Method for remotely operating a passenger boarding bridge of an airport

The invention refers to a method for remotely operating a passenger boarding bridge of an airport.

European patent application 20 156 870.6 describes a method for operating a passenger boarding bridge remotely. The operator, who is at least supervising the movement of the bridge, is not on site. Conseguently, the operator has no direct view contact with the events taking place on site. The direct view contact is replaced by a projection of the events that happens on screen at the remote operating workstation 65 (see figure 1). The operator is provided with relevant operating information 73 via a data connection, which is displayed in a screen 67a to the operator 66. Via input elements the operator can provide operation instructions 72, which is transmitted to the boarding bridge via a remote data connection. The operator can be located anywhere between a special operating room within the airport and a home office location. In each case the operator has no direct optical sight contact to the PBB.

Here the problem is, that the operator has to rely on the information provided on the display which may lead to failure since the display may show the wrong information. This failure mode is in particular applicable if an operator work station is adapted be connected to a multiple number of passenger boarding bridges.

US 5,226,204 A describes a PBB adapted for remote operation. A camera is located at the PBB. Pictures taken by the camera are presented to the operator to support the remote operation. The images taken by the camera are overlayed by additional data. The document provides no information about how to ensure, that the operator see always the correct things on the screen. Besides that, no other prior art related to passenger boarding bridges provide any solution for the problem described above.

It is an object to improve safety of the method of operating a passenger boarding bridge remotely.

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: Figure 1 remote operating network during remotely operating of several passenger boarding bridges from a plurality of remote operating workstations;

Figure 2 an individual remote operating workstation connected to an individual passenger boarding bridge;

Figure 3 a first view on the display on the individual remote operating workstation and the camera connected to the view;

Figure 4 two views during a normal operating situation;

Figure 5-7 two views during several failure situations.

Based on the disclosure of European patent application 20 156 870.6 figure 1 shows a remote operations network 6 comprising a plurality of remote operation workstations 65v-y. Each of the workstations 65v-y can be connected by a temporary data connection 76 to an individual passenger boarding bridge 7a-d.

At each remote operating station 65 an operator 66 is present to give operation instructions 72 to one of the passenger boarding bridges 7 via the data connection 76.

Two basic technological approaches can be differentiated to operate the passenger boarding bridge 7 remotely:

1. Remote control technology (Enabler technology 1),

2. Automated docking / undocking technology (Enabler technology 2).

With the remote control technology (Enabler technology 1), 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 2), the bridge operator operates the passenger boarding bridge 7 by manual start of the procedure but without manual control inputs during the steering process. The individual movements of the PBB 7 are calculated by a drive controller and are not influenced by an operator’s input. Here the operator is in particular supervises the automatic docking procedure. In an embodiment, enabler technologies 1 and 2 can be combined in one PBB. For example enabler technology 1 can be used for docking, and enabler technology 2 can be used for undocking.

In an embodiment the remote operating workstation can be located with in the same airport where the PBB is located.

In an embodiment the operating workstation can be located outside of the airport where the PBB is located.

Figure 2 shows details of the passenger boarding bridge 7 and the workstation 65. The passenger boarding bridge is eguipped with cameras C1-C6 to record live images from the passenger boarding bridge including its environment. The live images are transferred via the data connection to the workstation and presented as views V1-V6 on a display 67a at the workstation 65.

At the passenger boarding bridge there are provided a plurality of ID badges 84 comprising a painting of an ID indication, here the ID indication is “#123”. The ID badge 84 is a plate, e.g. made of plastic or metal, wherein the ID indication of the sign is within the field of view of one of the cameras. So when the cameras records actions that happens at the passenger boarding bridge, the cameras at the same record the ID indication of the ID badge 84.

Figure 3 is a detailed view of first view VI within the display 67a. The first view VI is linked to a first camera Cl at the passenger boarding bridge. As an example the first camera is located within a tunnel section of the passenger boarding bridge 7 and records a live image form the interior of the tunnel. This live image is at the same time displayed within the first view VI . For example the operator can see if a person is walks thought the tunnel. During movement of the tunnel it is prohibited for persons to stay in the tunnel. If nevertheless the operator sees, that a person is within the tunnel, the operator would immediately stop movement of the bridge.

Therefore it is essential, that the operator is confident that the first view VI shows exactly what the operator expects to see in the first view VI. But due to camera failure or network failure it may be possible, that the image shown in the first view is delayed or originates from another bridge.

Therefore the invention proposes the following. Figure 3 shows the camera Cl providing the image for the first view. The camera Cl has a picture sensor 91 which continuously records rare images 81 of the cameras field of view. The camera Cl has a data integrator 92. The data integrator 92 is adapted to amend the recorded image with additional content. Here the additional content may comprise time data 82d or ID data 83d. The data is, continuously or in regular intervals, added as a picture information 82p, 83p to the recorded rare image 81.

The data integrator 92 generates from the rare image 81, the time data 83d and the ID data 83d an enhanced image 80. The enhanced image 80 is then transmitted from the camera Cl to the display 67a and is displayed as a first view VI. Thereby the time data 83d and the ID data 83d is transformed into a respective time stamp 83p and a ID stamp 82p, which is merely comprised as picture information within the enhanced image.

The operator can then check with the help of the additional content, that the image originates the view originates from the correct passenger boarding bridge and is reflects the actual situation.

The time stamp reflects the actual time, when the image was recorded b the camera VI. Here the stamp 20200331 160202 stands for the March 31, 2020 at 16:02:02 (hh:mm:ss), when the image was recorded. The time stamp 83 and the ID stamp 82 in the enhanced image are merely a picture component of the enhanced image 80 created on site at the passenger boarding bridge. To be clear: the time stamp and the ID stamp are not projected into the view by the workstation. So if the time stamp presented in one of the views is different to the actual time the operator may recognize, that there is a failure in the presentation of the views.

As described above the cameras also record the ID badge 84, which is within the field of view of a camera. Conseguently the image presented in the first view VI shows also the ID badge 84 located at the passenger boarding bridge. To provide additional confidence the operator can check whether the ID badge 84 within the presented image in the view shows the same ID as the ID stamp. If this is not the case, the operator may come to the conclusion, that there is a mistake in the data processing or there may be an act of sabotage.

If the time stamp presented in one of the views is different to the actual time the operator may recognize, that there is a failure in the presentation of the views.

Figure 4 shows as an example two views VI, V4. The first View 1 shows again the interior of the tunnel as in figure 3. The fourth view V4 shows the drive unit of the passenger boarding bridge recorded by the fourth camera C4 as in figure 2. In both views VI, V4, all additional content corresponds to each other. Here both views VI, V4 show the same badge ID, the same time stamp and the ID stamp. Consequently, no error seem to be apparent.

Figure 5 shows another situation in the views of VI and V4. In the first view VI the badge ID does not correspond to the ID stamps in both views and to the badge ID of the fourth view V4. Maybe some joker just switched the signs. However this needs to be investigated. The operator will not proceed with operating.

Figure 6 shows another situation in the views of VI and V4. Here the fourth view V4 the time stamp is stuck at 15:58:43. Consequently the operator may recognize, that he cannot see what actually happens at the drive unit. Consequently the operator immediately stops operation.

Figure 7 shows another situation in the views of VI and V4. Here in the fourth view V4 the badge ID and the ID stamp differs from the badge ID and the ID stamp shown in the first view VI. Consequently the views do not belong to the same passenger boarding bridge. The operator does not start operation of the bridge. The following embodiment is not illustrated in the figures. A time information can be realized by a clock provided at the PBB and located in a manner, that the time displayed on the clock is visible in the image provided to the operator at the display.

List of reference signs

6 remote operating network

7 Passenger boarding bridge

65 remote operating workstation

66 bridge operator

67 operating interface

67a screen

67b input element

68 clock

P picture field

D data field

72 operating instruction

73 operating information

76 temporarily established operating connection

80 enhanced image

81 rare image

82 time stamp

83 static ID stamp

84 ID badge

91 camera sensor

92 data integrator