IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,518,538
Granted Patent B2
US 12,518,538 · App. 18/672,439 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Predictive aircraft crew galley service system and method

Inventors: Andrew Radlbeck (South Glastonbury, CT); Raymond Hough (Great Denham, GB); Amit Surana (Newington, CT); Brian E. St. Rock (Andover, CT); Adwait Arun Trikanad (Hillsboro, OR); Caleb Harder (Vernon, CT); Pankaj Kalore (Lincolnshire, IL); Noah Avram Meltz Weichselbaum (Prairie Village, KS)
Assignee: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
G06V20/52B64D11/04B64D47/08G06V10/143G06V10/36G06V10/44G06V10/806G06V20/46G06V20/59H04N23/11H04N23/90
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,518,538
App. No.
18/672,439
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A predictive systems and methods for servicing an aircraft galley. The predictive aircraft galley service system may comprise a plurality of visible light cameras and a plurality of infrared cameras. The predictive aircraft galley service system may perform an inferred instantaneous state analysis based on machine learning and computer models processing data from the visible light and infrared camera. The predictive aircraft galley service system may provide notifications to aircraft crew regarding locations of objects in the aircraft galley and maintenance needs of the aircraft galley. The predictive aircraft galley service system may operate galley features automatically. The predictive aircraft galley service system may determine and store data about maintenance needs.

Claims (62)

1 . An aircraft galley service system, comprising:

a galley area comprising a plurality of galley features, wherein at least one of the plurality of galley features is a chiller;

a first visible light camera;

a first infrared sensor;

a display; and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform:

receiving, by the controller, first video data from the first visible light camera,

receiving, by the controller, first infrared data from the first infrared camera,

identifying, by the controller, at least one galley feature of the plurality of galley features based on at least one of the first video data and the first infrared data,

identifying, by the controller, an instantaneous state of the galley area,

conducting, by the controller, in response to the instantaneous state, temporal filtering of the first video data and the second video data,

conducting, by the controller, in response to the instantaneous state, persistent tracking of at least one of the galley features, wherein the persistent tracking includes:

detecting, by the controller, an infrared leakage of the chiller,

detecting, by the controller, whether the chiller contains a cart,

identifying, by the controller, an action in response to the instantaneous state, wherein the action includes providing, by the controller, an alert to the display to close the chiller in response to the chiller containing a cart, and

outputting, by the controller, a real-time status of the galley area to the display device.

2 . The aircraft galley service system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of galley features comprises at least one of a latch, a bin, an oven, a counter, a cart, or a chiller.

3 . The aircraft galley service system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform:

identifying, by the controller, a label of at least one of the plurality of galley features,

identifying, by the controller, a storage space of the galley area, and

conducting, by the controller, a fusion of at least two of the galley feature identification, the label identification, and the storage space identification.

4 . The aircraft galley service system of claim 1 , further comprising a second visible light camera, wherein the first visible light camera has a first field of view and the second visible light camera has a second field of view, and wherein the first field of view and the second field of view overlap.

5 . The aircraft galley service system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform:

identifying, by the controller, a common object detected by the first visible light camera and the second visible light camera,

identifying, by the controller, a preferred field of view of the common object, the preferred field of view being a view best positioned to observe the common object, and registering, by the controller, the preferred field of view.

6 . The aircraft galley service system of claim 1 , further comprising a data logging device and wherein the controller is further configured to perform:

storing, by the controller, at least one of a galley feature identification, a label identification, a storage space identification, or fusion data to the data logging device, and

storing, by the controller, at least one of an instantaneous state analysis or persistent tracking data.

7 . A method of operating an aircraft galley service system, comprising:

receiving, by a controller, first video data from a first visible light camera observing an aircraft galley area;

receiving, by the controller, first infrared data from a first infrared camera observing the aircraft galley area;

identifying, by the controller, a plurality of galley features based on at least one of the first video data and the first infrared data;

identifying, by the controller, an instantaneous state of the aircraft galley area;

conducting, by the controller, in response to the instantaneous state, temporal filtering of the first video data and the second video data;

conducting, by the controller, in response to the instantaneous state, persistent tracking of at least one of the plurality of storage spaces, the plurality of galley features; wherein the persistent tracking includes:

detecting, by the controller, an infrared leakage of a chiller;

detecting, by the controller, whether the chiller contains a cart;

providing, by the controller, an infrared leakage alert to the display to close the chiller in response to the chiller containing a cart;

identifying, by the controller, an action in response to the instantaneous state, wherein the action includes setting, by the controller, a power supply to the chiller to a power saving mode in response to the chiller not containing a cart; and

outputting, by the controller, a real-time status of the aircraft galley area to a display device.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of galley features comprises at least one of a latch, a label, a bin, an oven, a counter, a cart, or a chiller.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

identifying, by the controller, a label of at least one of the plurality of galley features;

identifying, by the controller, a storage space of the aircraft galley area; and

conducting, by the controller, a fusion of at least two of the galley feature identification, the label identification, and the storage space identification.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

conducting, by the controller, a status check of the aircraft galley area in response to a flight condition.

11 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, by the controller, second video data from a second visible light camera observing the aircraft galley area, and wherein the first visible light camera has a first field of view and the second visible light camera has a second field of view, wherein the first field of view and the second field of view overlap.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying, by the controller, a common object detected by the first visible light camera and the second visible light camera;

identifying, by the controller, a preferred field of view of the common object, the preferred field of view being a view best positioned to observe the common object; and

registering, by the controller, the preferred field of view.

13 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

storing, by the controller, at least one of object detection data, label detection data, bin detection data, or fusion data to a data logging device; and

storing, by the controller, at least one of inferred instantaneous state analysis data or persistent tracking data.

14 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

detecting, by the controller, a conditions based maintenance need of the aircraft galley area; and

providing, by the controller, a maintenance need alert to the display.

15 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

predicting, by the controller, a preventative maintenance need of the aircraft galley area; and

storing, by the controller, a notification of the preventative maintenance need for a future service opportunity.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2024
From: RTX CORPORATION
To: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 068095/0428 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2024
From: B/E AEROSPACE (UK) LIMITED
To: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 068120/0012 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2024
From: ST. ROCK, BRIAN E.
To: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 067523/0983 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2024
From: RADLBECK, ANDREW; SURANA, AMIT; HARDER, CALEB
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067508/0732 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2024
From: HOUGH, RAYMOND
To: B/E AEROSPACE UK LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067508/0996 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2024
From: TRIKANAD, ADWAIT ARUN; KALORE, PANKAJ; WEICHSELBAUM, NOAH AVRAM MELTZ
To: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 067509/0674 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250363804A1 · Nov 27, 2025
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