Wireless Digital Key Unlocking Vehicle Enclosures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Airlines face challenges in efficiently providing in-flight products and services due to difficulties in accurately predicting demand, leading to potential overstaffing or understaffing, and passengers may avoid purchases due to inconvenience, such as interacting with attendants or leaving their seats.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses a content distribution network to provide digital keys for wireless unlocking of vehicle enclosures, allowing users to access locked spaces via a user interface system, processor, and memory, enabling secure and convenient access without physical interaction with crew members.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If airlines use traditional staffing methods to provide in-flight products and services, then service coverage is maintained, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to difficulty in accurately predicting demand leading to overstaffing or understaffing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidstaffing management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables passengers to autonomously access enclosed spaces by generating digital keys through the user interface system based on their selections, eliminating the need for crew members to manually provide access. This self-service mechanism resolves the staffing efficiency problem by allowing the system to serve itself without human intervention for access management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical manual key distribution system with an automated digital key generation and transmission system. The processor automatically generates digital keys based on passenger selections and transmits them to the user interface system, substituting the mechanical interaction between crew members and passengers with an automated electronic system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If passengers interact with attendants to purchase products or access services, then service quality is maintained, but passenger convenience deteriorates due to the bother of interacting with others in-flight

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger convenienceVSAvoidaccess system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical interaction between passengers and attendants with an automated electronic key generation and transmission system. Passengers use the user interface system to make selections and receive digital keys automatically, eliminating the need for face-to-face interactions while maintaining secure access control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The digital key acts as an intermediary between the passenger's selection and the enclosed space access. Instead of direct interaction with attendants, the system uses the digital key as a mediator to grant access automatically, reducing social interaction requirements while maintaining the service function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If airlines pre-purchase items to meet potential demand, then service availability is improved, but cost efficiency deteriorates due to the need to accurately predict demand

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidinventory management

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the digital key generation capability in the processor and having the user interface system ready to generate keys immediately upon passenger selection. This eliminates the need for physical inventory preparation while ensuring immediate service availability when demanded.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of physically stocking items in enclosed spaces, the system uses digital copies of access keys that can be instantly generated and transmitted. The digital key is a virtual copy that provides the same access function without requiring physical inventory management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables passengers to purchase and access in-flight services and products conveniently, reducing operational inefficiencies for airlines and enhancing passenger satisfaction by eliminating the need for physical interactions with attendants.

Implementation Method 1

allows the user to wirelessly unlock a first door on which the first lock system is located by sending the digital key to the first lock system via short range wireless communication

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShort range wireless communication:

Data Source

PatentUS11170591B2Systems and methods for wireless unlocking a lock associated with an enclosed space within a vehicle

Publication Date: 2021.11.09 PANASONIC AVIONICS CORP

AI summary

Systems and methods for wireless unlocking of lock systems on enclosures within a vehicle are provided. A lock system may be unlocked via a digital key communicated to the lock system via any suitable communication protocol, for example, a short range communication protocol. The digital key can be embedded or otherwise stored and accessed in an application accessible via a user interface device.