Method for positioning at least one component, in particular a seat, in or on an aircraft or spacecraft, and aircraft or spacecraft

• US 8,930,088 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Bauer, Hans-Achim, Zybala, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US12/968,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 701/13, 701/3, 701/531, 701/155, 701/175, 700/28, 700/54, 342/357.29, 342/357.42, 342/357.48, 342/357.59
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for positioning at least one component, in particular a seat, in or on an aircraft or spacecraft comprising the following steps: controlling at least one light source of the aircraft or spacecraft to display at least one desired position of at least one component; and positioning the at least one component in the at least one desired position displayed.

Claims

1. A method for positioning at least one component, in particular a seat, in or on an aircraft or spacecraft comprising the following steps:

controlling at least one light source of the aircraft or spacecraft to display at least one desired position of at least one component, wherein the light source is formed by at least one LED of an escape route lighting system which comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged in a substantially linear manner and is arranged on an aisle portion of the floor of a cabin portion of the aircraft or spacecraft; and

positioning the at least one component in the at least one desired position displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the light source is switched from a standard mode, in which it carries out passenger-related functions, into a positioning mode, in which it displays the desired position, for the positioning procedure.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the light source is formed by at least one LED of a reading lamp of a plurality of reading lamps which are arranged in the overhead region of a cabin portion of the aircraft or spacecraft.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the desired position is read out by a memory.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

after the at least one component has been positioned, an actual position thereof is compared with the desired position thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

an actual position of the component is determined by means of a scanning process, a distance between a test object, which comprises the component, and a scanning sensor being measured.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

an elevation profile of the test object is determined during the scanning process.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein

an actual position of the component is determined by means of at least one camera and an image recognition process and the camera is further set up to monitor a cabin portion of the aircraft or spacecraft.

9. An aircraft or spacecraft, comprising:

at least one light source, wherein the light source is formed as at least one LED of an escape route lighting system which comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged in a substantially linear manner and is arranged on an aisle portion of the floor of a cabin portion of the aircraft or spacecraft; and

a control device which is set up to control the light source to display at least one desired position for positioning at least one component, in particular a seat.

10. The aircraft or spacecraft according to claim 9, wherein

the control unit is set up to switch the light source between a standard mode, in which it carries out passenger-related functions, into a positioning mode, in which it displays the desired position.

11. The aircraft or spacecraft according to claim 9, wherein

the light source is formed by at least one LED of a reading lamp of a plurality of reading lamps which is arranged in the overhead region of a cabin portion of the aircraft or spacecraft.

12. Aircraft or spacecraft according to claim 9, wherein

a measuring unit including a sensor which is set up to measure the actual position of the component is provided and a management unit which is set up to compare the actual and desired positions of the component with one another and to generate a warning signal for an operator if the difference between an actual position and a desired position exceeds a predetermined threshold is also provided.

13. A method for determining an actual position of a component in an aircraft or spacecraft, wherein an elevation profile of a cabin region which comprises the component is determined by means of sensors arranged at uniform intervals in the region of overhead luggage compartments, and wherein the sensors are formed as ultrasonic transmitters/receivers, infrared transmitters/receivers and/or laser transmitters/receivers.