Patent Description:
Up to date, operations of passenger boarding bridges is not realizing its full efficiency potential. The prime source of inefficiency comes from underutilization of bridge operators for passenger boarding bridges. Underutilization is a result of substantial waiting times of bridge operators before the start of the docking / undocking procedure, long switching times to move from one passenger boarding bridge to the next and idle times in off-peaks due to staffing needs according to peak times.

Furthermore, bridge operators physically operate at the airport, generally within the secure area of an airport (airside), up to date. Physical presence of staff at the airport, particularly within the airside, creates more administrative work (e.g. access passes and background checks) and constitutes an additional potential safety and security concern.

Below paragraphs explain the source of inefficiency in detail.

Currently, passenger boarding bridges are typically operated manually by bridge operators. The process of operating a passenger boarding bridge usually comprises of the following steps upon arrival of an airplane:.

New developments enable automated operations of passenger boarding bridges. In these cases, the process of operating a passenger boarding bridge usually comprises of the following steps upon arrival of an airplane:.

In case of departure of an airplane, the process typically comprises of the following steps for manual operations:.

For automated operations upon departure of an airplane, the process usually comprises of the following steps:.

First problem: Bridge operators spend a substantial amount of their time non-productively either waiting for the next order to arrive or transferring to the next passenger boarding bridge for operations (see Step <NUM> as described) or waiting for the airplane to arrive and complete taxi in or waiting for boarding completed (see Step <NUM> as described). This non-productive work time cannot be used efficiently by executing required operations at a different airport up to date as bridge operators are not able to switch to a different airport during these periods quickly.

Second problem: The current processes also require physical presence of bridge operators at the airport. Bridge operators are located physically at the airport and perform docking and undocking operations at that specific airport. Physical presence of bridge operators at an airport leads to administrative complexity as bridge operators typically operate within the airside. For staff access to the airside, special access passes and background checks are required from the authorities creating additional administrative work.

Furthermore, physical presence, in particular within the airside, creates safety and security concerns as every additional person within this area constitutes a potential safety and security risk. Security risks are minimized if fewer people have access to the airside. Safety risks are minimized if fewer people participate physically in on-site operations, e.g. driving cars on the apron.

The extent of first Problem is significant as airports have to plan bridge operator requirements according of peak times. As airports often operate in peak/off-peak times due to a so-called "wave system", bridge operators face times of high utilization during certain times of the day whereas suffering from low utilization during other times of the same day. The problem is even worsened by seasonal fluctuations in flight movements with more traffic typically in summer compared to winter.

Across the airport system, the scenario is likely that one airport faces a temporary high number of flight movements during peak time with utilization of bridge operators at the maximum while, simultaneously, a different airport e.g. in a different time zone, with a different wave system or a tight night curfew, still has utilization of bridge operators at low levels.

<FIG> exemplifies the current situation. Airport A requires <NUM> bridge operators for shift <NUM>. Airport B requires <NUM> bridge operators for shift <NUM>. For shift <NUM>, Airport A requires <NUM> bridge operators, Airport B requires <NUM> bridge operators.

<CIT> discloses a system for operating a plurality of passenger boarding bridges from a central duty room within the airport. Only one person sitting in the duty room is responsible for the operation of all passenger boarding bridges within the airport (see also below the description of <FIG>).

However, there are a lot of regional airports with limited traffic. For example, at Asturias Airport, Spain there are merely three passenger boarding bridges located in close relationship and there are times, in which merely one aircraft is landing or departing per hour. So due to low utilization of the passenger boarding bridges it does not make a big difference in effectivity, whether the one person is sitting in one central duty room or walking between the passenger boarding bridges.

<CIT> discloses a remote operation system for passenger boarding bridges for aircrafts, comprising: display means designed to display the environment of the bridge to a user/controller; image-capture means designed to capture the area around the bridge; interaction means allowing the user/controller to interact with the system, designed such that the user/controller can introduce and/or alter operating parameters for the system; manual control means accessible to the user/controller of the system; and indicator means for indicating the operating situation of the bridge. All of said means are connected to allow data communication via data transmission means with a control unit in order to process said data, allowing the control unit to control the movement of elements of the bridge according to the data communication received from the manual control means.

<CIT> discloses a method for automatically undocking a passenger boarding bridge from an aircraft. The aircraft having a fuselage and a door, the passenger boarding bridge is initially located in a docked position wherein a bridgehead of the passenger boarding bridge is aligned to the door. The method comprising the following steps: Detecting a start signal to start the undocking procedure; Confirming safety conditions, automatically Moving the passenger boarding bridge from the docking position to a parking position.

<CIT> discloses a telerobotic control apparatus for aligning the movable end of a motorized passenger boarding bridge to the door of an aircraft, enabling the loading and unloading of passengers and freight. The apparatus includes an improvement display and control system. The apparatus includes: sensors, a display, a set of operator command input devices, and a computer to implement the whole system. The display includes video from a camera, a graphic representation of the relative position of the passenger loading bridge, and text and graphic information on the system status. The control system accepts commands from the operator in the operators frame of reference and converts them to the passenger loading bridge's frame of reference for moving the passenger boarding bridge.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved possibility of operation of passenger boarding bridges.

The invention comprises a method and a network according to the main claims. Embodiments are subject of the subclaims and the description.

The invention is explained in more detail by means of the figure, the figures show:.

<FIG> shows an airport <NUM> having a terminal building <NUM>. Attached to the terminal building <NUM> several passenger boarding bridges (PBB) are provided, each for connecting a parked aircraft <NUM> to the terminal building <NUM>.

Within the terminal building a central duty room <NUM> is provided, Here a person is located which operates a remote control operating device, as disclosed in <CIT>. A local area network <NUM> within the airport <NUM> is provided for transmitting control signals between the central duty room <NUM> and the passenger boarding bridges <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a multi airport network <NUM> according to the present invention. A plurality of airports <NUM> are involved. The passenger boarding bridges <NUM> of all involved airports <NUM> are connected by a remote control network <NUM> to a remote operations center <NUM>.

The invention proposes in particular the provision of a remote operating network <NUM> having location-independent remote operations center <NUM> for operations of passenger boarding bridges <NUM>. Such a remote operations center <NUM> consolidates the operations of passenger boarding bridges from multiple airports <NUM> at one place. This place could be an airport but could also some remote, off-airport location. The solution solves the problems with a number N of airports <NUM> operating passenger boarding bridges <NUM> remotely via the remote operations center <NUM>, whereby N is equal or greater than <NUM>. N is not limited and the remote operations center <NUM> can operate the passenger boarding bridges <NUM> from multiple airports <NUM> at completely different locations worldwide.

In an embodiment the passenger boarding bridges <NUM> are connected to the remote operations center via a network connection <NUM> which in particular allows real-time replication of the apron environment at the remote operations center <NUM>. The network connection <NUM> can use the internet <NUM> for establishing connections over a large distance.

<FIG> shows the remote operation center <NUM>. Here at least one or a plurality of remote control workstations <NUM> are provided. At each remote operating station <NUM> an operator <NUM> is present to give operation instructions to one of the passenger boarding bridges <NUM> via the network connection <NUM>.

Two basic technological approaches can be differentiated to operate the passenger boarding bridge <NUM> remotely:.

With the remote control technology (Enabler technology <NUM>), the bridge operator controls the movement of passenger boarding bridges remotely via manual inputs from a joystick or other input means. Here the individual movements of the PBB are influenced by the operators input.

With the automated docking / undocking technology (Enabler technology <NUM>), the bridge operator operates the passenger boarding bridge <NUM> by manual start of the procedure but without manual control inputs during the steering process. The individual movements of the PBB <NUM> are calculated by a drive controller and are not influenced by an operators input.

In an embodiment, enabler technologies <NUM> and <NUM> can be combined in one PBB. For example, enabler technology <NUM> can be used for docking, and enabler technology <NUM> can be used for undocking.

The passenger boarding bridges <NUM> are typically equipped with cameras to project a live view of the apron (incl. the passenger boarding bridge) to the bridge operator <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. A suitable technology supporting this functionality is described in <CIT> (not published yet). The operator <NUM> in the remote operations center <NUM> typically sits in front of a screen <NUM> with a realistic view of the situation at the passenger boarding bridge and sufficient situational awareness for remote operations. In case of the application of automated docking / undocking technology (see Enabler technology <NUM>), cameras and a live view of the apron may not be needed as the situational awareness is covered by the technology.

The method of docking / undocking a passenger boarding bridge via a remote operations center comprises the following steps:.

In case that the operator <NUM> is unable to connect to a passenger boarding bridge from the remote operations center <NUM>, multiple options exist. The following list is non-exhaustive: <IMG>-Message from the bridge operator to the airport where qualified back-up bridge operators will perform the operations manually until the problem is fixed.

With N = <NUM>, the remote operations center solves the described problems from Problem set <NUM>. The remote operations center does not require physical presence of bridge operators <NUM> at an airport. Therefore, less administrative complexity is required to manage staff access to critical areas. Safety and security concerns are diminished as bridge operators are not physically within the airside and do not participate physically in on-site operations. N = <NUM> solves the described problems from Problem set <NUM> partially. With the remote operations center for one airport, the non-productive time of transferring from one passenger boarding bridge to another at the same airport is eliminated. Bridge operators <NUM> can immediately switch to the next passenger boarding bridge without the necessity to walk to the next gate or drive there by car or alternative moving devices.

With N > <NUM>, the remote operations center solves all described problems from Problem set <NUM> & <NUM>. The solutions as depicted for N = <NUM> apply for N > <NUM> as well. In addition, the remote operations center allows bridge operators to operate passenger boarding bridges at different airports. This possibility enables a higher utilization of bridge operators as a bridge can shift to operations at a different airport in case of idle times at another airport.

<FIG> illustrated the concept with the aforementioned examples. Consolidating the operations of passenger boarding bridges of Airport 1A and Airport 1B allows for staffing of bridge operators according to the consolidated peak demand of both airports. Airport A faces peak demand during different times than Airport B. The consolidated peak demand of <NUM> bridge operators for shift <NUM> and <NUM> bridge operators for shift <NUM> is substantially lower compared to the individual peak demand of both airports (<NUM> for shift <NUM>, thereof <NUM> for Airport A and <NUM> for Airport B; <NUM> for shift <NUM>, thereof <NUM> for Airport A and <NUM> for Airport B, see <FIG>).

With the help of <FIG> the organization of the network is described.

In the remote operations center <NUM> a plurality of remote operations workstations <NUM> are provided. It is merely an example that the remote operations workstations <NUM> are located in one common remote operations center <NUM>; in an embodiment it is possible, that the remote operations workstations <NUM> are distributed over a plurality of remote operations center <NUM>. In more decentralized embodiment a remote operations workstations <NUM> can be located at a home office of the bridge operator, where the home of the operator represents the remote operations center <NUM>.

The bridge operator <NUM> is in particular a person.

The exemplary passenger boarding bridges 7a-7c of <FIG> are located at different airports as shown in <FIG>. According to the situation of <FIG> an aircraft is arriving at passenger boarding bridge 7c; consequently, the passenger boarding bridge 7c requests a docking operation. According to the situation of <FIG> an aircraft is departing from passenger boarding bridge 7b; consequently the passenger boarding bridge 7b requests an undocking operation.

When an individual passenger boarding bridge is to be operated, an operating request <NUM> is issued. The operating request are received by an allocator <NUM>. The allocator <NUM> allocated the request to a selected workstation.

According to the situation of <FIG> a first passenger boarding bridge 7c is to be docked to the arriving aircraft. A respective first operation request <NUM> is issued and allocated to a first workstation 65x. A first operating connection 76i is temporarily established so that operating instructions <NUM> from the workstation to the PBB and operating information from the PBB to the workstation can be transmitted.

During allocation it is to be considered that an operator needs to be certified for operating a certain kind of PBB. So each operator or linked to one or more certificate, where the certificates allows the operator to operate a certain PBB. The allocator takes the certificates into consideration when allocating the request to a certain workstation.

In principle the term allocator is to be understood broadly. The allocator can explicitly allocate a request to a certain operator; however, the user is registered at a certain workstation so consequently by allocating the request to a certain operator sitting at a specific workstation the request is allocated to the individual workstation.

In the situation of <FIG>, the docking procedure of the first passenger boarding bridge 7c is finished and the first operating connection 76i is terminated. Now a second operating request 71p is allocated to the same first workstation 65x. According to the second operating request a second passenger boarding bridge, located at a different airport than the first passenger boarding bridge, has to be undocked from a departing aircraft. Therefore, a second operating connection 76ii is temporarily established between the first workstation 65x and the second passenger boarding bridge (7b).

In the situation of <FIG>, the undocking docking procedure of the second passenger boarding bridge 7b is finished and the second operating connection 76ii is terminated. Now a third operating request 71q is allocated to a second workstation 65v. According to the third operating request 71q the first passenger boarding bridge, which was previously docked by from the first workstation 65x, has to be undocked from the previously docked aircraft. Therefore, a third operating connection 76iii is temporarily established between the second workstation 65v and the first passenger boarding bridge (7c).

In some embodiments the gate on which the Passenger boarding bridge is located, comprises more than one centerlines, on which the aircraft can be parked (see e.g. <CIT> containing also a definition of a MARS stand). In this a case, information is provided to the workstation on which centerline out of plurality of centerlines is parked. This information can be provided within the operating request.

Claim 1:
Method for operating a passenger boarding bridge (<NUM>) of an airport (<NUM>),
wherein operating the passenger boarding bridge (<NUM>) comprises the step of moving the passenger boarding bridge from a retracted position into a docking position or from the docking position into the retracted position,
the method comprising the following steps:
providing a remote operation network (<NUM>) comprising at least one remote operation workstation (<NUM>), wherein the remote operating workstation (<NUM>) comprises an operation interface (<NUM>),
receiving operations instruction (<NUM>) issued by a bridge operator (<NUM>) located at the remote operating workstation (<NUM>) by the operating interface (<NUM>),
operating the passenger boarding bridge (<NUM>) according to the received operations instructions (<NUM>),
characterized by the steps of
receiving a first operation request (<NUM>) for operating a first passenger boarding bridge (7c);
allocating the received first operation request (<NUM>) to one first workstation (65x),
wherein the first workstation is selected out of a plurality of workstations (<NUM>),
operating the first passenger boarding bridge (7c) from the selected first workstation (65x) according to the allocated first operation request (<NUM>).