Reconfiguration of cabin layouts

• US 8,401,742 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Schliwa, Ralf, Mayer, Tobias
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US13/240,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20120072079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0601 Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0696 Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A control and monitoring system is provided in the aircraft cabin and controls a reconfiguration process with corresponding software in combination with reconfiguration data received from the ground personnel. The control is realized, for example, with a suitable light signals and the unlocking of the seats at certain times. All work sequences are acoustically and/or optically displayed such that the reconfiguration can also be carried out by untrained personnel.

Claims

1. A semi-automated method for a reconfiguring a cabin layout of a passenger cabin of a transport, the method comprising:

making available electronic data with respect to a planned cabin layout to a processing unit of the transport;

determining positions of seats by with detection units;

automatically communicating a first work step of the reconfiguring to be carried out to a crew member with an optical signal in a region of a seat that is to be displaced next;

automatically determining whether the seat is in a correct position and locked correctly;

generating a feedback signal to a cabin crew using an output device when the seat is in the correct position; and

automatically communicating a second work step of the reconfiguring to be carried out to the crew member.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein data with respect to the planned cabin layout is transmitted from a terrestrial transmitter to a memory of the processing unit for availability.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the automatically communicating of the first work step and the second work step is at least partially performed optically.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the optical signal is a signal in the region of the seat to be displaced next.

5. The method of claim 3,

wherein the optical signal is a signal projected by a projector.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first work step comprises a displacement of the seat,

wherein the seat is electrically unlocked prior to the displacement of the seat, and

wherein the seat is electrically locked subsequent to the displacement of the seat.

7. The method of claim 6,

wherein the unlocking and the locking take place automatically.

8. The method of claim 6,

wherein the unlocking and locking are realized with an aid of a locking mechanism that is moved from a locking position into an unlocking position with a memory metal element.

9. The method of claim 1, furthermore comprising:

automatically checking whether the first work step was correctly carried out; and

transmitting a corresponding feedback to the crew member.

10. The method of claim 9,

wherein the corresponding feedback comprises an acoustic signal.

11. The method of claim 1, furthermore comprising:

automatically determining a position of the seat during a displacement of the seat.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein the automatically determining of the position of the seat is realized with an aid of an induction coil.

13. The method of claim 11,

wherein the automatically determining of the position of the seat is realized with an aid of a navigation system.

14. A control and monitoring system for reconfiguring a cabin layout of a passenger cabin of a transport in an at least a partially automated fashion, comprising:

a processing unit configured to receive electronic data with respect to a planned cabin layout;

an output device; and

detection units configured to determine positions of seats,

wherein the output device and the processing unit is configured to automatically communicate a first work step of the reconfiguring to be carried out with an optical signal in a region of a seat that is to be displaced next on a basis of the planned cabin layout to a crew member processing, and

wherein the control and monitoring system is further configured to automatically determine whether the seat is in a correct position and locked correctly, and also configured to generate a feedback signal to a cabin crew using the output device when the seat is in the correct position,

wherein the output device and the processing unit are furthermore designed for automatically communicating a second work step of the reconfiguring to be carried out to the crew member once the first work step is completed.

15. An aircraft, comprising:

a passenger cabin having a cabin layout; and

a control and monitoring system for reconfiguring the cabin layout of the passenger cabin in an at least a partially automated fashion, the control and monitoring system comprising;

a processing unit configured to receive electronic data with respect to a planned cabin layout;

an output device; and

detection units configured to determine positions of seats,

wherein the output device and the processing unit is configured to automatically communicate a first work step of the reconfiguring to be carried out with an optical signal in a region of a seat that is to be displaced next on a basis of the planned cabin layout to a crew member processing, and

wherein the control and monitoring system is further configured to automatically determine whether the seat is in a correct position and locked correctly, and also configured to generate a feedback signal to a cabin crew using the output device when the seat is in the correct position,

wherein the output device and the processing unit are furthermore designed for automatically communicating a second work step of the reconfiguring to be carried out to the crew member once the first work step is completed.