System and method for processing inventory information

TECHNICAL AREA

0001The present invention relates to a system for information processing of inventory information of galleys of an aircraft, a corresponding method and an aircraft equipped therewith.

STATE OF THE ART

0002Passengers are provided one or more times with food on most flights. For this purpose, aircraft are loaded with the appropriate foodstuffs before departure, which are then delivered to the passengers as ready-made portions, possibly still warmed up in the aircraft. Usually, these foods are provided in appropriate containers, which are distributed in so-called trolleys. Partly, a merging of food portions from containers, which are heated in the galley, the galley, and prefabricated trays takes place.

0003The <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE102005049688"><text>DE 10 2005 049 688</text></patcit> describes a trolley with a measuring device and a power supply system. For example, a measuring device installed in the trolley measures the temperature of the food stored in the trolley. This data is automatically transmitted to data processing systems, for example in the galley.

0004The <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="US8543259B"><text>US 8,543,259</text></patcit> discloses an information system that communicates information available to a passenger from the galley regarding the food available and the weather. Portions of these foods can then be booked and reserved via a return channel.

0005The <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="WO2015057730A"><text>WO 2015/057730</text></patcit> describes a method for creating a loading schedule for a galley in which loaded trolleys are requested, which are then stowed at predetermined locations in the galley. A graphic representation of the loading plan supports the crew. It is possible to select subgroups of goods to be loaded into the trolleys to be loaded so that they can board what is needed there.

0006The <patcit id="pcit0004" dnum="WO2016060561A"><text>WO 2016/060561</text></patcit> describes an information system in which the passenger of an aircraft can reserve online an article in the galley in a trolley from its place online and it is checked whether the article is present. This procedure can also be used for a moving trolley outside the galley.

0007An RFID-based catering system is from the brochure of the Fraunhofer Institute IAO: <u>https://www.e-business.iao.fraunhofer.de/de/publikationen/rfid/beschreibungen/ic_rfid.html</u> known.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

0008Based on this prior art, the invention has for its object to provide a catering system for aircraft, which simplifies the inventory technically and thus makes the results more accurate, without generating additional effort for the crew.

0009A system for information processing of inventory information of galleys of an aircraft comprises a galleys control module with a database in which information about a flight, trolleys and food containers, and food units to be delivered in these trolleys and food containers can be stored. Such food units are typically trays having a plurality of passenger-uniform foods and, in part, a hot meal to be supplemented. Furthermore, a ground control module with a database is provided, in which information about a flight, trolleys and food containers, and food units to be delivered in these trolleys and food containers can be stored. This floor control module is assigned to a caterer, whereby several floor control modules are possible in the presence of different caterers. Each caterer provides a variety of food identification labels bearing information about individual food items. These food identification labels have optically automatically readable features that are recognizable and directly processable by cameras. Further, there are a plurality of container identification labels carrying information on individual trolleys and food containers, wherein in the database of the floor control module, the information on the container identification labels and the food identification labels are merged. In other words, each container identification label is associated with one or more food identification labels. At least one visual recognition unit is provided in the aircraft with which the food identification labels can be read out and transferred to the galley control module. There is a data link between the ground control module and the galley control module to transmit the information about individual trolleys and food containers as well as the food units to be supplied to the galley control module. For this, the optical detection unit is positionable on a trolley to cover a spatial detection area of ​​the optical detection unit through which each food unit is passed to passengers upon delivery thereof to read the food identification label associated with the food unit to be dispensed and the data to be checked out To transfer galley control module. The spatial detection area is the area which the camera of the optical recognition unit can recognize and in which it can read a code of the label, preferably by emitting an acknowledgment signal.

0010Advantageously, the optical detection unit is positioned on the upper side of the trolley, and the camera of the optical detection unit covers a region above the optical detection unit as a spatial detection area. Alternatively, the optical detection unit can be positioned on the top of the trolley or in a slot provided near the top, and the camera of the optical detection unit is oriented forward on the open side of the trolley. It is then covered as a spatial detection area of ​​the area in front of the open side of the trolley. The spatial coverage area is an area in front of the open side of the trolley, which is covered from the horizontal up to 60 degrees down or 45 degrees upwards. This results in each case a detection cone, which goes away from the lens of the camera and extends to a detection distance.

0011The food units usually comprise a tray, wherein the food identification labels are applied to the lid or on the front side of the tray to be supplemented to be reheated food unit or on the underside of the tray. For the first two alternatives, the arrangement with a front and bottom looking camera unit is advantageous. For the last alternative, the upward looking camera unit is advantageous. The forward facing camera unit can also scan the area above the horizontal.

0012The food identification tags may include information permitting a differentiation of otherwise similar food units for the same food units. The food identification tags may include a QR code, an EAN code, or other optically readable code. The codes may include printable codes that are easily readable in a robust manner.

0013A method for processing inventory information from galleys of an aircraft employs a system having the above-described features, wherein a caterer assembles a plurality of food units on associated trays and each provides a food identification tag for serving a plurality of food units in trolleys and food containers and providing a computer system with a database, in which flight information, the trolleys and food containers to be provided and the food units provided therein are stored, this information being transmitted from the database of the computer system of the caterer to a computer system of the on-board kitchen, wherein, upon removal of food items from the trolleys, upon delivery to passengers of the flight to be served, automatically detecting the removed food unit by advancing it in a spatial detection area of ​​the optical detection unit located on the trolley and refreshing the inventory of the corresponding food unit in the database the computer system of the galley leads.

0014In such a method, the database of the on-board kitchen computer system may be refreshed with respect to the trolley from which the food unit has been removed, and / or with respect to the galley from which the trolley has been taken and / or with respect to the aircraft in the presence of several galleys in the aircraft.

0015An aircraft comprises a passenger cabin and at least one on-board kitchen, in which an above-described system for information processing of inventory information galley is installed, each galley is assigned a galley control module of a galleys computer system and a variety of storage space, with trolleys and food containers used in the storage spaces are, wherein each galley control module has a graphical display for displaying the existing or remaining food unit, in particular with an assignment to the in the storage spaces or in mobile use trolleys and food containers.

0016In addition to the food units, the trolleys may also include so-called board items, which are sales items. These may also be food, for example, in a certain class of seats are given only for consideration or there may be - usually duty-free - items that travelers purchase during the flight for a take-off to the destination, often cigarettes, perfume etc .. In such a system, the ground control module database and the galley control module database then also have entries, in addition to entries for available food units, on available board items that are usually carried in separate trolleys and can be stored in these assigned trolleys. The optical detection unit is then additionally connected to a PoS terminal in order to process the data of a board article as a unit to be checked out in addition to the transmission to the galley control module in the PoS terminal as a sales transaction. In this case, the optical detection unit and the PoS terminal can be designed as an electronic unit such as a tablet computer. A board article is characterized by an additional price to a common food item, which is stored in a corresponding field. The corresponding field in the usual food units is then 0. The prices can also be adjusted by seating class.

0017In addition, in a method of using board articles, the database of the computer system is refreshed with respect to the trolley from which a board article has been taken, and with the price data of the board article being sold in a PoS terminal Board items settled.

0018Further embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0019Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are not to be interpreted as limiting. In the drawings show:<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>a schematic picture overview of both information flows, flows of goods and structural features of an embodiment of the present invention at the caterer;</dd><dt>Fig. 2</dt><dd>a schematic image for the loading process in the aircraft with the elements according to an embodiment of the invention;</dd><dt>Fig. 3</dt><dd>a schematic structure for the delivery of food portions on trays to passengers in the removal of the food portions on the trays from a trolley; and</dd><dt>Figs. 4A &amp; 4B</dt><dd>schematic representations of various automatic spatial detection areas according to embodiments of the invention.</dd></dl>

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

0020In the case of airlines, it is essential for catering to avoid over-ordering or under-ordering at the supplier, thus improving the traceability of delivered food portions. The speed of delivery by the passenger is in competition with the endeavors to check the corresponding stocks. In order for this to happen rationally in flight operations, the overall system has to be adapted in order to achieve a technical advantage at a central location. Thus, it is essential to show the processes of the caterer as a supplier and thus in the preparation of the corresponding food portions. <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> For this purpose, a schematic picture of both information flows, flows of goods as well as structural features of the present invention is shown by the caterer. Reference numeral 110 symbolically denotes the computer system of the caterer, which is connected via data links 10 to the computer system 210 of the airline and the flight and booking database provided there and to the ground-based computer system 310 according to the invention. Furthermore, this ground-based computer system 310 is connected via preferably wireless connections 11 to the computer system of the galley 410 of an aircraft to be supplied and the local database of the system according to an embodiment of the invention.

0021At the caterer article packages are compiled out of a merchandise management system, which have 20 different prefabricated food units 21 on a tray. With an existing at the caterer identification printer 111 on the computer system 110, an electronically or optically readable label is generated and attached as a label 112 to the tray 20. Optically readable is the automatic detection via a camera and image recognition, eg the automatic recognition of a QR code or another barcode.

0022This attachment may be provided in one embodiment, in particular on the underside of the tray. It may be the sticking of the label 112. It may also be the printing of a lid or tray with the label information.

0023This may be the separate hot food unit to complete the standard tray. Then the lid or the shell is the label, or the label carrier. Then, the label 112 is provided on or at the top of the tablet 20.

0024In a third alternative, the label 112 is provided with the optically readable surface on the short side surface, in particular as a tab, for example as a tab for the shell of the hot food unit to be supplemented. Or the label is attached to the short end of the tray 20, wherein advantageously additionally a printed information held to be completed is to be completed to be supplemented warm eating unit.

0025The identification printer 111 is connected to the computer system 110 of the caterer and thus creates a database of the trays 20, which trays 20 are subsequently loaded into a trolley 30.

0026When delivering hot meals, the tray 20 is completed on the plane with the meal heated in the galley. Typically, the standard stocked trays 20 are placed in one area of ​​the trolley 30 and the warmed up from another container warmed food in another area of ​​the trolley 30. The database of the galley can automatically after the introduction of hot food on the actual inventory inventory be refreshed. It is also possible to stow one or more trays 20 with special passenger wishes such as vegan, halal, kosher, allergen-free etc. in the trolley 30, to which corresponding hot food is then delivered, so that the service can take place continuously and not interrupted.

0027In an alternative embodiment, the label 112 is not attached to the tray 20, but on the other food completing the tray 20, since this is often the only different food added to a standard tray 20. In a further embodiment, the label 112 indicates a particular food preference such as halal, kosher, vegetarian, etc., which then also corresponds to a specially-portioned tray 20.

0028The trays 20 with the corresponding labels 112 or the trays 20 with the food to be heated and the labels 112 provided thereon are then introduced into a trolley 30, which is provided with an RFID medium 31. The food to be heated can also be prepared separately in a corresponding refrigerated container in another trolley 30. Then, these trolleys 30 are considered as a unit and are to be delivered together to the ground service for the loading of the aircraft.

0029In this case, trolleys 30 are filled with the trays 20 in accordance with the requirements of the order-issuing database system 310, wherein the database of the ground-based computer system 310 of its airline and its computer system 210 the flight information, such as the flight number and the necessary articles on the basis of bookings , received receives. These data are transmitted from the database of the ground-based computer system 310 to the caterer database of the computer system 110, where with a corresponding electronic reader 115, in particular as a handheld, the trolley 30 identified by its RFID medium 31 and recorded the associated load and returned to the database 310 becomes. This database 310 then reports the trolleys 30 to be transferred with the content and the codes of the optically readable labels 112 to the database 410 of the on-board kitchen, which is advantageously a wireless data connection 410.

0030The <figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> shows schematically the loading process in the aircraft. Schematically represented is a trolley 30 with its RFID medium 31, which is supplied by the caterer at the departure airport in the galley of the aircraft. The RFID medium 31 may be an external RFID medium assigned to a trolley 30, or it may be specially designed and permanently installed for the trolleys 30 to be used here in the system. In the on-board kitchen (or in one or each on-board kitchen, if the aircraft has several) is connected to the computer system 410 of the aircraft according to an input and output station 415, which in particular has an RFID reader 412, with the RFID label 31 of the trolley 30th is readable. Thus, it is possible to insert the corresponding trolleys 30 into corresponding storage spaces 430 of the Galley and separately delivered containers in other storage spaces 431 eg bring in higher planned storage spaces. By means of corresponding RFID sensors in the storage spaces 430 and 431, it is possible in an alternative embodiment that a direct connection and linking of the inserted containers or trolleys 30 with a display in the connected display 414 of the computer 415 is provided. At the same time, system 410/415 displays successive stocking of the one or more galleys with the individual trolleys 30, which is the difference between actual and target stock of delivered goods and may optionally reorder at database 110 of the catering company; either for the present flight or a subsequent flight. The wireless connection 311 in the<figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> To the computer system 110 of the caterer that this message is transmitted wirelessly. This can be done first via the connection 11 to the computer 310 of the ground-based computer system, before it is then transmitted to the computer system 110 of the caterer.

0031On the computer system 415 of the or each on-board kitchen additionally at least one reader 411 is provided for optical codes, which may be an electronic hand-held device with camera. With this camera, the optical labels 112, which are moved through a detection area 40, 140, photographed and then recognized automatically, in particular, as mentioned above, these are QR codes or EAN codes, in connection with the<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> described parts of the packaging of food 21 or the tray 20 are.

0032The <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> shows now schematically the delivery of the food portions on the trays 20 to the passengers in the removal of food portions on the trays 20 from a trolley 30. From its container 430 can either automatically via the said sensors in the storage spaces 430 or 431 of the container removed trolley 30 are detected or the container is deregistered by the electronic RFID handset 412 via reading the RFID label 31.

0033Preferably, the electronic handset 411 is stored with the integrated optical code reader on the trolley 30 or attached thereto. Upon delivery of a tray 20, it is pulled out of the drawers of the trolley 30 and, when the optically readable label 112 is attached to the underside of the tray 20, is guided and held over the reader 411 so that the removed tray 20 is identified and automatically ejected the stock is derecognized.

0034In a completion of the tray 20 with a hot meal, the optically visible and readable element is advantageously on the lid, on the floor or on the front side of the container, usually an aluminum shell attached, so that then this element on or via the camera of the handset 411 is to be identified to identify the type of hot food taken.

0035The <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4A</figref> and the <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4B</figref> Finally, show schematic representations of various automatic spatial detection areas 40, 140 according to embodiments of the invention.

0036Advantageously, the attached label 112 may be provided on the underside of the tray 20, so that, as in the <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> and the <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4A</figref> illustrated, a sweeping of the mounted on the top of the trolley 30 and his camera upward electronic handset 412 makes the necessary recording of the label 112 in the detection area 40, which spans a cone 41, so no separate handling for the inventory by the staff more is necessary.

0037To avoid accidentally reading in the same QR code twice, similar hot foods or trays will use codes that are unique to the type of food but that contain a serial number so that double reading of the same product can be ruled out. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electronic handset 411 transmits the deregistration processes directly and wirelessly to the database processing system of the on-board kitchen 410, which can point directly to the persons working in the galley directly on the number of remaining and outgoing foods.

0038In an arrangement of the label 112 on the front side of a tray 20 and on the heated to the front of the tray 20 heated food, a camera lens of the electronic handset 411 facing downward with respect to the open side of the trolley 30, as shown in <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4A</figref> is shown with the detection area 140 and the corresponding detection cone 41, so that a lifting of the tray 20 from the level of the drawers of the trolley 30 allows automatic recording of the optical code. The main plane of the camera between 0 and 60 degrees with respect to the horizontal down to the area in front of the open side of the trolley 30 is directed. This is in the<figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4B</figref> shown between the pins 42 and 43, which set the limits 42 and 43 in height for the detection cone. This can be achieved by the orientation of the camera in the electronic handset 411, wherein the electronic handset 411 can be placed either on the flat top of the trolley 30 or in a corresponding drawer under the top of the trolley 30 is inserted, as in the side view of a Trolley 30 in the<figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4B</figref> is indicated. In this case, the camera can then read the labels 112, which are applied to the lid of the supplemented trays with the warm food unit. The camera may then also be partially oriented upwards, for example between the upper limit 44 and the middle limit 43 or between the upper limit 44 and the lower limit, the upper limit being for example +45 degrees relative to the horizontal, the middle one Limit 43 can be set horizontally equal to 0 degrees or plus minus 15 to 30 degrees. The lower boundary 42 of the detection area 140 may be oriented minus 45 to 70 degrees, in particular to minus 60 degrees, in order to allow the largest possible detection area 140.

0039Likewise, as an added function, it is possible to check out drinks as dispensed by automatically reading an optical code located on corresponding containers as it is moved through the detection area 40 or 140. This can also be the commercial EAN code. Thus, it is automated and easier for the replenishment to hold in the drawers of the beverage trolley aluminum cans or bottles in number and refresh in the database of the galley system 410.<tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><table frame="none"><title>LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS</title><tgroup cols="4" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="15mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="47mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="15mm" /><colspec colnum="4" colname="col4" colwidth="46mm" /><tbody><row><entry>10</entry><entry>Data Connection</entry><entry>140</entry><entry>detection range</entry></row><row><entry>11</entry><entry>wireless data connection</entry><entry>210</entry><entry>Computer system of</entry></row><row><entry>20</entry><entry>tray</entry><entry /><entry>airline</entry></row><row><entry>21</entry><entry>Food unit</entry><entry>310</entry><entry>ground-based</entry></row><row><entry>30</entry><entry>Trolley</entry><entry /><entry>computer system</entry></row><row><entry>31</entry><entry>RFID medium</entry><entry>311</entry><entry>wireless connection</entry></row><row><entry>40</entry><entry>detection range</entry><entry>410</entry><entry>Computer system of</entry></row><row><entry>41</entry><entry>detection cone</entry><entry /><entry>galley</entry></row><row><entry>42</entry><entry>lower limit</entry><entry>411</entry><entry>Reader for optical codes</entry></row><row><entry>43</entry><entry>middle limit</entry><entry>412</entry><entry>RFID reader</entry></row><row><entry>44</entry><entry>upper limit</entry><entry>414</entry><entry>Display / Display</entry></row><row><entry>110</entry><entry>Computer system of the caterer</entry><entry>415</entry><entry>Input and output station</entry></row><row><entry>111</entry><entry>Plate printers</entry><entry>430</entry><entry>storage space</entry></row><row><entry>112</entry><entry>label</entry><entry>431</entry><entry>storage space</entry></row><row><entry>115</entry><entry>electronic reader</entry><entry /><entry /></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>