Aircraft Cargo Loading Simulation for Lateral Momentum Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inadequate load distribution in aircraft cargo spaces leads to unbalanced lateral momentum, which is not effectively managed due to unknown empty rows and varying load weights, posing a flight safety risk.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method simulates load distributions considering empty rows and weight probabilities to estimate lateral momentum, preventing non-viable loading states by ensuring the lateral momentum does not exceed a maximum safe value.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If load distribution is managed based on estimated heavy loads and manual arrangement, then loading process can proceed without complex control systems, but flight safety cannot be ensured due to inability to prevent non-viable load states

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight safetyVSAvoidloading control system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary simulations of load distributions before actual loading to identify potentially non-viable states. By pre-calculating lateral momentum for various loading scenarios and comparing against maximum allowable values, the system prevents unsafe loading configurations before they occur, rather than relying on post-loading adjustments or manual estimation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates virtual copies of the loading process through computer simulations. Multiple simulated loading scenarios are generated and evaluated to predict actual loading outcomes. This virtual modeling allows safety verification without physical trial-and-error, enabling reliable safety control with manageable computational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If multiple simulations of load distributions are performed to ensure safety, then accurate estimation of lateral momentum and prevention of non-viable states is achieved, but computational time and processing resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelateral momentum estimationVSAvoidloading preparation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a sufficient number of simulations to achieve statistically reliable predictions of lateral momentum, without requiring exhaustive enumeration of all possible loading configurations. By identifying the minimum number of simulations needed to confidently detect non-viable states, the system balances prediction accuracy with computational efficiency, avoiding both insufficient sampling and excessive processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4685054A1Computer implemented method to prevent a non-viable state of loading in an aircraft
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 AIRBUS OPERATIONS SL
  • EP4685054A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4685054A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4685054A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention is related to a computer implemented method to prevent a non-viable state of loading in an aircraft before the aircraft is loaded. Given a layout of the load space and a set of load units, the method estimates the state of loading and prevents loads that would be non-viable once the aircraft is loaded.