Automated Loading Bridge Positioning via Encoded Decals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Different vehicles have varying door locations, heights, dimensions, and shapes, making it difficult to consistently position a loading bridge, which can result in damage to the bridge or vehicle, delays, and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A processing device uses camera images of encoded decals on a vehicle to determine characteristics, calculate positioning information, and provide control signals to actuators to automatically align the loading bridge with the vehicle door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual positioning methods are used to align the loading bridge with vehicle doors, then operational flexibility is maintained, but alignment precision deteriorates leading to damage risks and delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with an automated optical-mechanical system. Cameras capture images of encoded decals on the vehicle, processing devices decode the information to determine door characteristics, and actuators automatically adjust the loading bridge position. This substitution of manual mechanical operation with automated sensing and control resolves the contradiction by achieving high alignment precision without requiring complex manual adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the loading bridge to automatically determine its own positioning requirements by reading encoded information from the vehicle's decal. The processing device extracts door location, height, and dimension data directly from the decal code, allowing the system to self-adjust without external measurement tools or manual intervention. This self-service capability achieves precise alignment while keeping the positioning system relatively simple.
2Measurement precision
If automated positioning systems are implemented to improve alignment precision, then positioning accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement and positioning mechanisms with an optical sensing system using cameras and encoded decals. The camera captures the decal image, the processing device decodes the embedded information about door characteristics, and actuators execute positioning. This optical-mechanical approach achieves high measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of traditional mechanical measurement systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an encoded decal that contains a digital copy of the door's positioning information (location, height, dimensions). Instead of physically measuring the door, the system reads this informational copy from the decal, processes it, and uses it to automatically position the loading bridge. This copying approach achieves precise positioning while keeping the control system relatively simple by avoiding complex sensing and calculation mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device may obtain, from one or more cameras, an image that depicts one or more encoded decals positioned on a body of a vehicle. The device may process the image and may identify, based on processing the image, one or more characteristics of the one or more encoded decals. The device may determine, based on the one or more characteristics of the one or more encoded decals, positioning information to be used to position a loading bridge relative to the body of the vehicle. The device may determine one or more control signals based on the positioning information. The device may provide the one or more control signals to one or more actuators to automatically position the loading bridge relative to the body of the vehicle.