3D Passenger Flow Simulation for Aircraft Cabin Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for simulating passenger flow during enplaning and deplaning are inefficient, as they often require physical testing with actual aircraft and passengers, which is time-consuming and costly, and existing models focus primarily on processes rather than optimizing movement and time within the passenger cabin.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a three-dimensional model of a passenger cabin to generate objects representing features and passengers, assigning characteristics and behaviors to simulate passenger movement, allowing for the analysis of passenger flow and optimization of enplaning and deplaning processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical testing with actual aircraft and passengers is used to simulate passenger flow, then the accuracy of passenger flow modeling is improved, but the time and cost required for testing increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of passengers (agent objects) and aircraft cabins using software simulation. These digital replicas replicate passenger behavior and cabin geometry without requiring physical aircraft or actual passengers, enabling repeated experiments and detailed analysis while eliminating time and cost constraints of physical testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces physical mechanical testing systems with a computational simulation system. Instead of conducting actual enplaning and deplaning operations on real aircraft, the system uses software agents to model passenger movement, substituting physical experiments with virtual simulations that can be executed rapidly and repeatedly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing models focus on enplaning and deplaning processes, then the coverage of operational procedures is improved, but the optimization of movement and time within the passenger cabin is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the passenger flow process into distinct segments: approach to aircraft, enplaning sequence, movement within cabin, deplaning sequence, and departure. Each segment is modeled by specialized agent objects with specific behaviors, allowing detailed analysis and optimization of time consumption in each phase, particularly within-cabin movement that was previously insufficiently covered.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic agent objects that adapt their behavior based on real-time conditions. Passenger agents dynamically adjust their movement paths, speeds, and destinations based on cabin layout, obstacles, and real-time flow conditions, enabling the model to optimize time within the cabin by simulating adaptive passenger behavior rather than static procedures.
3Reliability
If detailed simulation of passenger characteristics and behaviors is implemented, then the realism of the model is improved, but the complexity of the simulation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a universal agent object framework where a single base class represents all passenger types. Specific passenger characteristics (business class, economy, different ages) are implemented as variations or subclasses that inherit common behaviors, reducing complexity compared to creating separate models for each passenger type while maintaining detailed realism through configurable parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for analyzing passenger flow. A three-dimensional model of a passenger cabin is received. Features in the three-dimensional model of the passenger cabin are identified in response to receiving the three-dimensional model. A first plurality of objects is generated for the features in the passenger cabin. User input identifying a number of characteristics for passengers is received. A second plurality of objects for the passengers is generated using the number of characteristics. The second plurality of objects is assigned to seats within the passenger cabin. Each of the second plurality of objects is assigned a destination location and has a behavior when encountering an obstacle while moving from a current location to the destination location. A movement of the passengers to a number of locations relative to the seats assigned to the passengers is simulated using the second plurality of objects.