Method, device and computer program product for monitoring loading and unloading procedures in the cargo holds of an aircraft

• US 8,768,608 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Scherenberger, Sven, Schmtzer, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US12/008,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,365 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.1, 244/137.1, 244/137, 340/531, 340/539.13, 340/539.15, 340/679, 340/680, 198/782, 198/788, 701/124, 701/3, 348/143, 700/213, 700/214, 700/217, 700/225, 382/321
• US Class Current: 701/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method for monitoring loading and unloading procedures in the cargo holds of an aircraft, in which method the actual states that are present in each cargo hold are acquired. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device as well as to a computer program product for implementing the method according to the invention.

Claims

1. A method for displaying data regarding cargo in cargo holds of an aircraft, in which method actual states present in each cargo hold are acquired, the method comprising:

electronically acquiring the actual states in the form of state data, and

controlling at least one graphic that simulates all the cargo holds using the acquired state data,

wherein the state data includes locking states of containers and pallets to loading areas located in each cargo hold,

wherein the locking states are detected by a transducer in the form of a switch assigned to each container positioning space or pallet positioning space, and

wherein said at least one graphic is presented as a diagram that shows a top view of locked containers and pallets, and unlocked containers and pallets, in different colors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the state data includes the mass of the containers and/or pallets located in each cargo hold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the state data includes the inclined position of the aircraft, which inclined position results from the distribution of the containers and/or pallets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the state data includes contact pressure present at the nose wheel unit of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein state data is electronically read from the containers and pallets that are located in each cargo hold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the state data includes dimensions of the containers and pallets that are located in each cargo hold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the state data includes track sections along which the containers and pallets have moved in each cargo hold.

8. A device for monitoring the loading and unloading procedures in the cargo holds of an aircraft, by means of which device actual states of containers or pallets that are present in each cargo hold are acquired in the form of state data, comprising:

several transducers for electronically acquiring the actual states,

at least one display device simulating the cargo holds as at least one graphic, and

a computer that connects the transducers to the display device,

wherein the state data includes locking states of containers and pallets to loading areas located in each cargo hold, wherein the locking states are detected by a transducer in the form of a switch assigned to a positioning space of each container positioning space or pallet, and wherein said at least one graphic is presented as diagram that shows a top view of locked containers and pallets, and unlocked containers and pallets, in different colors, and wherein for each positioning space, at least one of said transducers is provided as a detector that detects a locking element.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the computer comprises at least one data read-in device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the transducers that in each case is allocated to a cargo hold comprises scales.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the transducers comprises an inclination detector.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the transducers comprises a supporting-force sensing device that is allocated to the nose wheel unit of the aircraft.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein at least one transducer that in each case is allocated to a cargo hold comprises a container- and pallet identification system.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein at least one transducer that in each case is allocated to a cargo hold comprises a detector that detects the containers and/or pallets.

15. An aircraft comprising several cargo holds and comprising a device of claim 8.

16. A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium for monitoring the loading and unloading procedures in the cargo holds of an aircraft, comprising at least one data processing program, at least one graphic program simulating the cargo holds, and a control program that links the data processing program to the graphic program,

wherein the graphic program comprises graphics which are presented as diagrams of the cargo holds, the diagrams showing top views of locked containers and pallets, and unlocked containers and pallets in different colors, and wherein the computer program product is configured to obtain data regarding locked and unlocked containers and pallets from transducers in the form of switches assigned to each container positioning space or pallet positioning space in the cargo hold.