Patent Description:
According to the first aspect, there is provided a system according to claim <NUM>.

Broadly, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a system including an aircraft galley insert oven door and an electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism configured to cause the door to be in a latched state and to cause the door to be in an unlatched state. The door and an electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism are installed in an aircraft. A computing device is configured to control whether the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism causes the door to be in a latched state or to be in an unlatched state. Additionally, the computing device may be configured to present information related to the state(s) of one or more doors having one or multiple electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanisms and, optionally, one or multiple primary latch mechanisms, and the computing device may be configured to receive user inputs to change latched or unlatched state(s) of one, some, or all of the doors. Further, the computing device is configured to control whether the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism is in a latched state or an unlatched state based at least on an aircraft state, such as taxi, takeoff, turbulence, and/or landing.

Referring now to <FIG>, exemplary embodiments of a system including an aircraft <NUM> are depicted according to the inventive concepts.

The aircraft <NUM> may include at least one aircraft galley <NUM>, at least one computing device <NUM>, at least one controller <NUM>, at least one door <NUM>, at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM>, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled (e.g., wiredly communicatively coupled or wirelessly communicatively coupled; e.g., directly communicatively coupled and/or communicatively coupled via an intermediate communicatively coupled device) at any given time.

The aircraft galley <NUM> includes an aircraft galley insert oven, and may include other components commonly found in galleys. The aircraft galley insert oven includes a door <NUM>, at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM>. Each of such aircraft galley insert oven may include at least one door <NUM>, a housing <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), a user interface <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), at least one controller <NUM>, at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM>, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled with one or more components of the system.

The doors <NUM> is installed in the aircraft <NUM>. In some embodiments, the door <NUM> may include a primary latch mechanism <NUM> (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>), at least one controller <NUM>, at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM>; however, in some embodiments, some of such components (e.g., at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, at least one controller <NUM>, and/or at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM>) may be installed outside of the door <NUM> (e.g., in proximity to the door <NUM>).

The primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM> may be configured to detect whether the door <NUM> is in a latched state or an unlatched state and to output state data to the controller <NUM> and/or the computing device <NUM>. In some embodiments, the primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM> may be configured to detect whether the door <NUM> is in an open state or a closed state and to output door state data to the controller <NUM> and/or the computing device <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the primary latch mechanism <NUM> may be the primary way in which a user unlatches the door <NUM> to open the door <NUM>. The primary latch mechanism <NUM> may include a manual latch actuator <NUM> that may be manipulated by a user to latch or unlatch the door <NUM>. In some embodiments, a primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM> may be configured to detect whether the primary latch mechanism <NUM> is in a primary latch latched state or a primary latch unlatched state. The primary latch mechanism <NUM> may be (a) installed in or on the door <NUM> or (b) installed within the aircraft <NUM> in proximity to the door <NUM>, the primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM> communicatively coupled to the computing device <NUM> and/or the controller <NUM>.

The electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> is (a) installed in or on one of the doors <NUM> or (b) installed within the aircraft <NUM> in proximity to the door <NUM> (e.g., in a housing <NUM> of the door <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>), wherein the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> causes the door <NUM> to be in a latched state and an unlatched state. In some embodiments, the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may be a linear solenoid actuator latch mechanism. The electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may be or may include a linear actuator (e.g., a linear solenoid <NUM>) configured to extend and retract linearly, based at least on electronic signals received from the controller <NUM> and/or the computing device <NUM>, such that the linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> latches or unlatches the door <NUM>, for example, as shown in <FIG>. In some embodiments, the electronically actuated
linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> can be actuated manually by hand or electrically via the linear actuator (e.g., a linear solenoid <NUM>). The linear actuator (e.g., a linear solenoid <NUM>) may also function as a sensor to detect the state of the latch. In some embodiments, the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may also include a pivot <NUM>, a pivot arm <NUM>, a first latch rod 704A, and/or a second latch rod 704B, such as illustrated and described with respect to embodiments depicted in <FIG>. For example, the pivot arm <NUM> may pivot about the pivot <NUM> when the linear actuator (e.g., a linear solenoid <NUM>) extends or retracts. A first end of the pivot arm <NUM> may engage with the manual latch actuator <NUM>. A second end of the pivot arm <NUM> may be coupled to the first latch rod 704A and the second latch rod 704B, such that the first latch rod 704A and the second latch rod 704B latch the door <NUM> when the linear actuator (e.g., a linear solenoid <NUM>) is in a first state and unlatch the door <NUM> when the linear actuator (e.g., a linear solenoid <NUM>) is in a second state. In some embodiments, such as shown in <FIG>, the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may be installed outside of the door <NUM> (e.g., in a housing abutting and/or in proximity to the door <NUM>) such that a rod portion of the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may engage with the door <NUM> in the latched state and disengage with the door <NUM> in the unlatched state. In some embodiments, the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may be considered to be a secondary latch mechanism and/or an independent latch mechanism.

The controller <NUM> may include at least one antenna <NUM>, at least one processor <NUM>, and/or at least one memory <NUM>, which may be communicatively coupled. The at least one processor <NUM> may be implemented as any suitable type and number of processors. For example, the at least one processor <NUM> may include at least one general purpose processor (e.g., at least one central processing unit (CPU)), at least one digital signal processor (DSP), at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The at least one processor <NUM> may be configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform if more than one processor) any or all of the operations disclosed throughout. The processor <NUM> may be configured to run various software and/or firmware applications and/or computer code stored (e.g., maintained) in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory <NUM>) and configured to execute various instructions or operations. For example, the controller <NUM> may be communicatively coupled (e.g., wiredly communicatively coupled or wirelessly communicatively coupled via the antenna <NUM>) with the computing device <NUM>, the at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or the at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM>, at any given time. For example, the controller <NUM> may output data received from the at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or the at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM> to the computing device <NUM>. For example, the controller <NUM> may receive instructions or signals from the computing device <NUM> and cause one, some, or all of the at least one door <NUM> to be in latched state or an unlatched state.

The computing device <NUM> may include at least one antenna <NUM>, at least one user interface <NUM>, at least one processor <NUM>, and at least one memory <NUM>, which may be communicatively coupled. The computing device <NUM> may be any suitable computing device, such as a vetronics computing device (e.g., an avionics computing device) or a mobile computing device (e.g., a laptop computing device, a phone computing device, and/or a tablet computing device). For example, the computing device <NUM> may be a hand-held computing device used by crew members to check a status of one, some, all of latch/unlatched states of doors <NUM> in the aircraft <NUM> and to change one, some, all of latch/unlatched states of doors <NUM> in the aircraft <NUM>. The at least one processor <NUM> may be implemented as any suitable type and number of processors. For example, the at least one processor <NUM> may include at least one general purpose processor (e.g., at least one central processing unit (CPU)), at least one digital signal processor (DSP), at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The at least one processor <NUM> may be configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform if more than one processor) any or all of the operations disclosed throughout. The processor <NUM> may be configured to run various software and/or firmware applications and/or computer code stored (e.g., maintained) in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory <NUM>) and configured to execute various instructions or operations. For example, the computing device <NUM> may be communicatively coupled (e.g., wiredly communicatively coupled or wirelessly communicatively coupled via the antenna <NUM>; e.g., directly communicatively coupled and/or communicatively coupled via an intermediate communicatively coupled device) with the controller <NUM>, the at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or the at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM>, at any given time. The user interface <NUM> may be and/or may include at least one display, at least one microphone, at least one speaker, at least one vibration, at least one light, at least one button, and/or at least one camera, and the user interface <NUM> interface may be configured to interface with a user to receive user inputs and to present information to the user. For example, the computing device <NUM> may send and receive data to and from the controller <NUM>, the actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or the at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM> to the computing device <NUM>. For example, the computing device <NUM> may receive status information from the controller <NUM>, the actuator latch mechanism <NUM>, and/or the at least one primary latch mechanism sensor <NUM> and output instructions or signals to cause one, some, or all of the at least one linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> to be in latched state or an unlatched state.

The computing device <NUM> is configured to: determine whether the door <NUM> is in the latched state or the unlatched state; and cause the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> to switch from a determined state to a different state of the latched state and the unlatched state (e.g., by controlling the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>).

For example, the computing device <NUM> may be configured to: present, to a user, information related to the determined state of the door <NUM>; and receive a user input instructing the computing device <NUM> to cause the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> to switch from the determined state to the different state of the latched state and the unlatched state. For example, the computing device <NUM> may be configured to: present, to the user via the user interface <NUM>, information related to a detected state of the primary latch mechanism <NUM>.

According to the invention, the computing device <NUM> is configured to: obtain aircraft state data from another computing device (e.g., similarly configured to computing device <NUM>) onboard the aircraft; and cause the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> to be in the latched state based at least on the aircraft state data. The aircraft state data is associated with at least one of taxi, takeoff, turbulence, or landing.

In some embodiments, the computing device <NUM> may be configure to receive status information associated with any number of doors <NUM>. For example, a second door <NUM> may be installed within the aircraft and a second electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may be (a) installed in or on the second door <NUM> or (b) installed within the aircraft in proximity to the second door <NUM>, wherein the second electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> may cause the second door <NUM> to be in a second latched state and to cause the second door <NUM> to be in a second unlatched state. The computing device <NUM> may be configured to: determine whether the second electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> is in the second latched state or the second unlatched state; and cause the second electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> to switch from a second determined state to a different second state of the second latched state and the second unlatched state. In some embodiments, the computing device <NUM> may be further configured to control a state of the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> independent of controlling a second state of the second electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the computing device's <NUM> causing of the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> to switch from the determined state to the different state of the latched state and the unlatched state may be manually overridable by a user.

In some embodiments, the computing device <NUM> may be wirelessly communicatively coupled to the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the computing device <NUM> may be further configured to: cause the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism <NUM> to be in the unlatched state while the door <NUM> is open.

As will be appreciated from the above, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a system including a door and an electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism configured to cause the door to be in a latched state and to cause the door to be in an unlatched state.

As used throughout and as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, "at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium" may refer to as at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory, storage, or a combination thereof; e.g., at least one computer-readable medium implemented as hardware; e.g., at least one non-transitory processor-readable medium, at least one memory (e.g., at least one nonvolatile memory, at least one volatile memory, or a combination thereof; e.g., at least one random-access memory, at least one flash memory, at least one read-only memory (ROM) (e.g., at least one electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)), at least one on-processor memory (e.g., at least one on-processor cache, at least one on-processor buffer, at least one on-processor flash memory, at least one on-processor EEPROM, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof), at least one storage device (e.g., at least one hard-disk drive, at least one tape drive, at least one solid-state drive, at least one flash drive, at least one readable and/or writable disk of at least one optical drive configured to read from and/or write to the at least one readable and/or writable disk, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof).

Claim 1:
A system, comprising:
an aircraft galley of an aircraft (<NUM>);
a door (<NUM>) installed within the aircraft galley of the aircraft; wherein the door is an aircraft galley insert oven door; and
an electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism (<NUM>) a) installed in or on the door or b) configured to be
installed within the aircraft in proximity to the door, wherein the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism is configured to cause the door to be in a latched state and to cause the door to be in an unlatched state; and
a computing device (<NUM>) comprising at least one processor, the computing device communicatively coupled to the electronically actuated linear actuator latch mechanism, wherein the computing device is configured to: determine whether the door is in the latched state or the unlatched state, and cause the door to switch from a determined state to a different state of the latched state and the unlatched state; obtain aircraft state data associated with at least one of taxi, takeoff, turbulence, or landing; and cause the door to be in the latched state based at least on the aircraft state data.