US 12,216,828 B2
Gesture control for overhead bins
Hans Huijsing, Ijsselstein (NL)
Assigned to B/E AEROSPACE, INC., Winston Salem, NC (US)
Filed by B/E AEROSPACE, INC., Winston Salem, NC (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/339,201.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/035,158, filed on Jun. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0382561 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. G06F 3/01 (2006.01); B64D 11/00 (2006.01); G06V 40/20 (2022.01); G07C 9/20 (2020.01); G07C 9/23 (2020.01); G07C 9/28 (2020.01); B64D 45/00 (2006.01); G07C 9/00 (2020.01)
CPC G06F 3/017 (2013.01) [B64D 11/003 (2013.01); G06V 40/20 (2022.01); G07C 9/20 (2020.01); G07C 9/23 (2020.01); G07C 9/28 (2020.01); B64D 2045/007 (2013.01); G07C 2009/00523 (2013.01); G07C 2009/0092 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an overhead bin including a door configured to open and close an opening of the overhead bin for access to and securing of an interior space of the overhead bin;
a latch mechanism operatively connecting the opening of the overhead bin to the door of the overhead bin to secure the door to the opening in a closed position, and to release the door from the opening for access to the interior space;
a touchless input sensor, wherein the touchless input sensor includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and/or a near-field communication (NFC) reader;
a server; and
a controller operatively connected to the latch mechanism, the touchless input sensor, and the server, wherein the controller includes machine readable instructions configured to cause the controller to:
detect whether a signal from the server is present, wherein the signal is indicative of a phase of flight during which opening of the overhead bin is inadvisable;
ignore a touchless user input gesture in response to the presence of the signal;
allow detecting of a presence of a user input gesture in response to an absence of the signal;
detect the presence of the touchless user input gesture;
start a timer in response to the detecting of the user input gesture; and
recognize an authorization code from an RFID device and/or an NFC device, wherein the authorization code is at least one of a tag associated with a passenger ticket or a mobile application installed on a passenger device;
verify whether the overhead bin is associated with the authorization code based on at least one of a seat assignment or an additional purchase of bin space;
release the latch mechanism in response to an expiration of the timer, recognition of the authorization code, and verification of the authorization code if the touchless user input gesture was continuously detected by the touchless input sensor while the timer ran.