The present invention is directed to queue management and in particular relates to a method and system for intelligent queue management, for example in aircraft, other vehicles or enclosures with only a limited number of entrances.
Boarding an aircraft or similar type of vehicle is often tedious and slow. This is predominantly due to the fact that all the passengers must enter through a limited number of entrances often at one end of the vehicle. This invariably means that passengers seated near the entrance of the vehicle delay passenger further along the vehicles, whilst stowing bags and getting settled. See
Airline companies have attempted to mitigate some of the delays and congestion by calling out seat numbers and encouraging passengers to queue and load in accordance with certain constraints. However, the customers often fail to hear the instructions, arrive early or late or merely ignore the instructions.
Also if certain passengers take longer to board than others then the constraints will not avoid the congestion problems and may worsen delays. This means that the congestion problems are rarely avoided.
One object of the present invention is to overcome at least some of the problems of previous methods and systems of queue management so as to minimise delays for customers.
The present invention is directed to the method and system as defined in the claims.
More particularly, the present invention discloses an intelligent queue management system for managing the entry of queue members through an entrance, the system comprising: means for identifying a plurality of queue members wherein each has an allocated final destination; mapping means for mapping each final destination onto a virtual destination location; guiding means for guiding each queue member, using the virtual destination location, towards the corresponding final destination in a predetermined manner; wherein the predetermined manner determines a sequence in which the queue members should pass through the entrance so as to not delay other queue members in the sequence as each moves to their respective final destinations.
This has the advantage that people or things that are queuing are guided in a controlled manner towards their final destination. The sequence in which they pass through the entrance being controlled to ensure that queue members can move to their final destination without being delayed by other queue members in front of them.
As the sequence can be adapted depending on the queue, where it is going, what and where the entrance is and so on the system can be used in a multitude of different situations.
More particularly the present invention discloses a method of managing the entry of queue members through an entrance, comprising the steps of: identifying a plurality of queue members each having an allocated final destination; mapping each final destination onto a virtual destination location; guiding each queue member, using the virtual destination location, towards the corresponding final destination by the steps of: determining a sequence in which the queue members should pass through the entrance; and controlling the queue members using the virtual destination locations so that each queue member does not delay other queue members in the sequence as each moves to their respective final destinations.
The virtual destination locations provide each queue member with something which can assist in directing and guiding the queue member to the final destination. Each final destination has a corresponding virtual destination location and the combination is maintained. This means that once the queue member has found the relevant virtual destination location which corresponds with queue member's final destination it is simply necessary for the queue member to follow the virtual destination location to be guided in a controlled manner and thus minimise delays.
Further embodiments of the invention are provided in the appended dependant claims.
Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring initially to
The boarding gate includes an automatic ticket machine 218 and also a computer 220. The ticket machine 218 and the computer 220 are connected via an Ethernet connection 222 to the IBS and also to a gateway 224.
The gateway is used to access maintenance 226 and the airline host 228 via a network 230. In this case the network is an internet protocol (IP) network. The maintenance connection may include a gateway (not shown) with Ethernet connections (not shown) to management and operational servers 236 and 238 respectively. The connection to the airline host may connect in any appropriate manner.
The connection to maintenance and airline hosts are shown by way of example, and indicate the airline host information and maintenance information may be passed to both the boarding gate and the IBS to assist update of the system to optimise boarding. In addition, it should be noted that the boarding system 212 may include more, less or different linkages depending on the type of vehicle being boarded, or other variable parameter which may influence such a boarding system.
Referring now to
Referring again to
Referring now to
Seat 30A indicated as 450 and Seat 30B indicated as 452 each show code P. Code P means a passenger has checked-in at the check-in desk and should be in the boarding area awaiting boarding. Seat 30C indicated as 454 shows code E. This code means that the seat is empty and not being used on this journey. Seat 29F indicated as 456 shows the code PBP. This means that the passenger is a pre-board passenger and has already boarded. Details of pre-boarding will be described in greater detail below. Seat 28C indicated as 458 shows the code NS. This code means that a passenger has paid for a seat but has not yet checked in at the check-in desk. The NS code can only be displayed if the check-in desk is still open. Once the check-in desk closes any NS codes are automatically updated to E. The virtual seat plan also shows aisle 460.
As previously indicated once the first row of passengers 444 has boarded the virtual seat plan is updated and instead of showing aircraft rows 30-26 will show aircraft rows 29-25. Similarly when the next row of passengers 446 has passed the boarding gate the virtual plan will show aircraft rows 28-24, and so on.
There may be a number of passengers for a given flight which are identified as having special needs with regards to boarding. For example, the elderly or infirm, families with young children, children travelling alone etc. These passengers may be selected to pre-board. If this is the case the seat number of these passengers will be identified at check in by use of the code PBP or some other identifier. If pre-boarding passengers are identified by the IBS when boarding commences the IBS will activate the projector to display a pre-boarding virtual seat plan. This will be displayed and the process completed before the row by row boarding process commences.
The virtual seat plan of
Reference will now be made to
The routine starts when a flight check-in opens 560.
Details of aircraft type 562 and the intended seating plan 564 for this flight are entered into the IBS by suitable means. For example, all details of aircraft type and seating plan are stored and accessed using a look up table linked to the airport systems.
At check in 566, the customer presents a ticket for the flight and after the normal security processes a boarding pass is issued by a check-in agent. The boarding pass indicates the allocated seat for that passenger based on the seating plan. If the passenger has any special needs which might indicate a need to pre-board this will be marked on the passenger information and details stored by the check-in agent.
At an appropriate time the aircraft will be ready and boarding may commence 568. This information may come from any appropriate resource, such as maintenance for example.
Check-in data from the check-in system is downloaded to the IBS 570 either when boarding commences in one block, step wise as each passenger checks in or a combination of the two.
The following optional steps may then be carried out. If the airline permits pre-boarding and there are passengers identified for pre-boarding the relevant passengers are identified 572. The seating plan 574 is then displayed on the floor of the boarding area and pre-boarding passengers are invited to take their places on the virtual seating plan. The passengers will then be allowed to board through the normal boarding process 576. When pre-boarding is complete the attendant will provide an input 578 to the IBS. The IBS will then start the normal row by row boarding process 580.
The IBS causes the virtual seat plan to be displayed showing rows n to rows m 582. The numbers n and m will depend on the type of aircraft and the size of the virtual seating plan which is displayed. Row n is then boarded 584. When everyone in row n has passed through the boarding gate the attendant or the system may update the IBS 586.
The IBS then causes the virtual seating plan to be amended to show row (n-1) to row (m-1), 588. Row (n-1) is then boarded 590.
The update of the IBS and next row boarding then continues until all passengers have boarded and at this point the system is closed.
The attendant inputs to the system may be generated automatically by the boarding card reader or by other appropriate means. However, there will be a need for attendant inputs if passengers on the virtual seat plan are late or other problems arise. This will ensure that unnecessary delays are avoided.
The system described above discloses a projector which displays the virtual seat plan onto the floor. There may be other ways to achieve the same functionality, including screens on the floor and no projector, three dimensional imaging, lights et cetera.
The system has been described with reference to boarding an aircraft but is similarly relevant and adaptable to boarding trains, ferries and other vehicles. Also it can be useful in any situation where users have pre-issued tickets and arrive all at the same time to enter some sort of establishment. For example when visiting the cinema, a theatre, or a concert et cetera. It could also be possible to use a similar system to order and queue cars on a road, for example when coming up to a tollgate.
Clearly it will be obvious to the man skilled in the art that there are many variations of the invention which will still cover the basic principles of the invention and it is intended that these are included herein.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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05300172.3 | Mar 2005 | EP | regional |