System and method for wireless communication between an aircraft and a passenger boarding bridge

1. A method for aligning an aircraft-engaging end of a passenger boarding bridge to a doorway of an aircraft, the passenger boarding bridge selected from a plurality of passenger boarding bridges at an airport terminal building and having an aircraft parking space defined adjacent thereto, the method comprising:

assigning to the aircraft parking space an aircraft having a unique aircraft identifier code associated therewith, the aircraft including a signal-transmitting module for use in automated bridge alignment operations, wherein assigning comprises providing the unique aircraft identifier code to an automated bridge alignment system of the passenger boarding bridge;

waiting for the aircraft to park within the parking space; and,

encoding a signal with the unique aircraft identifier code for transmission between the aircraft and the automated bridge alignment system, the encoding comprising digitally signing the signal using the unique aircraft identifier code and time-stamping the signal with a time of transmission of the signal.

2. A method according to claim 1 , comprising aligning the aircraft-engaging end of the passenger boarding bridge to the doorway of the aircraft based upon the encoded signal.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the encoded signal is a call signal for initiating an automated bridge alignment operation.

4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the encoded signal is a signal for controlling a movement of the passenger boarding bridge.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein encoding a signal comprises attaching the unique aircraft identifier code to the signal.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein encoding a signal comprises encrypting the signal using the unique aircraft identifier code as an encryption key.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the passenger boarding bridge has a unique bridge identifier code associated therewith, and comprising encoding signals with the unique bridge identifier code for transmission from the automated bridge alignment system to the aircraft.

8. A method for aligning an aircraft-engaging end of a passenger boarding bridge to a doorway of an aircraft, the aircraft having a unique aircraft identifier code associated therewith and including a signal-transmitting module for use in automated bridge alignment operations, the passenger boarding bridge selected from a plurality of passenger boarding bridges at an airport terminal building and having an aircraft parking space defined adjacent thereto, the method comprising:

retrieving, from a memory element of the airport terminal building, the unique identifier code relating to the aircraft;

providing the retrieved unique identifier code to an automated bridge alignment system of the passenger boarding bridge;

using a receiver disposed at a location that is remote from the aircraft, receiving a signal transmitted wirelessly from the aircraft;

using a processor in communication with the receiver, determining whether the received signal includes information that is indicative of the retrieved unique aircraft identifier code; and,

in dependence upon the received signal including information that is indicative of the retrieved unique aircraft identifier code, processing the received signal as a signal for aligning the aircraft-engaging end of the passenger boarding bridge to the doorway of the aircraft,

wherein the received signal is digitally signed using the unique aircraft identifier code and wherein the received signal includes time-stamp information relating to a time of transmission of the signal.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the received signal is a call signal for initiating an automated bridge alignment operation.

10. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the received signal is a signal for controlling a movement of the passenger boarding bridge.

11. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the received signal is a signal that is encoded with the unique aircraft identifier code.

12. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the received signal is a signal that is encrypted using the unique aircraft identifier code as an encryption key.

13. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the passenger boarding bridge has a unique bridge identifier code associated therewith, and comprising encoding signals with the unique bridge identifier code for transmission from the automated bridge alignment system to the aircraft.

14. A method for aligning an aircraft-engaging end of a passenger boarding bridge to a doorway of an aircraft, the aircraft including a signal-transmitting module for use in automated bridge alignment operations, the passenger boarding bridge selected from a plurality of passenger boarding bridges at an airport terminal building and having an aircraft parking space defined adjacent thereto, the method comprising:

assigning a unique aircraft identifier code to the aircraft;

storing data relating to the unique aircraft identifier code within a memory element of the aircraft, the memory element in communication with the signal-transmitting module;

storing data relating to the unique aircraft identifier code separately within a memory element of the airport terminal building;

assigning the aircraft to park within the aircraft parking space during a current alignment operation, wherein assigning includes providing the unique aircraft identifier code from the memory element of the airport terminal building to an automated bridge alignment system of the passenger boarding bridge;

transmitting a signal from the aircraft to a receiver that is disposed at a location remote from the aircraft, comprising using a processor of the signal-transmitting module for encoding the signal prior to transmitting, wherein encoding the signal comprises digitally signing the signal with the unique aircraft identifier code and time-stamping the encoded signal with a time of transmission thereof;

processing the signal to determine whether it is encoded using the data relating to the unique aircraft identifier code; and,

if the signal is encoded using the data relating to the unique aircraft identifier code, performing an action for aligning the aircraft-engaging end of the passenger boarding bridge to the doorway of the aircraft.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the signal is a call signal for initiating an automated bridge alignment operation.

16. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the signal is a signal for controlling a movement of the passenger boarding bridge.

17. A method according to claim 14 , wherein encoding the signal comprises attaching the unique aircraft identifier code to the signal.

18. A method according to claim 14 , wherein encoding the signal comprises encrypting the signal using the unique aircraft identifier code as an encryption key.

19. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the passenger boarding bridge has a unique bridge identifier code associated therewith, and comprising encoding signals with the unique bridge identifier code for transmission from the automated bridge alignment system to the aircraft.