiving second data from a second plurality of machine readable identifiers corresponding to a plurality of restraints; and

means for comparing the desired restraint configuration with the actual restraint configuration.