EP3205411B1 - Method for sorting items of luggage and luggage sorting system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for sorting items of luggage, each of which comprises an identification element with an information record in the form of plain text.

In the case of air travel, the checked baggage is usually provided with a baggage label in order to be able to sort or assign the baggage item (e.g. a destination, a passenger name and / or other information) in the course of transport. This baggage label usually contains a barcode and other transport-related information such as the baggage number, the flight number, the destination airport and, if applicable, the passenger name. Usually, the barcode is read out during transport in order to be able to sort / assign it. The baggage number is encoded with the barcode, for which the flight number and other transport-related information are stored.

A baggage label is often damaged when the item of baggage is transported (for example when it is transported over baggage belts or conveyor belts, when loading the aircraft and / or when unloading the aircraft). In particular, the baggage label can be bent and / or twisted, the baggage label can get dirty, parts of the baggage label can be torn off and / or scraped off and / or the like. If the baggage label is damaged, the barcode can no longer be recognized, so the baggage label has to be read out by hand. This results in increased personnel costs. There are also delays in sorting / allocation. In some cases it may even happen that a connecting flight can no longer be reached due to the delays.

WO-A-97/11790 discloses a system for reading addresses on packets using OCR. It is proposed to look up the addresses in a database of addresses.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method with which the sorting of items of luggage can be carried out more efficiently.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for sorting pieces of luggage, in which the pieces of luggage each include an identification element with an information record in the form of plain text and in which at least part of the information record of the identification element is automatically recorded and automatically recognized and automatically checked during a check whether the recognized part of the information record matches at least one record which is stored in a database. The information set is transferred to the database when the identification element is created. The identification record transmitted to the database is also stored in the database as a data record.

The invention is based on the idea that automatic detection of the identification element, in particular its plain text, enables efficient, in particular fast and personnel-saving processing. Furthermore, the automatic test enables an efficient, in particular a fast and personnel-saving test.

By means of the automatic check, different text versions can be run through quickly and in a personnel-saving manner and / or the probabilities of the individual text versions can be taken into account. The automatic check can also include other data sources, for example a flight plan, in order to check whether the recorded information set is plausible. For example, it can be checked whether a recorded flight number is in the current flight plan exists and is so plausible - otherwise this text version can be excluded.

The sorting is preferably carried out in an airport. "Assign baggage" can be understood as "sort baggage". In particular, when sorting a piece of luggage, the destination to which the piece of luggage is to be transported can be assigned. The destination can be a specific gate, a specific loading zone, for example a certain aircraft, a certain means of luggage transport (especially a certain baggage carousel), a destination airport or the like.

A piece of luggage can be, for example, a suitcase, a travel bag, a bulky piece of luggage, a piece of sports equipment or another piece of luggage. The identification element can also be a baggage label, also called a banderole or baggage label.

The optical detection can be understood as "detecting" the part of the information set. For example, the detection can take place by means of a reading device, in particular a scanner and / or a camera.

An at least partially automatic detection can be understood as "automatic detection". This means that the recording can include an acting person. For example, the acquisition can take place by means of a handheld reader, in particular a handheld scanner and / or a handheld camera. In addition, the information set can be recorded fully automatically.

"Recognizing" the part of the information set can be understood to mean reading out, in particular reading out by means of software. For example, the recognition / readout can be carried out by means of text recognition software. Furthermore, during the recognition, the recognized part of the information set can be brought into a form that can be read by a computer / software.

The information set is in the form of plain text. That is to say, the information set preferably comprises a text that can be read by humans, in particular several letters and / or numbers.

It can advantageously be read from the information record in the form of plain text how the baggage is to be sorted.

In particular, a person skilled in the art can read directly from the information record without aids how the item of luggage is to be sorted. It is also advantageous if it can be read from the information record to which destination the item of luggage is to be transported.

For example, the information set can include a destination airport code. The destination airport abbreviation can be used to identify the destination airport to which the piece of luggage is to be transported. As a rule, these airport abbreviations are displayed larger than other information so that they can be recorded more easily.

Furthermore, the information set can include a barcode. A coded form of information (s) can be understood as a barcode. The information set can preferably be derived from the barcode. The barcode can also be derived from the information record.

Information other than the barcode itself is expediently recorded and recognized, which recorded and recognized information is preferably located directly on the identification element.

Because one or more pieces of information are preferably recognized in plain text form, it can be possible to compare different and / or more pieces of information with the database.

It is also useful if the recorded part of the information record of the identification element differs from a plain text representation of the barcode. The plain text representation of the barcode can be a baggage number, for example. That is, the information set comprises at least one piece of information that does not correspond to the plain text representation of the barcode.

Furthermore, the information set can include plain text, which differs from the plain text representation of a barcode. In particular if the recorded part of the plain text differs from a plain text representation of the barcode, a plain text representation of the barcode can preferably be dispensed with. Furthermore, an automatic detection of at least part of the information set can make it possible to dispense with the barcode entirely.

It is advantageous if during the check it is checked which data record in the database has the greatest correspondence with the recorded part of the information record. For example, the recorded part of the information record can be compared character by character with the at least one data record in the database.

Expediently, it is automatically determined on the basis of the check, in particular using the recognized part of the information set, to which destination the item of luggage is to be transported. In particular, during the check it can be automatically determined with which of several available baggage transport means the item of baggage is to be transported. A luggage carrier can e.g. B. be a baggage carousel and / or a baggage tray. The baggage item is preferably sorted automatically in accordance with the determination.

The part of the information set is preferably recorded by an information recording device, in particular by a reading device. It is also advantageous if the part of the information set is recognized by means of optical text recognition, in particular by means of OCR (optical character recognition). The optical text recognition can be carried out by means of text recognition software. The optical text recognition can, for. B. recognize the part of the information set in the form of plain text character by character. Another part of the information set may not be able to be recorded and / or not recognized, for example because this other part has been damaged.

It is advantageous if, by means of optical text recognition, in particular by means of text recognition software, hypotheses are set up as to which text could be on the identification element. For example, multiple text versions can be created using optical text recognition. Furthermore, the optical text recognition can indicate a probability and / or a credibility for each text version. Further z. B. the text version with the highest probability and / or credibility can be viewed as the recognized part of the information set. If the recognized part of the information record does not match any of the data records, the recognized part of the information record can be replaced by a further one of the text versions, which is then preferably compared with the database.

For the purpose of checking, the created text versions are expediently compared with the data records in the database. Furthermore, it is determined between which of the text versions there is the best match with one of the data records.

If the recognized part of the information record matches a data record in the database, it can preferably be recognized how the item of luggage is to be sorted.

The information set advantageously comprises a plurality of items of information. It is also useful if at least one of the items of information is at least partially recognized. It is preferred if at least one of the items of information is fully recognized. Furthermore, at least two of the items of information can be at least partially recognized.

The information set can include a baggage number as information. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the information set comprises a boarding number, a passenger name, a flight number, a starting airport abbreviation Stopover airport code and / or a destination airport code as information. The information set can include further information, such as a flight date. The flight date can include the day, month and / or time of the flight. The part of the information set that is automatically recorded and recognized is expediently at least part of this information. The departure airport, the intermediate airport or the destination airport can be the respective airports of the piece of luggage.

It is also useful if the data record includes a baggage number, a boarding number, a passenger name, a flight number, a departure airport code, an intermediate airport code and / or a destination airport code. In addition, the data record can include further information, such as a flight date.

Because one or more arbitrary items of information in the information set are preferably at least partially recognized, it can be possible to compare different items of information with the database.

Preferably, several of the pieces of information in the information set are recognized. It is also advantageous if, during the check, it is checked whether the multiple pieces of information match at least one data record in the database.

Furthermore, part of the information set can be at least partially recognized and compared with several data sets in the database. Furthermore, if the part of the information set does not match any of the data sets, the information set can be replaced by that data set which has the highest match with the information set.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the database is a dynamic database. It makes sense to generate the data records in the dynamic database automatically.

The data records of the dynamic database can also be generated independently. The dynamic database is expediently updated continuously, in particular every second. A data record preferably includes the information about the destination to which an item of luggage is to be transported.

The piece of luggage can be a piece of flight luggage. The piece of luggage can also be sorted at an airport.

In particular, the data record can be stored or generated in the database when the bag is handed over at the airport, e.g. B. at a check-in. For example, the creation of the data record can take place simultaneously with the creation of the identification element or it can be time-delayed.

This means that an airport at which the item of luggage is sorted can have created the data record itself, in particular if the airport is the airport of departure.

It is advantageous if a data record generated from the information set is transmitted to all airports involved in the transport of a piece of luggage, for example to a departure airport, to a destination airport and / or to an intermediate airport.

That is to say, an airport at which the item of luggage is sorted may have received the data record from another airport, in particular if the airport at which the item of luggage is sorted is an intermediate airport or a destination airport for the item of luggage. In this way it can be guaranteed that each of the participating airports can access the complete data set. If the identification element is read in at one of the participating airports, the recorded part of the information record can be compared directly with the at least one data record, regardless of which of the participating airports the piece of luggage is currently in. As a rule, the identification element is not damaged until the item of luggage is being transported, so that there is a need to compare the identification element with the at least one data record at the intermediate airport or at the destination airport.

It can also be recorded in the database when the piece of luggage arrives at its luggage destination. The luggage destination can e.g. B. be a certain baggage claim belt in the destination airport. The data record relating to this item of luggage is preferably deleted after a predetermined period of time, in particular after 24 hours after the item of luggage has arrived at the luggage destination.

It is advantageous if the database at least partially includes information on a flight plan. The flight plan can include flight numbers of arriving aircraft and / or departing aircraft, their departure airport, their landing airport, their departure time and / or their landing time. It is further preferred if, during the check, it is checked whether the recognized part of the information set corresponds to at least one of the flight plan information items stored in the database. In particular, it can be checked during the check whether the recognized part of the information set is plausible.

For example, during the check it can be checked whether the recognized flight number actually exists, whether the flight with the recognized flight number has already landed, whether the flight from the recognized airport has already landed and / or the like. If recognized information is not plausible, a different version of the information set may become more likely.

Preferably the flight plan is the current flight plan; H. For example, the flight plan for the last 48 hours and the next 96 hours, preferably the flight plan for the last 24 hours and the next 48 hours.

The invention also relates to a baggage sorting system for carrying out a method according to the invention. The baggage sorting system according to the invention comprises an information acquisition device for automatic acquisition of the information set in the form of plain text and a checking unit which is set up to automatically check during a check whether a recognized part of the information set corresponds to at least one data set stored in a database.

The baggage sorting system according to the invention can be the baggage sorting system mentioned above in connection with the method. Consequently, the elements of the baggage sorting system mentioned below can be the elements mentioned above in connection with the method.

The information acquisition device is preferably a reading device. Furthermore, the reading device can capture at least part of the information set. In addition, the reading device can transmit the recorded part of the information set to text recognition software. Optical text recognition can preferably be carried out by means of the text recognition software. For example, the checking unit can comprise the text recognition software.

Furthermore, the checking unit can comprise the database. Furthermore, the test unit can have access to the database, in particular access to a storage medium on which the database is stored.

The information acquisition device and the test unit are expediently connected to one another by a cable, in particular by a data transfer cable.

The description of advantageous embodiments of the invention given so far contains numerous features, some of which are reproduced in several combined form in the individual subclaims. These features can, however, expediently also be viewed individually and combined to form further useful combinations. In particular, these features can each be combined individually and in any suitable combination with the method according to the invention and the baggage sorting system according to the invention. In this way, procedural features can also be seen as a property of the corresponding baggage sorting system and vice versa.

Even if some terms are used in the singular or in connection with a numerical word in the description or in the patent claims, the scope of the invention for these terms should not be restricted to the singular or the respective numerical word.

The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which they are achieved will become clearer and more clearly understood in connection with the following description of the exemplary embodiments, which are explained in more detail in connection with the drawings. The exemplary embodiments serve to explain the invention and do not restrict the invention to the combination of features specified therein, not even with regard to functional features. In addition, features suitable for this purpose of each exemplary embodiment can also be viewed explicitly in isolation, removed from one exemplary embodiment, introduced into another exemplary embodiment to supplement it, and combined with any of the claims.

FIG 1

ein Gepäcksortiersystem mit Informationserfassungssystem und Prüfeinheit;

FIG 2

ein intaktes Identifikationselement; und

FIG 3

ein beschädigtes Identifikationselement.

Show it:

FIG 1

a baggage sorting system with information acquisition system and inspection unit;

FIG 2

an intact identification element; and

FIG 3

a damaged identification element.

FIG 1 shows schematically a baggage sorting system 2 with an information acquisition device 4. The information acquisition device 4 is designed as a reading device, in particular as a camera. The baggage sorting system 2 further comprises a test unit 6. In addition, the test unit 6 and the information acquisition device 4 are connected to one another by a cable 7, in particular by a data transfer cable. The checking unit 6 comprises text recognition software 8 for optical text recognition. The checking unit 6 also includes a database 10. The database 10 also includes several data records. The database 10 is a dynamic database in which the data records are automatically generated or stored. In particular, when an identification element 18 is created, an information record 22 is transmitted to the database 10 and stored in the database 10 as a data record. The identification element 22 is created when a piece of luggage 16 is checked in, for example at a departure airport.

Next is in FIG 1 a luggage belt 12 is shown, which runs over rollers 14. The directions of movement of the rollers 14 and the baggage belt 12 are shown by arrows. In principle, the item of luggage could also be transported, for example, using luggage trays and / or another means of luggage transport.

The item of luggage 16, in particular an item of flight luggage, is located on the luggage belt 12. The identification element 18, in particular a baggage label, is attached to the item of luggage 16. The identification element 18 comprises the information set 22 in the form of plain text (cf. FIG 2 and FIG 3 ).

The information acquisition device 4 is set up for the automatic acquisition of the information record 22 in the form of plain text. At least part of the information set 22 of the identification element 18 is automatically recorded. Furthermore, at least part of the information set 22 is automatically recognized, in particular by means of the text recognition software 8. In addition, during a check, in particular by means of the checking unit 6, it is automatically checked whether the recognized part of the information record 22 has at least one data record that is stored in the database 10 is, matches.

The information set 22 of the identification element 18 is in the form of plain text (cf. FIG 2 ). Furthermore, the information set 22 comprises several items of information 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 (cf. FIG 2 ).

FIG 2 shows schematically an intact identification element 18. The identification element 18 comprises a barcode 20, which is printed horizontally and vertically. The identification element 18 further comprises an information record 22 in the form of plain text. The information set 22 in turn comprises a boarding number 26, a passenger name 28, an intermediate airport code 32 and the associated flight number 30 and a destination airport code 34 and the associated flight number 30 as information. The information set 22 also includes an issue date 36 and a flight date 38. The information set 22 also includes a baggage number 24 which corresponds to the plain text representation of the barcode 20.

FIG 3 shows an example of the identification element 18 from FIG 2 which is now damaged, especially twisted and stuck together. For example, an item of luggage 16 with such a damaged identification element 18 arrives at an intermediate airport and has to be sorted.

In the case of the damaged identification element 18, the barcode 20 and the baggage number 24 are damaged in such a way that this information 20, 24 is now illegible. Using the in FIG 1 Baggage sorting system 2 shown can be part of the Information set 22 can be detected and recognized. The text recognition (software) 8 recognizes the part of the information set 22 character by character. Another damaged part of the information set 22 cannot be detected and / or cannot be recognized. The optical text recognition 8 recognizes a plurality of items of information 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 of the information set 22 at least partially. For example, part of the passenger name 28 can be recognized, e.g. B. MUSTERMA, and another part of the passenger name 28 cannot be recognized because the characters of the other part, e.g. B. NN, damaged and thus illegible. Furthermore, the destination airport abbreviation 34 is fully recognized, for example.

The text recognition (ssoftware) 8 off FIG 1 hypothesizes what text could be on the identification element 18. For example, multiple text versions can be created by means of the optical text recognition 8. Furthermore, the optical text recognition 8 indicates a probability for each text version. For example, the optical text recognition 8 creates the text versions LH 550, LH 650 and LH 850 for flight number 30 to the destination airport with the probabilities 40%, 50%, 10%. Further z. B. the text version with the highest probability (here LH 650) can be viewed as recognized information in the recognized part of the information set 22.

The database 10 of the intermediate airport at which the item of luggage 16 is to be sorted has received the data record from a departure airport of the item of luggage 16. This means that the data record relating to the item of luggage 16 was generated at the departure airport, which data record was then transmitted to all participating airports, that is to say to the intermediate airport as well as to the destination airports. The checking unit 6 (of the intermediate airport) can thus access a complete data set. In this example, the recognized part of the information set 22 does not match any of the data records, so that the recognized part of the information set 22 can be replaced by another of the text versions (e.g. the recognized Part of the information set 22 the recognized flight number 30 LH 650 can be replaced by the other text version LH 550), which other text version is then preferably compared with the database 10.

The database 10 also contains a flight plan for the intermediate airport. The information set can be further compared with the flight plan. In this way, flight numbers 30 and airport abbreviations 32, 34 can be compared with the flight plan and it can be established whether the information recognized is plausible. The flight number 30 LH 650 to the destination airport of the item of luggage 16 is not plausible, for example, if a flight with such a flight number 30 z. B. does not take off within the next 24 hours. Furthermore, for example, the destination airport abbreviation 34 of the information set 22 can be compared with the landing airports of departing aircraft entered in the flight plan and, if they match, e.g. possible flight numbers 30 to the destination airport.

The in FIG 1 The baggage sorting system 2 illustrated is checked during a check to determine which data record of the database 10 has the greatest correspondence with the recorded part of the information record 22. During the check, it is checked whether the plurality of pieces of information or information parts of the information record 22 recognized match at least one data record in the database 10. In this way, the item of luggage 16 can be assigned a destination and / or other information, ie the item of luggage 16 can be sorted.

On the basis of the check, in particular using the recognized part of the information record 22, it is automatically determined to which destination the item of luggage 16 is to be transported. The item of luggage 16 is preferably sorted automatically in accordance with the determination.

In principle, information of the identification element other than that mentioned here (for example the issue date 36 and the flight date 38) can also be recorded and recognized and used in the comparison with the data records in the database.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in more detail by the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not restricted by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

List of reference symbols

2

Baggage sorting system

4th

Information capture device

6

Test unit

7th

electric wire

8th

Text recognition (ssoftware)

10

Database

12

Baggage carousel

14th

role

16

Piece of luggage

18th

Identification element

20th

Barcode

22nd

Information set

24

Baggage number

26th

Boarding number

28

Passenger names

30th

Flight number

32

Interim airport abbreviation

34

Destination airport abbreviation

36

Issue date

38

Flight date

Claims (14)

1. Method for sorting pieces of luggage (16), each including an identification element (18) comprising an information set (22) in the form of plain text,
   wherein

   - at least part of the information set (22) in the identification element (18) is automatically acquired and automatically recognised and

   - in a check, it is automatically verified whether the part of the information set (22) that has been recognised matches at least one dataset that is stored in a database (10) ;

   - wherein the information set (22) is transmitted to the database (10) during the generation of the identification element (18) and is stored in the database (10) as a dataset.
2. Method according to claim 1,
   characterised in that the identification element (18) includes a barcode (20), wherein the part of the information set (22) in the identification element (18) that has been acquired differs from a plain text representation of the barcode (20).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that it is verified during the check which dataset in the database (10) has the closest match with the part of the information set (22) that has been acquired.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that the destination to which the piece of luggage (16) is to be transported is determined automatically on the basis of the check.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that the part of the information set (22) is acquired by an information acquisition apparatus (4), in particular by a reader, and is recognised by means of optical text recognition (8).
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that the information set (22) includes a plurality of information items (24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38) and that at least one of the information items (24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38) is at least partly recognised.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that the information set (22) in the identification element (18) includes as information items a luggage number (24), a boarding number (26), a passenger's name (28), a flight number (30), a code for a departure airport, a code for a transit airport (32) and/or a code for a destination airport (34)
   and that the part of the information set (22) that is acquired and recognised automatically is at least part of these information items (24, 26, 28, 32, 34).
8. Method according to claim 7,
   characterised in that a plurality of the information items (24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34) in the information set (22) are recognised and that it is verified during the check as to whether the plurality of information items (24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34) matches at least one dataset (10) in the database.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that a part of the information set (22) is at least partly recognised and is compared with a plurality of datasets in the database (10) and, if the part of the information set (22) does not match any of the datasets, the information set (22) is replaced by the dataset that has the closest match with the information set (22).
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterised in that the database (10) is a dynamic database the datasets whereof are generated automatically.
11. Method according to claim 1,
    characterised in that the piece of luggage (16) is an item of flight luggage, which is sorted at an airport, and that a dataset which is generated from the information set (22) is transmitted to all the airports involved in the transportation of a piece of luggage (16), for example to a departure airport, to a destination airport, and/or to a transit airport.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterised in that it is determined in the database (10) when the piece of luggage (16) arrives at its luggage destination, and the dataset relating to this piece of luggage (16) is deleted after a predetermined period of time, in particular after 24 hours have elapsed since the arrival of the piece of luggage (16) at the luggage destination.
13. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterised in that the database (10) at least partly includes information items pertaining to a flight schedule, which schedule includes flight numbers of incoming aircraft and/or departing aircraft, their departure airport, the airport where they land, their departure time and/or their landing time, and
    that in the check, it is verified whether the part of the information set (22) that has been recognised matches at least one of the items of flight schedule information that are stored in the database (10), in particular whether the part of the information set (22) that has been recognised is plausible.
14. Luggage sorting system (2) for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, having an information acquisition apparatus (4) for automatically acquiring the information set (22) in the form of plain text, and a checking unit (6), which is designed to automatically verify, during a check, whether a part of the information set (22) that has been recognised matches at least one dataset that is stored in a database (10).

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