Baggage Check-In Aerial Interface for Contactless Operation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional baggage check-in machines with touch panels pose a risk of virus transmission due to direct user interaction.

Innovation Solution

A baggage check-in machine that forms an aerial image above the operation surface, allowing users to interact without touching the panel, and includes features to ensure visibility and operability based on user position, with non-contact operations and position detection to prevent erroneous inputs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a touch panel is used for operation input, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of virus transmission increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation inputVSAvoidvirus transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an aerial image as an intermediary between the user and the operation system. The aerial image is formed in the air above the touch panel, allowing users to interact with it using hand gestures or other non-contact methods, thereby eliminating direct contact with the touch panel surface while maintaining operational functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based operation system with a non-contact optical system. Instead of requiring physical touching of the touch panel, the system uses aerial image formation and non-contact input methods (such as hand gesture recognition or voice commands) to achieve operation input, thus substituting mechanical interaction with optical or acoustic fields

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If an aerial image is formed, then virus transmission risk is reduced, but viewing angle limitation arises

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevirus transmissionVSAvoidviewing accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic adjustment mechanism that automatically adapts the aerial image formation parameters based on the detected user position. The system uses position detection to determine where the user is standing and adjusts the aerial image's location, orientation, and viewing angle dynamically to ensure optimal visibility and operability for the user's current position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously detects the user's position and uses this information to adjust the aerial image formation. The position detection system provides real-time feedback about user location, and the control system uses this feedback to modify the aerial image parameters, creating a closed-loop system that maintains optimal viewing conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4201818B1Baggage deposit machine
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 DAIFUKU CO LTD
  • EP4201818B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4201818B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4201818B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In order to reduces a risk that a user of a baggage check-in machine is infected with a virus or the like, a baggage check-in machine (1) includes: an inner display (11) that displays an image which includes an operation target region and which is related to baggage check-in; an image formation section (30) that causes the image displayed on the inner display (11) to be formed as an aerial image in air around the baggage check-in machine (1); an operation identification section (102) that identifies an operation conducted with respect to a part in the aerial image which corresponds to the operation target region; and a process performance section (105) that carries out, in accordance with the operation which has been identified, a process related to the baggage check-in.