Method and apparatus for automatically pre-positioning a passenger bridge

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for pre-identifying a model of an aircraft to which a passenger bridge is to be connected and for setting the passenger bridge to a predetermined position in dependence upon the identification. The system uses an imager to capture an image of the aircraft as it approaches the bridge. A local processor of the bridge extracts features for comparison to template data stored locally in a database for a plurality of possible aircraft models. In dependence upon a result of the comparison, a model of the aircraft is identified absent the local processor receiving additional information from an external information source. The local processor retrieves other data from the database for moving the passenger bridge to a predetermined position for the identified model of aircraft.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for moving an end of a moveable passenger bridge to a pre-position proximate an expected stop position of a door on an aircraft, the apparatus comprising: 
 an imager for capturing a plurality of images of the aircraft and for providing a plurality of respective signals;    a processor in communication with the imager for receiving the plurality of respective signals, for providing a determination of a type of the aircraft for each signal of the plurality of respective signals in dependence upon a database of known types of aircraft and for providing a control signal related to a pre-position of the end of the moveable passenger bridge for each signal in dependence upon the determination of the type of the aircraft; and,    an actuator in communication with the processor for receiving the control signal and for moving the end of the moveable passenger bridge in dependence thereon, the bridge movable along a first path determined in dependence upon a first received control signal to a second other path determined in dependence upon a second other received control signal.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising memory in communication with the processor for retrievably storing the database of known types of aircraft, the database including information relating to the pre-position of the end of the moveable passenger bridge for each known type of aircraft.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the imager comprises a laser imager.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the imager comprises a video camera for capturing video pictures of the aircraft.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a sensor for sensing a distance of the aircraft relative to the end of the moveable passenger bridge and for providing a third control signal to the processor relating to the sensed distance, the third control signal for use by the processor to control a rate of approach of the end of the moveable passenger bridge to the pre-position such that a movement of the end of the moveable passenger bridge is substantially continuous to the pre-position.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for being attached to a moveable passenger bridge having a bridge actuating mechanism, the apparatus for moving an end of the moveable passenger bridge to a pre-position proximate an expected stop position of a door on an aircraft, comprising: 
 an imager for being disposed on the moveable passenger bridge, for capturing a plurality of images of the aircraft and for providing a plurality of respective signals;    a processor in operative communication with the imager for receiving the plurality of respective signals, for providing a determination of a type of the aircraft for each signal of the plurality of respective signals in dependence upon a database of known types of aircraft, and for providing a control signal related to a pre-position of the end of the moveable bridge for each signal in dependence upon the determination of the type of the aircraft;    a memory in operative communication with the processor for retrievably storing the database of known types of aircraft, the database including information relating to the pre-position of the end of the moveable passenger bridge for each known type of aircraft; and,    a transmitter in operative communication with the processor for receiving the control signal and for providing the plurality of control signals to the bridge actuating mechanism in a form recognizable thereby,    wherein, in use, the bridge actuating mechanism moves the end of the moveable passenger bridge along a first path determined in dependence upon a first control signal and along a second other path determined in dependence upon a second other control signal; and,    wherein an end-point of the second other path is the pre-position proximate the expected stop position of the door on the aircraft.    
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is an integrated unit for being attachable to the moveable passenger bridge.  
     
     
         8 . A method of pre-positioning one end of a moveable bridge in relation to an expected stopping position of an aircraft comprising the steps of: 
 a) determining a type of the aircraft;    b) determining a bridge trajectory for moving the one end of the moveable bridge toward a pre-position in dependence upon the determined type of the aircraft;    c) automatically moving the one end of the moveable bridge along the determined bridge trajectory toward the pre-position;    d) re-determining a type of the same aircraft; and,    e) altering the bridge trajectory in dependence upon the re-determined type of the same aircraft.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the step d) is performed while moving the one end of the moveable bridge and wherein the step e) of altering the bridge trajectory is performed in a continuous manner and absent a step of stopping a motion of the one end of the moveable bridge.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , comprising the steps of: 
 f) iterating steps d) to e) until a unique model of the aircraft is determined to within a predetermined confidence limit; and,    g) automatically moving the one end of the moveable bridge to a final pre-position along a final trajectory, in dependence upon the determined unique model of the aircraft.    
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the steps d) to g) are performed during a period of time prior to the aircraft stopping at the expected stopping position.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein step g) includes the step of: 
 g1) stopping the one end of the moveable bridge at the final pre-position.    
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein step g) includes the step of: 
 g1) reducing a rate of movement of the one end of the moveable bridge along the final trajectory in a direction toward the final pre-position prior to the one end of the moveable bridge arriving at the final pre-position.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein step g) includes the step of: 
 g2) stopping the one end of the moveable bridge at the final pre-position.    
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the reduced rate of movement of the one end of the moveable bridge along the final trajectory is such that the plane stops at the expected stopping position prior to the one end of the moveable bridge arriving at the final pre-position and wherein the movement of the one end of the moveable bridge along the final trajectory is continuous past the final pre-position.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 8 , comprising the step of: 
 f) iterating steps d) to e) until the type of the aircraft is determined to within a predetermined confidence limit,    wherein the type of the aircraft comprises a group of aircraft models, each aircraft model within a same group having a substantially similar pre-positioning specification.    
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , comprising the step of: 
 g) automatically moving the one end of the moveable bridge to a final pre-position along a final trajectory, in dependence upon the substantially similar pre-positioning specification.    
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the steps d) to g) are performed during a period of time prior to the aircraft stopping at the expected stopping position.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein step g) includes the step of: 
 g1) stopping the one end of the moveable bridge at the final pre-position.    
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein step g) includes the step of: 
 g1) reducing a rate of movement of the one end of the moveable bridge along the final trajectory in a direction toward the final pre-position prior to the one end of the moveable bridge arriving at the final pre-position.    
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein step g) includes the step of: 
 g2) stopping the one end of the moveable bridge at the final pre-position.    
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the reduced rate of movement of the one end of the moveable bridge along the final trajectory is such that the plane stops at the expected stopping position prior to the one end of the moveable bridge arriving at the final pre-position and wherein the movement of the one end of the moveable bridge along the final trajectory is continuous past the final pre-position.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 8 , comprising the steps prior to step e) of: 
 d1) determining a distance of the aircraft relative to the one end of the moveable bridge; and,    d2) when the determined distance is less than a predetermined threshold value, automatically moving the one end of the moveable bridge to a predetermined safe position.    
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein step of a) determining a type of the aircraft comprises the steps of: 
 a1) using an imager, capturing an image of the aircraft;    a2) characterizing the captured image to extract at least a feature indicative of the type of the aircraft; and,    a3) comparing the extracted at least a feature to template data stored in a memory so as to determine the type of the aircraft in dependence upon a result of the comparison and absent additional information being provided during use from an external source.    
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the type of the aircraft is selected from a hierarchal set of classifications, some types in the hierarchy representative of larger types of aircraft, while other types in the hierarchy representative of smaller types of aircraft.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the type of the aircraft comprises a unique aircraft model.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the imager comprises a laser imager.  
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein step of b) determining a bridge trajectory comprises the step of: 
 b1) retrieving data stored in a memory, the data relating to a pre-position for the one end of the moveable bridge relating to the determined type of the aircraft.    
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein step of d) re-determining a type of the same aircraft comprises the steps of: 
 d1) using the imager, capturing another image of the same aircraft;    d2) characterizing the captured another image of the same aircraft to extract at least another feature indicative of the type of the same aircraft, the at least another feature being one of identical and other than identical to the at least a feature; and,    d3) comparing the extracted at least another feature to template data stored in the memory so as to re-determine the type of the same aircraft in dependence upon a result of the comparison and absent additional information being provided during use from an external source.    
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein the type of the aircraft is selected from a hierarchal set of classifications, some types in the hierarchy representative of larger types of aircraft, while other types in the hierarchy representative of smaller types of aircraft.  
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein the type of the same aircraft comprises a unique aircraft model.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein the imager comprises a laser imager.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein step of e) altering the bridge trajectory in dependence upon the re-determined type of the same aircraft comprises the steps of: 
 e1) when the re-determined type of the same aircraft is different than the determined type of the aircraft, determining a correction for altering the bridge trajectory in dependence upon the re-determined type of the same aircraft; and,    e2) altering the bridge trajectory to guide the one end of the moveable bridge toward a different pre-position in dependence upon the re-determined type of the same aircraft.    
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein step of e) altering the bridge trajectory in dependence upon the re-determined type of the same aircraft comprises the steps of: 
 e1) when the re-determined type of the same aircraft is the same as the determined type of the aircraft to within a predetermined confidence limit, continuing a motion of the bridge along a same bridge trajectory.    
     
     
         35 . A method of pre-positioning one end of a moveable bridge in relation to an expected stopping position of a door on an aircraft comprising the steps of: 
 a) using an imager, capturing an image of the aircraft;    b) characterizing the captured image to extract at least a feature indicative of a type of the aircraft;    c) comparing the extracted at least a feature to template data stored in a memory so as to identify a model of the aircraft in dependence upon a result of the comparison and absent additional information being provided during use from an external source;    d) iterating the steps a) through c) until a result of the comparison is indicative of a unique model of the aircraft to within a predetermined confidence limit;    e) retrieving other data stored in the memory, the other data relating to a pre-position for the one end of the moveable bridge relating to an expected stopping position of the door of the unique model of the aircraft; and,    f) automatically moving the one end of the moveable bridge along a path in a direction toward the pre-position in dependence upon the retrieved other data.    
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35 , wherein the steps a) through f) are performed during a period of time prior to the aircraft stopping at a position adjacent the one end of the moveable bridge.  
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 36 , wherein step f) includes the step of 
 f1) stopping the one end of the moveable bridge at the pre-position.    
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 36 , wherein step f) includes the step of: 
 f1) reducing the rate of approach of the one end of the moveable bridge to the pre-position prior to the one end of the moveable bridge arriving at the pre-position.    
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 38 , wherein step f) includes the step of: 
 f2) stopping the one end of the moveable bridge at the pre-position.    
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 38 , wherein step f) includes the step of: 
 f2) moving the one end of the moveable bridge through the pre-position at the reduced rate of approach.    
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 36 , comprising the steps prior to step b) of: 
 a1) determining a distance of the aircraft relative to the one end of the moveable bridge; and,    a2) when the determined distance is less than a predetermined threshold value, automatically moving the one end of the moveable bridge to a predetermined safe position.    
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 35 , wherein the imager comprises a laser imager.