Aircraft cargo locating system
First Claim
1. An aircraft cargo locating system for locating a plurality of unit load devices (ULDs) in an aircraft, wherein each ULD has a wireless tag affixed to it, each wireless tag comprising tag information including at least a tag number, said system comprising:
- a plurality of tag readers for reading the wireless tags, each tag reader being mounted on a surface of an aircraft; and
a processor coupled to said tag readers, said processor programmed to receive tag information from the plurality of tag readers and calculate an interior position of each of the ULDs within the aircraft, from the tag information.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft cargo locating system determines the location and weight of aircraft cargo placed in unit loading devices. A wireless tag, such as an Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is affixed to each of the loading devices. The system receives information from the tags, and from the information calculates the location of the loading devices and the weight of the loading devices. The system is able to calculate weight and balance parameters to assist in the loading process.
-
Citations
41 Claims
-
1. An aircraft cargo locating system for locating a plurality of unit load devices (ULDs) in an aircraft, wherein each ULD has a wireless tag affixed to it, each wireless tag comprising tag information including at least a tag number, said system comprising:
-
a plurality of tag readers for reading the wireless tags, each tag reader being mounted on a surface of an aircraft; and a processor coupled to said tag readers, said processor programmed to receive tag information from the plurality of tag readers and calculate an interior position of each of the ULDs within the aircraft, from the tag information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method of locating a unit load device (ULD) device on a deck of an aircraft comprising:
-
mounting a plurality of tag readers in a cargo compartment of an aircraft; receiving, at said plurality of tag readers, tag information from a wireless tag affixed to the ULD; and calculating an interior position of the ULD within the cargo compartment of the aircraft based on the tag information received at said plurality of tag readers. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. An aircraft cargo locating system for locating a plurality of unit load devices (ULDs) man aircraft, wherein each ULD has a wireless tag affixed to it, each wireless tag comprising tag information including at least a tag number, said system comprising:
-
means for reading the wireless tags, said means for reading being mounted on a surface of an aircraft; and processor means coupled to said means for reading, said processor means receiving tag information and calculating an interior position of each of the ULDs within the aircraft, from the tag information. - View Dependent Claims (38)
-
-
39. An aircraft comprising:
-
a cargo compartment provided with a plurality of tag readers spaced apart along opposing side walls thereof, each tag reader capable of receiving information from a wireless tag; a processor coupled to said plurality of tag readers and configured to determine interior positions of wireless tags based on tag information received by said tag readers, when said wireless tags are present in said compartment; and a user interface configured to display output from the processor that is derived from information received by said plurality of tag readers. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
-
Specification