Boarding Bridge Auto-Docking Using Path Planning and Visual Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The current manual docking and withdrawal of boarding bridges with aircraft are labor-intensive and prone to errors, requiring extensive training for operators and leading to potential accidents and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatically docking a boarding bridge with an aircraft, involving planning a path from a parking position to a pre-docking position near the aircraft cabin door, using cameras to acquire real-time aircraft images, and adjusting the path to avoid engine interference, ultimately allowing the bridgehead to dock accurately with the cabin door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual docking and withdrawal of boarding bridge is used, then operators can control the boarding bridge, but extensive training is required and operator shortage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The boarding bridge performs docking operations autonomously using sensors to detect the aircraft and automatically navigate to the cabin door, eliminating the need for manually operated bridges and reducing dependence on trained operators
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical control is replaced with an automated control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to perform docking operations, substituting human operators with an automated mechanical system
2Reliability
If manual docking operation is performed, then operators can dock the boarding bridge, but working pressure increases and accidents may occur
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors continuously detect the position of the boarding bridge relative to the aircraft and provide feedback to the control system, which automatically adjusts the docking process to ensure safe and accurate alignment, eliminating human error
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical control is replaced with an automated control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to perform docking operations, substituting human operators with an automated mechanical system
3Productivity
If automatic docking is implemented, then operator training is reduced, but path planning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-plans multiple possible paths from the boarding bridge's current position to the aircraft's cabin door and pre-identifies potential collision points, selecting the optimal path before docking begins, which simplifies real-time control
Solution Approach 2:
The docking process is divided into distinct phases: path planning phase where multiple routes are calculated, path selection phase where the best route is chosen, and execution phase where the selected path is followed with real-time adjustments
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A method for docking a boarding bridge with an aircraft, an electronic equipment and a storage medium are provided. The method includes: planning a path from a position at which an cabin port is located when the boarding bridge is in a parking position to a pre-docking position which is 1 to 2 meters away from a cabin door, and driving the boarding bridge to enable the cabin port to move towards the pre-docking position along the path until the cabin port moves to a position within 2 meters away from the pre-docking position; and acquiring an aircraft image of an aircraft, obtaining a spatial position of the cabin door according to an acquired aircraft image, and moving the boarding bridge according to the spatial position to enable the cabin port to dock with the cabin door. The cabin port can be quickly moved to a position near the cabin door automatically by tracking the path, and the cabin door is positioned by the visual positioning system after being close to the cabin door, so that the accurate spatial position of the cabin door can be obtained, and the cabin port can be accurately docked with the cabin door.