IP Library Granted Patent US 12692020
Granted Patent B2
US 12692020 · App. 18/550,673 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Boarding bridge remote operation system and boarding bridge remote operation program

Inventors: Hideaki Dobashi (Takarazuka, JP); Takeshi Akegami (Takarazuka, JP)
Assignee: SHINMAYWA INDUSTRIES, LTD.
B64F1/305G06V20/52G06V40/10G08C17/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692020
App. No.
18/550,673
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A boarding bridge remote operation system of includes image capturing equipment that captures an image ahead of a distal end part of a cab, inside monitoring equipment to monitor inside of a boarding bridge, and a remote controller corresponding to a gate and configured to be communicable with remote equipment. The remote equipment includes an operating unit with which an operator performs an input operation and an information outputter configured to output information inputted thereto. The remote controller gives an operation command corresponding to the input operation to the boarding bridge, obtains image information of the captured image and monitoring information from the inside monitoring equipment, and outputs the obtained image information and the obtained monitoring information to the remote equipment. The operating unit is configured to be operated in a state where a travel device and an area therearound are directly or indirectly visually checkable by the operator.

Claims (56)

1 . A boarding bridge remote operation system that is a remote operation system for performing remote operation of a boarding bridge, the boarding bridge including:

a rotunda connected to a gate of a terminal building;

a tunnel unit having a proximal end connected to the rotunda, the tunnel unit being configured to be extendable and retractable in a longitudinal direction of the tunnel unit;

a cab provided at a distal end of the tunnel unit, the cab including a distal end part to be docked with an entrance of an aircraft;

a lifting/lowering device that is mounted to the tunnel unit or the cab and that lifts and lowers the tunnel unit and the cab; and

a pair of wheels that are mounted under the lifting/lowering device and that travel on a ground,

the boarding bridge remote operation system comprising:

at least one first camera that is provided on the cab and that captures an image of the entrance of the aircraft;

inside monitoring equipment to monitor whether or not a person is present inside the boarding bridge;

a remote controller provided corresponding to the gate and configured to be communicable with remote equipment that an operator operates while visually checking the pair of wheels and an area therearound, the remote equipment including an operating unit with which the operator performs an input operation of inputting an operation command for the boarding bridge and at least one of a display device or a first speaker configured to output information inputted thereto, wherein the remote controller gives an operation command corresponding to the input operation performed with the operating unit of the remote equipment to the boarding bridge to perform remote control of the boarding bridge, obtains image information of the image captured by the at least one first camera and monitoring information of monitoring by the inside monitoring equipment, and outputs the obtained image information and the obtained monitoring information to the remote equipment; and

a second speaker that is provided inside the boarding bridge and that notifies a person inside the boarding bridge of information about the remote operation of the boarding bridge.

2 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the inside monitoring equipment includes at least one second camera that captures an image of an inside of the boarding bridge, and

image information of the image captured by the at least one second camera is the monitoring information.

3 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the inside monitoring equipment includes a sensor to detect whether or not a person is present in a predetermined area inside the boarding bridge, and

a result of detection by the sensor is the monitoring information.

4 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one third camera that captures an image of the pair of wheels and the area therearound, wherein

the remote controller is configured to obtain image information of the image captured by the at least one third camera and to output the obtained image information to the remote equipment.

5 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 4 , wherein

the gate of the terminal building comprises a plurality of gates,

the operator operates the operating unit of the remote equipment to select one of the plurality of gates, and

the remote controller corresponding to the selected gate and the remote equipment are configured to communicate with each other.

6 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the remote equipment is disposed under the rotunda.

7 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 1 , further comprising an emergency stop switch disposed under the rotunda, the emergency stop switch being a switch to bring the boarding bridge to an emergency stop when the boarding bridge is operating.

8 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the remote equipment is a portable communication terminal.

9 . A boarding bridge remote operation system that is a remote operation system for performing remote operation of a boarding bridge, the boarding bridge including:

a rotunda connected to a gate of a terminal building;

a tunnel unit having a proximal end connected to the rotunda, the tunnel unit being configured to be extendable and retractable in a longitudinal direction of the tunnel unit;

a cab provided at a distal end of the tunnel unit, the cab including a distal end part to be docked with an entrance of an aircraft;

a lifting/lowering device that is mounted to the tunnel unit or the cab and that lifts and lowers the tunnel unit and the cab; and

a pair of wheels that are mounted under the lifting/lowering device and that travel on a ground,

the boarding bridge remote operation system comprising:

at least one first camera that is provided on the cab and that captures an image of the entrance of the aircraft;

inside monitoring equipment to monitor whether or not a person is inside the boarding bridge; and

a remote controller provided corresponding to the gate and configured to be communicable with remote equipment, the remote equipment including an operating unit with which an operator performs an input operation of inputting an operation command for the boarding bridge and at least one of a display device or a speaker configured to output information inputted thereto, wherein the remote controller gives an operation command corresponding to the input operation performed with the operating unit of the remote equipment to the boarding bridge to perform remote control of the boarding bridge, obtains image information of the image captured by the at least one first camera and monitoring information of monitoring by the inside monitoring equipment, and outputs the obtained image information and the obtained monitoring information to the remote equipment, wherein

the boarding bridge is configured to be allowed to start operating after the operator has performed, with the operating unit of the remote equipment, a check operation indicating confirmation by the operator that no person is present at or around the pair of wheels and that no person is present inside the boarding bridge.

10 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 9 , wherein

the inside monitoring equipment includes at least one second camera that captures an image of an inside of the boarding bridge, and

image information of the image captured by the at least one second camera is the monitoring information.

11 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 9 , wherein

the inside monitoring equipment includes a sensor to detect whether or not a person is present in a predetermined area inside the boarding bridge, and

a result of detection by the sensor is the monitoring information.

12 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 9 , further comprising at least one third camera that captures an image of the pair of wheels and an area therearound, wherein

the remote controller is configured to obtain image information of the image captured by the at least one third camera and to output the obtained image information to the remote equipment.

13 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 12 , wherein

the gate of the terminal building comprises a plurality of gates,

the operator operates the operating unit of the remote equipment to select one of the plurality of gates, and

the remote controller corresponding to the selected gate and the remote equipment are configured to communicate with each other.

14 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 9 , wherein

the remote equipment is disposed under the rotunda.

15 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 9 , further comprising an emergency stop switch disposed under the rotunda, the emergency stop switch being a switch to bring the boarding bridge to an emergency stop when the boarding bridge is operating.

16 . The boarding bridge remote operation system according to claim 9 , wherein

the remote equipment is a portable communication terminal.