DE202012104079U1 - Mobile check-in system - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for the mobile check-in of passenger passengers and their luggage before arrival of the passengers in an arrival zone at the airport, by electronically entering the passenger and / or travel data in a mobile check-in terminal, which is located in a motor vehicle, the terminal weighing the Carries pieces of luggage, charges for excess or special baggage, wherein one or more boarding passes and / or one or more luggage sections are created and issued for attachment to the luggage and the checked-in luggage stored in the motor vehicle and by means of this to a transport and sorting be transported at the airport or a transfer point for onward transport to a transport and sorting system at the airport.

Description

The invention relates to a system for the mobile check-in of departing passenger passengers and their luggage before arrival of the passengers in an arrival zone at the airport and a motor vehicle for transporting the system.

Today, passengers are handled in an arrivals area at the airport building and their baggage passes through the airport building until they arrive at the check-in desk or the check-in counter, which may still be far away from each other. Depending on the design of the airport, they will receive a boarding pass at the check-in counter, which will be presented at the entrance to the waiting room or immediately before boarding the aircraft.

It can be differentiated between check-in only with carry-on luggage and check-in with checked luggage. For passengers with carry-on luggage only, check-in terminals are available. It is also possible to check in online via internet / mobile phone and to print the boarding card yourself. However, with all of the above-mentioned possibilities for the passenger to do the check-in himself, it should be noted that these options are only fully available for passengers with only hand luggage. According to the current state of the art, air travelers with checked-in luggage only have the option of traditional check-in at the designated staffed check-in counters or occasionally also at baggage drop-off points installed at the airport terminal, where only passengers who have already checked in are present with printed boarding passes (online, mobile or via check-in terminals at the airport) have the possibility to hand over their luggage and to receive the corresponding luggage labels.

Furthermore, the airport operator has to provide expensive space in order to set up the check-in terminals in the visitor area or in the departure terminal. In addition, the terminal devices must be equipped with reading units for tickets and maps, which in turn has a detrimental effect on the technical effort to be incurred and thus also on the production and operating costs incurred.

The disadvantage of such check-in terminals is above all that they can always provide only a single user. Therefore, a larger number of terminals is needed to provide the check-in passengers arriving reasonably satisfactorily. Likewise, these terminals must allow the direct access of the user, which, however, leads to considerable costs, since protective measures must be taken against vandalism and destruction.

All of these operations require their own technical facilities and premises, which make modern airport facilities a huge financial burden and, moreover, boarding for an airplane is a lengthy and annoying action for passengers, for example, when boarding a train.

Any existing facilities and systems or technical procedures for delivering checked baggage passengers require the presence of the passenger or an authorized representative at the airport, which in any case shall be within the capacity and infrastructure of the airport by extra baggage facilities such as check-in. Switch or so-called baggage drop-off switch required.

In all airports, the check-in counter is located in the public area of the airport, before the security check and in front of the departure lounge. After passing through the safety checks, the passengers stay for a while in the waiting room to then be loaded onto buses and driven to the waiting on the apron aircraft or over telescopically extendable covered corridors directly from the waiting room in an approached close to the waiting room building aircraft over , The luggage is now loaded on luggage vehicles, driven to the aircraft and unloaded there and reloaded into the aircraft.

With the larger distances, not only the time expenditure but also the information and orientation problems and the likelihood of error increase for the passengers.

The invention has for its object to provide a system that does not have the disadvantages or deficiencies of the prior art and which reduces the time required for check-in for a passenger and does not claim the capacity of an airport.

The problem is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the subclaims.

Compared to the current state of the art, the new system allows the mobile check-in of passenger passengers and their luggage before arrival of the passengers in an arrival zone at the airport, by electronically entering the passenger and / or travel data into mobile check-in terminal, which is located in a motor vehicle wherein the terminal (in particular by a connected to the terminal or in the terminal weighing device) performs a weighing of the baggage charges for excess or special baggage, the baggage to be given wrapped film and / or sealed, wherein one or more boarding passes and / or one or more luggage sections are created and issued for attachment to the luggage and wherein the checked-in luggage stored in the motor vehicle and by means of this to a transport and sorting system at the airport or a transfer point transported to a transport and sorting facility at the airport for onward transport.

The new system according to the invention is u. a. Passengers can also check in with luggage outside the airport. Currently, check-in procedures at airports are either staffed check-in desks or more modern and advanced so-called check-in terminals. These are terminals into which the customer intending to fly his customer card, e.g. B. his Miles + More card, or a personal document, for. For example, passport or identity card, in order to receive then his boarding pass. The check-in of checked baggage is possible in each current variant only directly at the airport on site.

The system allows a passenger to check-in in advance from any location (especially home, office, hotel, shop or temporary terminal) and to drop off luggage (including special baggage) without the airport's existing infrastructure use. The passenger can then go directly to the security area of the airport on the day of the flight, which not only saves time, but also significantly reduces the distances the passenger has to travel at the airport. A mobile version of a check-in terminal is housed in a motor vehicle. The terminal may be reversibly or permanently installed in the motor vehicle. In the motor vehicle, it may be z. B. to act a minibus or van, which has sufficient cargo space to accommodate luggage. Preferably, the driver of the transporter is trained in handling the terminal and can perform the check-in process. For this purpose, the passenger and / or travel data of the passenger are manually entered into the terminal. However, it may also be preferred that the passenger submits a booking expression that is read into the terminal by appropriate means. For example, a booking code which is present as a QR code, letter or number sequence or bar code can be read in at the terminal by means of a corresponding mobile scanning device. The passenger and flight data are called up and the boarding pass of the passenger / passengers can be edited and printed. In addition, it is possible that further options or criteria related to the flight may be selected, such as: Seat selection, choice of a vegetarian meal, etc. Essentially, the mobile terminal variant enables all operations to be processed location-independently, which are otherwise processed at the airport. It may also be preferred for a passenger to check in at an inner-city remote terminal, or check in or drop off the luggage here.

Furthermore, the weight of the checked baggage is determined by means of a weighing device and any excess baggage charges are calculated. The weighing device is advantageously a component of the mobile terminal, but can also be configured separately and connected to the terminal via corresponding connection means. The terminal calculates on the basis of the determined weight the incurred fees for excess baggage. It is also possible to give up special baggage.

The checked baggage items are provided after weight determination with printed by the terminal and self-adhesive designed baggage sections, so that a unique identification of each piece of luggage is possible. The luggage sections are known in the art. They essentially comprise the passenger and flight data in the form of a code.

After the passenger and flight data between the mobile terminal and the central server of the airline have been adjusted, and an authentication of the passenger took place, the boarding pass of the passenger can be printed by means of the integrated printer in the terminal. Of course, the mobile check-in terminal also allows the check-in of multiple passengers and their luggage and accordingly the printing of several boarding passes and baggage sections.

The checked-in pieces of luggage are stored in the motor vehicle and transported by means of this to a transport and sorting system at the airport or loaded at a transhipment point and transported with other collected luggage in a specially reserved motor vehicle to the transport and sorting system at the airport. The driver of the motor vehicle can essentially determine the time when he starts the transport and sorting system and delivers the luggage, the process preferably of the time critical piece of luggage is determined. Time-critical means in the context of the invention that is determined by an appropriate software, which departure takes place in the next time and which piece of luggage must be transported to the airport accordingly, so a timely recording of the baggage at the airport and loading of the aircraft are ensured.

The passenger, who in the sense of the invention is also referred to as "user", "user", "passenger passenger" or "passenger", can make the time of the mobile check-in flexible, it being preferred that the mobile check-in be at least 2 to 48 Hours, preferably 3 to 36 hours and more preferably 4 to 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the passenger passengers takes place. However, it may be preferable for the passenger to make the time of the mobile check-in flexible, thus checking in his baggage more than 48 hours before the scheduled departure and receiving the boarding pass.

It is preferred that the mobile check-in system be booked by telephone, via a mobile terminal or via the Internet by the passenger passenger or from a hotel, a travel agency, a tour operator or an airline or a groundhandling service provider. Of course, the booking can also be carried out by an employee or a person bound by the aforementioned service provider. Advantageously, it is also possible that the passenger is informed after the successful booking about the time of check-in. That is, the passenger may be notified in writing or orally. If the meeting between the motor vehicle, comprising the mobile check-in terminal and the passenger, does not take place at a location known to the passenger, the passenger may send a card (or a reference) with a corresponding instruction to his mobile terminal and / or via E -Mail sent.

• – Schnelle Übertragung der Transportaufträge zu den Kraftfahrzeugen
• – Kommunikation via einfachem Nachrichtenaustausch (Text und/oder Sprache)
• – Ortung und Navigation der Kraftfahrzeuge durch schnellste Zielführung mit Sprachausgabe sowie aktuellste und punktgenaue Positionsbestimmung der Kraftfahrzeuge
• – Generierbare Fahrtenbücher
• – Fahrzeug-Managementlösung mit automatisierter Übertragung
• – Statistik aller Kraftfahrzeug-CAN-Bus Daten jederzeit verfügbar
• – Schnittstellen zu allen gängigen ERP- und Dispositionssystemen

The booking of the system is preferably stored by a central server and sent information on the pickup location of the luggage to a receiving device in the motor vehicle by means of telematics. A central server stores the request or booking and uses the flight data to be entered to calculate whether the piece of luggage is to be classified as a time-critical item of luggage. That is, the server checks which time difference exists between the agreed or desired pickup date and the actual departure time. Once the collection date has been verified by the server, the time is transmitted by telematics to a receiving device of the motor vehicle. The benefits of telematics include:

• - Fast transfer of transport orders to motor vehicles
• - Communication via simple message exchange (text and / or language)
• - Location and navigation of motor vehicles through the fastest route guidance with voice output as well as the latest and pinpoint positioning of motor vehicles
• - Generable logbooks
• - Vehicle management solution with automated transmission
• - Statistics of all vehicle CAN bus data available at any time
• - Interfaces to all common ERP and scheduling systems

It can thus be ensured that current booking orders are available to the driver of the motor vehicle, the destinations to be approached being sent from the server to the receiving device and the receiving device advantageously comprising a navigation system which calculates an optimum route for the motor vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment, the terminal performs an APIS (pre-passenger information system) and / or visa check of the passengers to be checked. In particular, the pre-passenger information system is an automated system for sending personal data to some states, particularly the US, which require them for entry and exit. The transmitted data preferably include: name, first name, biometric data, date of birth, nationality, passport number and / or gender. The airlines in the Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG) have agreed on a standard form for US travelers. It records the data that the US authorities want to receive before departure in Germany. Travelers should receive the form at the time of booking and present it at check-in. There, in addition to the passport data, the country in which the passenger lives and the first address in the USA (hotel, car rental station) are queried. The airlines want to prevent that each airline makes different specifications. Many airlines (such as Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways and Air Canada) offer the possibility to enter and save the desired information on their respective websites. Advantageously, the relevant data can also be specified by the passenger during the mobile check-in, the data being sent from the terminal to the airline's server.

It may be advantageous if the luggage is film-wrapped after the mobile check-in and / or sealed. Differently shaped pieces of luggage are also packed differently. For example, hard shell cases are preferably sealed only and not previously wrapped. Film wrapping or sealing ensures that no further items are inserted into the baggage after check-in and that the baggage is not damaged.

In a further aspect, the invention includes a motor vehicle for transporting the system for mobile check-in of passenger passengers and their luggage, the motor vehicle comprising a mobile check-in terminal. Compared to the current state of the art, a motor vehicle is to be provided in which a mobile check-in terminal is enclosed and also has sufficient space for the luggage. The motor vehicle also has special damping and spring systems, so that the check-in terminal is not damaged.

The motor vehicle preferably comprises a mobile film winding and / or sealing device and / or a receiving device for telematics. The Folienwickel- and / or sealing device can be reversibly fitted into the interior of the vehicle, the device is preferably designed such that it can be swung out when needed and thus also allows the film winding and / or sealing of bulky luggage. Of course, it may also be preferable to separate the film winding and / or sealing device from the motor vehicle and, for example, to position it next to the vehicle and to carry out the film winding and / or sealing of luggage there. Preferably, a suitable film is used to seal the baggage and the bag completely wrapped with the film, or even with a close mesh or similar material and / or secured by a security seal, this security seal can be applied only once and an opening of the Luggage and thus the stowage or removal of objects prevented. In a preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises a mobile variant of a CUTE or CUPPS system or of a comparable check-in system, which depicts a respective departure control system of an airline. The term "CUTE" (Engl. "Common Use Terminal Equipment") referred to in the context of the invention, in particular a check-in terminal, which is characterized by a common use of a computer infrastructure by several airlines, eg. For example, workstations for check-in agents and boarding terminals are distinguished. The devices are advantageously provided and maintained by a central provider. The term "CUPPS" (English for "Common Use Passenger Processing System") refers to another communication standard that replaces the older CUTE standard. For airlines, the CUPPS standard has the advantage that they do not have to develop different applications for different platforms, which leads to significant cost reductions. Compared to the current state of the art, the motor vehicle can be equipped with a check-in terminal, which is based on the CUTE, the CUPPS standard or a comparable standard for the check-in of passenger passengers and their luggage and thus a universal use by the compatibility with the requirements different airlines, is possible.

The invention will be explained below with reference to figures, wherein the invention is not limited to these.

The 1 - 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Passengers must either bring their baggage to the airport on the actual day of departure for their trip or the night before, and drop it off at check-in counter or automated Baggage Drop as baggage. This also applies to the use of the web or telephone check-in, which is already widespread today. With the preferred system, it is now possible to check in including luggage outside the airport, z. B. make directly from home. For example, via an Internet platform, a mobile app or a telephone hotline passengers can order the necessary infrastructure for check-in and baggage back home and thus save time and effort and make their journey relaxed. The like is not known from the prior art.

• 1. Der Passagier oder eine Gruppe von Passagieren, z. B. eine Familie, bestellt über das Internet oder eine telefonische Hotline. Die Bestellung für den Vorabend-Check-in muss rechtzeitig genug erfolgen, damit ausreichend Zeit zum Abholen des Gepäcks besteht. Für Flüge, die am selben Tag abfliegen, gilt bevorzugt eine Vorlaufzeit von mindestens 4 Stunden vor Abflug. Der Kunde nennt bei der Bestellung die Abholadresse und die Art und Anzahl der Gepäckstücke sowie den Flug, für den eingecheckt werden soll.
• 2. Über die Hotline oder ein direktes Feedback am Bildschirm wird dem Passagier anschließend mitgeteilt, ob eine Abholung möglich ist und innerhalb welchen Zeitraums ein Fahrzeug voraussichtlich das Gepäck abholen wird.
• 3. In der Dispositionszentrale wird hierfür der Auftrag mit Hilfe eines Optimierungstools dem Fahrzeug bzw. dem Fahrer zugeordnet, bei dem die geringsten Fahrt- und Zeitkosten entstehen. Somit ist gewährleistet, dass Umwege für die Fahrzeuge möglichst minimiert werden.
• 4. Direkt nach der Beauftragung durch den Kunden werden die Adresse und weitere relevante Daten an das entsprechende Fahrzeug übermittelt und so in dessen Tourenplanung aufgenommen.
• 5. Zum vorausberechneten Zeitpunkt holt dann der Fahrer das Gepäck bei der übermittelten Adresse ab. Die Passagiere bringen ihre Koffer und Taschen bzw. sonstigen Gepäckstücke zur Aufgabe zum Fahrzeug oder es werden auf Wunsch die Gepäckstücke auch direkt in der Wohnung abgeholt. Hier werden analog zum Check-in-Vorgang am Flughafen die Reisedokumente überprüft, das Gepäck gewogen und mit entsprechenden Tags versehen, dem Passagier entsprechend seiner Wünsche die Sitzplatzwahl angeboten sowie die Bordkarten ausgehändigt. Gegebenenfalls anfallende Gebühren, zum Beispiel für Über- oder Sondergepäck, werden ebenfalls vom Fahrer kassiert, wobei sämtliche gängigen Zahlungsmittel (bar, Kredit- und ec-Karte) zugelassen sind.
• 6. Im Anschluss setzt das Fahrzeug seine Tour entsprechend der optimierten Routenplanung fort bzw. fährt das eingeladene Gepäck entweder direkt zum Flughafen oder an einen zentralen Sammelpunkt zur Umladung. Dadurch soll vermieden werden, dass sämtliche Fahrzeuge den zeitaufwändigen Weg zum Flughafen fahren müssen. Die Umladung ermöglicht somit eine Bündelung des Gepäcks, so dass die Abholfahrzeuge weiterhin Kundenadressen anfahren können.
• 7. Das Gepäck gelangt schließlich zum Flughafen und dort direkt in die Gepäckförderanlage des Flughafens. Es erfolgen durch den Flughafen zunächst die Sicherheitskontrolle und schließlich die Sortierung entsprechend der verschiedenen Destinationen. Dadurch, dass das Gepäck bereits eingecheckt und durch Baggage-Tags gekennzeichnet ist, kann sowohl die Zuordnung zu den entsprechenden Flügen erfolgen, als auch sichergestellt werden, dass entsprechend der Sicherheitsvorschriften kein Gepäck ohne den zugehörigen Passagier an Bord geht.
• 8. Gepäck, welches bereits am Vorabend eingecheckt wird, gelangt in einen dafür durch den Flughafenbetreiber vorgehaltenen Aufbewahrungsraum, um erst am nächsten Tag in die Sortieranlage zu gelangen. Um den Abholservice auch über die Öffnungszeiten des Flughafens hinaus anbieten zu können, können die Gepäckstücke, die nicht mehr am selben Abend zum Flughafen gebracht werden können, gesichert eingelagert werden. Somit kann insbesondere der Service des Vorabend-Check-ins, der bislang üblicherweise von 18–21 Uhr angeboten wird, erweitert werden.

For this purpose, mobile check-in terminals are integrated into vehicles and preferably connected to the booking systems of the airlines via a wireless connection (eg via UMTS or LTE). The procedure is preferably as follows:

• 1. The passenger or a group of passengers, e.g. A family, ordered over the Internet or a telephone hotline. The order for the eve check-in has to be done on time enough to allow enough time to pick up the luggage. For flights departing on the same day, there is preferably a lead time of at least 4 hours before departure. When ordering, the customer names the pickup address and the type and number of pieces of baggage as well as the flight to check in for.
• 2. The hotline or direct feedback on the screen will then tell the passenger if pickup is possible and within what time frame a vehicle is expected to pick up the baggage.
• 3. In the dispatching center, the order is assigned to the vehicle or the driver with the help of an optimization tool, which generates the least travel and time costs. This ensures that detours for the vehicles are minimized as far as possible.
• 4. Immediately after commissioning by the customer, the address and other relevant data are transmitted to the corresponding vehicle and thus included in its tour planning.
• 5. At the time calculated in advance then the driver picks up the luggage at the provided address. The passengers bring their suitcases and bags or other luggage to the task of the vehicle or it can be picked up on request, the luggage also directly in the apartment. Here, analogous to the check-in procedure at the airport, the travel documents are checked, the luggage is weighed and provided with appropriate tags, the passenger is offered the choice of seats according to his wishes, and the boarding passes are handed out. Any applicable charges, for example for excess or special baggage, will also be collected by the driver, whereby all common means of payment (cash, credit and ec card) are permitted.
• 6. Afterwards, the vehicle will continue its tour according to the optimized route planning or drive the loaded baggage either directly to the airport or to a central collection point for transshipment. This is to avoid that all vehicles have to drive the time-consuming route to the airport. The transhipment thus allows a bundling of luggage, so that the pick-up vehicles can continue to approach customer addresses.
• 7. The baggage finally arrives at the airport and there directly into the baggage handling system of the airport. First the security control and finally the sorting according to the different destinations take place through the airport. The fact that the baggage is already checked in and marked by baggage tags, both the assignment to the corresponding flights can be made, as well as to ensure that according to the security regulations, no luggage goes without the associated passenger on board.
• 8. Luggage, which is checked in the previous evening, arrives in a storage room reserved for this purpose by the airport operator, only to arrive at the sorting facility the next day. In order to be able to offer the pick-up service beyond the opening hours of the airport, items of luggage that can not be taken to the airport the same evening can be stored securely. Thus, especially the service of the eve check-in, which is usually offered from 18-21 clock, can be extended.

Claims (24)

A system for the mobile check-in of passenger passengers and their luggage before arrival of the passengers in an arrival zone at the airport, by electronically entering the passenger and / or travel data in a mobile check-in terminal, which is located in a motor vehicle, the terminal weighing the Carries pieces of luggage, charges for excess or special baggage, wherein one or more boarding passes and / or one or more luggage sections are created and issued for attachment to the luggage and the checked-in luggage stored in the motor vehicle and by means of this to a transport and sorting be transported at the airport or a transfer point for onward transport to a transport and sorting system at the airport. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile check-in takes place at least 2 to 48 hours, preferably 3 to 36 hours and more preferably 4 to 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the passenger passengers. A system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mobile check-in is booked by telephone, via a mobile terminal or via the Internet by the passenger passenger or from a hotel, a travel agency, a tour operator or an airline or a groundhandling service provider. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the bookings are stored by a central server and information about the pick-up location of the luggage is sent to a receiving device in the motor vehicle by means of telematics. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the passenger during mobile check-in can select different criteria, in particular seat selection. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the terminal performs an APIS (pre-passenger information system) and / or visa examination. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the baggage items are film-wound and / or sealed after the mobile check-in. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the passenger checks in from any location and gives up his luggage without using the infrastructure of the airport. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile check-in terminal allows the check-in of multiple passengers and their luggage and, accordingly, the printing of several boarding passes and baggage sections. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein a mobile version of a check-in terminal is reversibly or permanently installed in a motor vehicle. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the passenger and / or travel data of the passenger are manually entered into the terminal. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein by means of a mobile scanning device on the terminal a booking code which is present as a QR code, letter or number sequence or barcode is read. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein a weighing device is part of the mobile terminal. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the terminal expresses self-adhesive luggage sections for unambiguous identification. A system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the system determines by software which departure is closest in time and determines which item of luggage is time-critical. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the passenger is informed in writing and / or orally after successful booking about the time of check-in. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the telematics locating and navigation of motor vehicles. A system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein logbooks are generated. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the system creates a statistic of all motor vehicle CAN bus data. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises interfaces to all common ERP and scheduling systems. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving device comprises a navigation system which calculates an optimal route for the motor vehicle. Motor vehicle for transporting the system according to claims 1 to 21 for the mobile check-in of passenger passengers and their luggage, the motor vehicle comprising a mobile check-in terminal. Motor vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the motor vehicle comprises a mobile film winding device and output device for security seals and / or a receiving device for telematics. Motor vehicle according to claims 22 or 23, wherein the terminal is a mobile variant of a CUTE, CUPPS system or a comparable system, which depicts a respective departure control system of an airline.

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