Foreign object detection for passenger-accessible stowage compartments

1. A method performed by a computing system with respect to an aircraft passenger cabin containing a plurality of stowage compartments, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data captured via a sensor subsystem that includes a sensor associated with each of the plurality of stowage compartments;

identifying, for each of the plurality of stowage compartments, a baseline condition in which foreign objects are absent from the stowage compartment;

detecting a foreign object within a stowage compartment based on the received sensor data for the stowage compartment and the baseline condition identified for the stowage compartment;

conducting an audit of the plurality of stowage compartments for contents; and

based on the audit, outputting an indication that the foreign object is within the stowage compartment, the indication identifying the stowage compartment among the plurality of stowage compartments.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stowage compartments include a plurality of overhead bins or a plurality of seatback pockets, and wherein:

for the plurality of overhead bins, the sensor associated with each of the plurality of overhead bins include an optical sensor, or for the plurality of seatback pockets, the sensor associated with each of the plurality of seatback pockets include:

a strain gauge that outputs an indication of strain within an outer wall of the seatback pocket opposite its seatback, or

a force sensor that outputs an indication of a weight and/or a torque applied to the seatback pocket, or

an angle sensor that outputs an indication of an angle between an outer wall of the seatback pocket and its seatback.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of stowage compartments include the plurality of overhead bins; and

wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a fire or smoke condition within one of the plurality of overhead bins via the optical sensor associated with the overhead bin; and

outputting an indication of the fire or smoke condition.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of stowage compartments include the plurality of seatback pockets; and

wherein the method further comprises:

aggregating the sensor data received over time to obtain an aggregate value for each of the plurality of seatback pockets;

detecting an aggregate fatigue condition for one of the plurality of seatback pockets based on the aggregate value for the seatback pocket; and

outputting an indication of the aggregate fatigue condition for the seatback pocket that identifies the seatback pocket among the plurality of seatback pockets.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a trigger condition; and

responsive to the trigger condition, conducting the audit of the plurality of stowage compartments for contents.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the trigger condition is detected responsive to receiving a user input via a service personnel interface or responsive to a sensor input from a sensor located on-board the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baseline condition is detected responsive to receiving a user input via a service personnel interface or responsive to a sensor input from a sensor located on-board the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the indication that the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment includes outputting a visual indication via a display device or an illumination unit integrated with the aircraft.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the display device or the illumination unit is one of a plurality of available output devices integrated with the aircraft; and

wherein the method further includes selecting the device or the illumination unit from among the plurality of available output devices based on the identified stowage compartment.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the indication that the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment includes transmitting an electronic message identifying the stowage compartment to a target recipient address over a communications network; and

wherein the method further comprises, identifying the target recipient address from a database that associates the target recipient address with the stowage compartment for aircraft operations occurring between identifying the baseline condition for the stowage compartment and conducting the audit.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baseline condition for a stowage compartment includes baseline sensor data received via the sensor associated with the stowage compartment; and

wherein the foreign object is identified as being present within the stowage compartment based on a comparison of the baseline sensor data with the sensor data received from the sensor associated with the stowage compartment while the audit is conducted.

12. A detection system for monitoring an aircraft passenger cabin containing a plurality of stowage compartments, the detection system comprising:

a sensor subsystem including a sensor associated with each of the plurality of stowage compartments;

a logic subsystem interfacing with the sensor subsystem; and

a storage subsystem having instructions stored thereon executable by the logic subsystem to:

receive sensor data captured via the sensor subsystem;

identify, for each of the plurality of stowage compartments, a baseline condition in which foreign objects are absent from the stowage compartment;

detect a foreign object within a stowage compartment based on the sensor data captured by the sensor associated with the stowage compartment and the baseline condition identified for the stowage compartment;

conduct an audit of the plurality of stowage compartments for contents; and

based on the audit, output an indication that the foreign object is within the stowage compartment, the indication identifying the stowage compartment among the plurality of stowage compartments.

13. The detection system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of stowage compartments include a plurality of overhead bins or a plurality of seatback pockets, and wherein:

for the plurality of overhead bins, the sensor associated with each of the plurality of overhead bins include an optical sensor, or

for the plurality of seatback pockets, the sensor associated with each of the plurality of seatback pockets include:

a strain gauge that outputs an indication of strain within an outer wall of the seatback pocket opposite its seatback,

a force sensor that outputs an indication of a weight and/or a torque applied to the seatback pocket, or

an angle sensor that outputs an indication of an angle between an outer wall of the seatback pocket and its seatback.

14. The detection system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of stowage compartments include the plurality of overhead bins; and

wherein the instructions are further executable by the logic subsystem to:

detect a fire or smoke condition within one of the plurality of overhead bins via the optical sensor associated with the overhead bin; and

output an indication of the fire or smoke condition.

15. The detection system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of stowage compartments include the plurality of seatback pockets; and

wherein the instructions are further executable by the logic subsystem to:

aggregate the sensor data received over time to obtain an aggregate value for each of the plurality of seatback pockets;

detect an aggregate fatigue condition for one of the plurality of seatback pockets based on the aggregate value for the seatback pocket; and

output an indication of the aggregate fatigue condition for the seatback pocket that identifies the seatback pocket among the plurality of seatback pockets.

16. The detection system of claim 12 , wherein the indication that the foreign object is within the stowage compartment is output as a visual indication via a display device or an illumination unit integrated with the aircraft.

17. The detection system of claim 12 , wherein the indication that the foreign object is within the stowage compartment is output by transmitting, via a communications interface of the detection system, an electronic message identifying the stowage compartment to a target recipient address over a communications network; and

wherein the instructions are further executable by the logic subsystem to identify the target recipient address from a database that associates the target recipient address with the stowage compartment for aircraft operations occurring between identification of the baseline condition for the stowage compartment and conducting the audit.

18. The detection system of claim 12 , wherein the baseline condition includes sensor data received via the sensor associated with the stowage compartment in which foreign objects are absent from the stowage compartment; and

wherein the foreign object is identified within the stowage compartment based on a comparison of the baseline sensor data received for the baseline condition to the sensor data received by the sensor associated with the stowage compartment while the audit is conducted.

19. The detection system of claim 12 , wherein the baseline condition is identified at a first time responsive to receiving a first user input via a service personnel interface or responsive to a sensor input from a sensor located on-board the aircraft; and

wherein the audit is conducted at a second time occurring after the first time responsive to receiving a second user input via a service personnel interface or responsive to a sensor input from a sensor located on-board the aircraft.

20. A passenger aircraft, comprising:

a passenger cabin that includes a plurality of passenger seats and a plurality of stowage compartments, the plurality of stowage compartments further including a plurality of overhead bins located above the plurality of passenger seats or a plurality of seatback pockets located upon the plurality of passenger seats;

a sensor subsystem including a sensor associated with each of the plurality of stowage compartments;

a computing system configured to;

receive sensor data captured via the sensor subsystem;

identify, for each of the plurality of stowage compartments, a baseline condition in which foreign objects are absent from the stowage compartment;

detect a foreign object within a stowage compartment of the plurality of stowage compartments based on the sensor data associated with the stowage compartment and the baseline condition identified for the stowage compartment; and

output an indication that the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment, the indication identifying the stowage compartment among the plurality of stowage compartments.