Aircraft Lavatory Virtual Queue for Congestion-Free Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft lavatory systems lead to inefficient queuing and lack of social distancing, posing risks and inconveniences for passengers.
Innovation Solution
A queue system utilizing personal electronic devices, sensors, and a networked queue module to manage a virtual lavatory queue based on request time and user verification, with indicators and sensors to ensure orderly access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If passengers queue at the lavatory door, then access to the lavatory is provided, but congestion and social distancing violations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the queuing system from a physical spatial dimension (passengers standing in line at the door) to a digital virtual dimension (electronic queue management system). Passengers request lavatory access through their personal devices, and the system manages the queue virtually, notifying passengers when it's their turn. This dimensional shift eliminates physical congestion while maintaining orderly access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a queue management system as an intermediary between passengers and lavatory access. This intermediary system receives requests from passengers, manages the queue according to established rules, and coordinates lavatory door release. The intermediary eliminates direct passenger-to-lavatory interaction that causes congestion, enabling controlled, spaced-access.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a virtual queue system is implemented, then congestion is reduced and social distancing is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages existing universal devices (passengers' personal electronic devices) as the interface for queue management, rather than requiring specialized new hardware. The system uses widely-available smartphones or tablets with standard communication capabilities, making the complexity burden shared across many existing devices rather than concentrated in a single complex control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The queue management system operates with a high degree of autonomy, automatically receiving requests from passengers, managing queue priority based on pre-established rules, and notifying passengers when lavatory access is available. The system self-regulates without requiring constant human intervention, reducing operational complexity while maintaining effective congestion control.
3Device complexity
If manual queue management is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but efficiency and passenger safety are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where the queue management system continuously monitors lavatory occupancy status, passenger queue position, and access requests. The system provides real-time feedback to passengers about their queue status and notifies them when it's their turn to access the lavatory. This automated feedback mechanism dramatically improves access efficiency compared to manual methods while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A queue system for a lavatory (99) of an aircraft (200) can include a queue module (101) configured to receive a request from a user input device (103) and to create and/or modify a virtual lavatory queue (300) based on a request hierarchy of the request to position the request in the virtual lavatory queue, and a sensor (105) operatively connected to the queue module and configured to output a state change signal (301) indicative of a user leaving the lavatory. The queue module can be configured to receive the state change signal, iterate the virtual lavatory queue in response to the state change signal, and output a vacancy indicator signal (303) to an indicator device (107) associated with a request that is at a front of the virtual lavatory queue after iterating the virtual lavatory queue to indicate to a user that it is the user's turn in the queue.