Patent Description:
Airports and airlines attach bar codes to passenger luggage to check baggage. The barcodes facilitate identifying baggage items at various points within the airport en route to delivery to a departing aircraft, and again from an arriving aircraft, through a destination airport, and to baggage claim. The bar codes can even be used after the baggage arrives at a baggage claim to assist with identifying an individual's luggage, including late or lost baggage.

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved systems and methods for improved luggage tracking. This disclosure provides a solution for this need. <CIT> relates to optimization of luggage placement in storage compartments.

A method comprises tracking RFID tags affixed to luggage items within an aircraft cabin to monitor distribution and/or movement of the luggage items within the aircraft cabin. The method further includes collecting RFID data from tracking the RFID tags for a plurality of flights and optimizing boarding and/or deboarding process(es) based on the RFID data.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below, by way of example only and with reference to certain figures, wherein:.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of an aircraft cabin equipped with a plurality of RFID readers in accordance with the disclosure is shown in <FIG> and is designated generally by reference character <NUM>. Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in <FIG>, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to improve luggage tracking within an aircraft.

A system <NUM> for tracking luggage <NUM> on passenger aircraft can include a plurality of RFID readers <NUM> distributed throughout an aircraft cabin <NUM>. The RFID readers <NUM> can be configured to read RFID tags <NUM> (e.g. RFID tag 106a in <FIG>) attached to luggage items <NUM>, for example, the RFID readers <NUM> can be RFID readers 102a positioned in the floor of an aisle <NUM> to read RFID tags <NUM> rolling in the aisle <NUM> of the aircraft cabin <NUM>. Additionally, or alternatively, the plurality of RFID readers <NUM> can include RFID readers 102b positioned to read RFID tags <NUM> (e.g. RFID tab 106b in <FIG>) in overhead bins <NUM> of the aircraft cabin <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the RFID tags <NUM> may be durably affixed to luggage items <NUM> such as in conventional luggage tags, sticker tags, and/or sticker tags on items within the luggage. For example, as shown in <FIG>, an RFID tag <NUM> may be included in a luggage tag either by durably fixing an RFID tag <NUM> to the label, or the RFID tag <NUM> may be integrally formed with the luggage tag so that there need not be additional handling of the RFID tags <NUM> by airport crew. Additionally, a user's <NUM> frequent flyer (or similar rewards type) card may include an RFID tag <NUM> readable by the plurality of RFID sensors <NUM>, configured to be read by an airport or aircraft media system (not shown) in addition to the already discussed RFID sensors <NUM>.

Shown schematically in <FIG>, the system <NUM> can include a controller <NUM> operatively connected to the plurality of RFID readers <NUM> through any suitable connection means, e.g. wired or wireless connection. The controller <NUM> can include machine readable instructions (e.g. any suitable software) configured to cause the controller <NUM> to receive RFID readings from the plurality of RFID readers <NUM>, e.g. as represented by the double headed arrows between the controller <NUM> and the respective RFID readers <NUM>. The machine readable instructions allow the controller to track locations of the luggage items <NUM> within the aircraft cabin <NUM>.

The machine readable instructions can also be configured to cause the controller <NUM> to inform a user <NUM> (e.g. a passenger or flight staff) of available overhead bin space. The notification <NUM> can be any suitable notification, such as an external visual cue on overhead bins with space (e.g. light <NUM> on overhead bin <NUM>), or a notification to a tablet or smart phone (e.g. smartphone <NUM>), though it is appreciated that any suitable notification may be used. The machine readable instructions can further be configured to assist a user <NUM> in redistributing luggage items <NUM> in the overhead bins <NUM> to improve aircraft weight distribution.

In embodiments, the controller <NUM> can also receive RFID data from the respective RFID readers <NUM> that identifies luggage items <NUM> that need to be moved, and thus notifies a user <NUM> of such luggage. The controller <NUM> can then be configured to inform the user <NUM> of a new location the luggage items <NUM> should be moved within the overhead bins <NUM>.

In embodiments, the controller <NUM> can be configured to receive RFID data from one or more of the RFID readers <NUM> indicative of a luggage item <NUM> being removed from an overhead bin <NUM> during flight. Further, the controller can be configured to alert the user <NUM> (e.g. flight staff) of inappropriate or unauthorized removal of luggage items <NUM> from the overhead bins <NUM>. For example, duty free items, alcoholic beverages, or other unauthorized items may have their own RFID tags <NUM> such that when they are removed from the overhead bin <NUM>, the respective RFID reader <NUM> and controller <NUM> can alert the flight attendant <NUM>. The system <NUM> therefore provides a way to prevent and/or mitigate excessive alcohol consumption, inappropriate use of duty free or unauthorized items during flight, or removal of luggage at times during flight when passengers should be strapped in for example.

Further, the controller <NUM> can be configured to alert the user <NUM> (e.g. flight staff) of passengers with too many luggage items. The controller <NUM> may also be configured to alert a user <NUM> (e.g. passengers and/or flight staff) of luggage items <NUM> left behind by passengers or lost items and detected by the RFID readers <NUM> after passengers have disembarked the aircraft cabin <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, a method <NUM> for tracking luggage <NUM> in an aircraft includes tracking RFID tags <NUM> affixed to luggage items <NUM> within an aircraft cabin <NUM> to monitor distribution and/or movement of the luggage items <NUM> within the aircraft cabin <NUM>, as shown at box <NUM>. As shown at box <NUM>, tracking RFID tags <NUM> can include detecting the RFID tags <NUM> using a plurality of RFID readers <NUM> located in overhead bins <NUM> of the aircraft cabin <NUM>, of within the carpet of an aisle <NUM> of the aircraft cabin <NUM>.

The method can also include, as shown at box <NUM>, informing a user <NUM> of where overhead bin space is available to receive luggage items <NUM>. At box <NUM>, the method <NUM> can include informing a user <NUM> how to redistribute the luggage items <NUM> to improve aircraft weight distribution. The method <NUM> further includes collecting RFID data from tracking the RFID tags <NUM> for a plurality of flights, shown at box <NUM>, and at box <NUM>, the method <NUM> includes optimizing boarding and/or deboarding process(es) based on the RFID data.

Aspects of the this disclosure may be described above with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. It will be understood that each block of any flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in any flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in any flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

Any suitable combination(s) of any disclosed embodiments and/or any suitable portion(s) thereof are contemplated herein as appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) comprising:
tracking (<NUM>) RFID tags (106a, 106b) affixed to luggage items (<NUM>) within an aircraft cabin (<NUM>) to monitor distribution and/or movement of the luggage items within the aircraft cabin; and
collecting (<NUM>) RFID data from tracking the RFID tags for a plurality of flights; and
optimizing boarding (<NUM>) and/or deboarding process(es) based on the RFID data.