Patent ID: 7137162

Claim:
An imaging system for identifying the location of an aircraft opening or door and for docking a passenger, cargo, or service vehicle with said aircraft, said system comprising; i) a passive target means, including at least one distinctive retro-reflective target, which can be reliably identified, located at the extremities of the opening or door; ii) a target identification means including at least one camera having a field of view including said at least one retro-reflective target of the aircraft and to cooperate with lighting means; iii) lighting means cooperating with said target identification means, for lighting said at least one retro-reflective target and providing for identification thereof by computer means in communication with said target identification means; iv) computer means to process an image of the at least one retro-reflective target from the target identification means and to enhance said image to uniquely identify said at least one distinctive retro-reflective target; v) software means resident in said computer means to provide the instructions set and logic for said system to compare processed information including the enhanced image with stored information, and to thereby determine the relevant orientation, distance, and trajectories of the vehicle to be automatically docked with said aircraft based on the system's determination only.