Abstract:
Passenger boarding bridges have adjustable walkways that are elevated high above the ground when servicing aircraft doorways. Passenger safety is improved by automatically stabilizing the passenger boarding bridge when it is in an aligned condition. A method for automatically stabilizing the passenger boarding bridge includes moving the aircraft-engaging end of the passenger boarding bridge into an aligned relationship relative to the doorway of an aircraft. The aligned relationship between the aircraft-engaging end of the passenger boarding bridge and the doorway of the aircraft is detected automatically. Adjustable jacks, which are fixedly mounted to the passenger boarding bridge wheel carriage, are actuated between a retracted condition and an extended condition. In the extended condition, the adjustable jacks engage a ground surface below the passenger boarding bridge, thereby increasing the stability of the passenger boarding bridge.
Abstract:
A cargo conveyor for use in loading and unloading a cargo compartment comprises: a plurality of conveyor units for being disposed within the cargo compartment and for being temporarily arranged to support a loading or unloading conveyor path having a length that varies during a same loading or unloading operation, the conveyor path for being lengthened during the unloading operation and for being shortened during the loading operation, the plurality of conveyor units for being coupled with and decoupled from the conveyor path for lengthening the conveyor path during the unloading operation and for shortening the conveyor path during the loading operation, respectively.
Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for aligning one end of a passenger loading bridge to an aircraft. The apparatus includes a mounting structure and a transceiver including a transmitter portion. The transceiver is for being fixedly mounted, via the mounting structure, at a location within a space that is contained within a side-wall of the aircraft between an interior wall defining an interior surface of the side-wall and an outer wall defining an exterior surface of the side-wall. The transceiver is for wirelessly providing a signal within a predetermined region of the electromagnetic spectrum, the signal comprising information relating to a location of a doorway relative to a location of the transceiver.
Abstract:
A system for aligning an aircraft-engaging end of a passenger boarding bridge to a doorway along a lateral surface of an aircraft includes a user interface that is located aboard the aircraft. The user interface is for receiving, from a user aboard the aircraft, an input signal relating to a command for controlling a movement of the passenger boarding bridge, and for providing data relating to the input signal. The system also includes a first transmitter that is located aboard the aircraft and that is in communication with the user interface. The first transmitter is for receiving the data relating to the input signal and for transmitting a first signal including the data relating to the input signal. A first receiver is provided at a location that is remote from the aircraft for receiving the first signal, and for providing an output signal relating thereto. Also provided is a bridge controller that is in communication with the first receiver for receiving the output signal from the first receiver, and for providing a control signal for performing automatically the movement of the passenger boarding bridge.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and controller for controlling power allocation in an overdemand situation of at least a passenger loading bridge. A requested amount of power and an amount of power available are determined. The amount of power available and less than the amount of power required is then apportioned on a prioritized basis amongst systems of the at least a passenger loading bridge demanding power to result in a load of the at least a passenger loading bridge requiring no more than the power available and to provide sufficient power to account for one of minimum requirements, operational requirements and ideal requirements for each system based on an operational mode of the at least a passenger loading bridge. The amount of power for provision to each system is determined in dependence upon a priority of the system for the operation of the at least a passenger loading bridge in a predetermined mode of operation.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an acoustic prodding implement for the detection of land mines which provides an indication of the material an object buried in the ground. An indication of mineral material such as rock allows the operator to confidently classify the object as safe, without carefully excavating it. This saves significant time in mine clearing. The device includes a piezoelectric crystal as an acoustic transducer acoustically coupled to a transmitting probe. The piezoelectric transducer generates an acoustic wave into the probe which contacts the object and tranmits the reflected wave. A signal processor compares a signal generated by the transducer with characteristic signatures of known materials to determine a match within predetermined limits. The implement includes a shock resistant coupler to maintain acoustic coupling between the transducer and the probe in response to shock or vibration. The implement may farther include a capacitive force sensor for providing an indication of a force at the tip of the probe as it is contacted with an object. The implement may filter include a metal detector removeably supported on the probe.
Abstract:
A record-playback attack on a security system involves recording authorisation information such as passwords and playing them back to the server at a later time to unlawfully access a system. A method is disclosed for detecting record-playback of biometric information. When biometric information is provided to a server, it is always slightly different due to the nature of human input, health, etc. When two biometric input samples are substantially identical, a record-playback attack on system security is suspected and access is denied.
Abstract:
In the past, contact imaging devices were large and costly. It has been proposed that for contact imaging device adoption for the personal computing market, cost and size must be reduced. In an attempt to address these concerns, a biometric pointing device such as a mouse is presented incorporating therein a contact imager. The contact imager fits within a small enclosure. Further, data transmission means within the mouse provides a signal to a single port on a computer indicative of the output data from both the contact imaging means and the pointing device.
Abstract:
A transducer is provided with an integral smart card reader. For security applications the transducer is a biometric information input device. The device provides co-operative operation of the smart card and the transducer to provide user specific processing of biometric information provided by the user. Because of the integral smart card reader, tampering and monitoring of security operations is prevented.