A baggage drop system is disclosed for depositing and checking of baggage into airline flights. The baggage drop system can include a substantially horizontal frame member. The frame member can be mounted above a first conveyor equipped with a static or dynamic weighting scale. The frame member can also be mounted away from an end of the first conveyor at a distance from an upper surface of the first conveyor substantially equal to a maximum allowable height of baggage thereby forming a physical barrier for oversized baggage. A computer can be configured to compare an output of the weighing scale with allowable baggage weights.

A token (100, 703, 705, 707) for use with an item handling system (109) is provided herein. The token can be encoded with data. The data can define a further second token (801), wherein the data comprises an identifier associated with an item. The identifier can be associated with the item for processing by the item handling system.

Disclosed herein is a processing station (10) for registering a passenger's luggage for a trip. The processing station (10) comprises an injector (14) for receiving a piece of luggage associated with the passenger. A plurality of sensors (16a-16i) are associated with the injector. A weighing machine (18) is also associated with the injector (14) for weighing the piece of luggage whilst in the injector (14). The luggage processing (station 10) also comprises a user interface (20) for receiving various inputs for confirming that a passenger has checked-in and to display information to the passenger during processing of the piece of luggage. A controller (28) is associated with the sensors (16a-16i) and weighing machine (18) and the user interface (20). The controller (28) is adapted to accept the piece of luggage if the input received via the passenger's boarding pass or identification card indicate that the passenger has checked-in for the trip, feedback from the sensors (16a-16i) indicates that predetermined criteria are met, and if feedback from the weighing machine (18) indicates that weight of the piece of luggage is within a predetermined limit.

An alert output timing control apparatus is configured to hold an analysis target image and time information indicating a period of time time to be spent until alert is output, and output the analysis target image to a display apparatus. When the analysis target image is input to a model and it is determined that an alert target object is included in a photographic object of the analysis target image, the alert output timing control apparatus obtains a period of time time from the time information and performs control so that alert is output at timing that arrives when the obtained period of time time elapses since given timing after the analysis target image is output.

Disclosed herein is a processing station (10) for registering a passenger's luggage for a trip. The processing station (10) comprises an injector (14) for receiving a piece of luggage associated with the passenger. A plurality of sensors (16a-16i) are associated with the injector. A weighing machine (18) is also associated with the injector (14) for weighing the piece of luggage whilst in the injector (14). The luggage processing (station 10) also comprises a user interface (20) for receiving various inputs for confirming that a passenger has checked-in and to display information to the passenger during processing of the piece of luggage. A controller (28) is associated with the sensors (16a-16i) and weighing machine (18) and the user interface (20). The controller (28) is adapted to accept the piece of luggage if the input received via the passenger's boarding pass or identification card indicate that the passenger has checked-in for the trip, feedback from the sensors (16a-16i) indicates that predetermined criteria are met, and if feedback from the weighing machine (18) indicates that weight of the piece of luggage is within a predetermined limit.

A bag unlocking method includes receiving, by a bag handling system, a bag during a check-in process. The bag handling system identifies, from a travel carrier system, traveler information corresponding to the bag. A securing device of the bag is programmed, using an unlock code pertaining to the traveler information. The bag handling system reads a bag tag of the bag at a baggage inspection station, and determines the unlock code pertaining to the bag tag. The bag handling system transmits the unlock code to cause the securing device to unlock at the baggage inspection station.

A mobile drive apparatus (1001) for item handling. The drive apparatus comprises at least one platform for supporting an item; a drive means; and a movable door (5003, 5001) coupled to the at least one platform and configured to move between an open position in which the platform is accessible to a user and a closed position in which the platform is enclosed. The apparatus further comprises control means coupled to the drive means. The control means are configured to control the drive means to move the drive apparatus from a current location associated with an item pickup point to a second different location for processing by an item handling hub, in response to receiving an indication that a token presented by the user is a valid token.

A mobile drive apparatus (1001) for use at a transport hub, having: a drive means configured to drive the apparatus (1001) from a first location (401) to a second location (402) within the hub; a wireless communication module configured to form a wireless communications link with a resource management system (301), and receive command instructions from the resource management system (301); and a control means coupled to the drive means and coupled to the wireless communication module. The control means is configured to control the drive means to move the apparatus (1001) from a first location (401) to a second location (402) within the transport hub, in response to receiving a command instruction from the resource management system (301) via the wireless communication module.

To provide a workload calculation system capable of suppressing the possibility of the cargo handling work not being performed as planned in the work schedule at the arrival airport. A workload calculation system according to the present disclosure includes: an image pick-up unit configured to acquire an image of a cargo loaded aboard an airplane prior to the arrival of the airplane at an arrival airport; a characteristics detection unit configured to detect characteristics of the cargo by recognizing the image of the cargo acquired by the image pick-up unit; and a workload calculation unit configured to calculate a workload required to convey the cargo at the arrival airport by checking the characteristics of the cargo detected by the characteristics detection unit against pre-recorded workload information.

An example luggage processing station comprises: an injector adapted to receive a piece of luggage, the injector comprising an injector conveyor belt integrated into a floor of the injector; a group of sensors positioned around the injector directed towards the injector conveyor belt; a controller adapted to assess the piece of luggage compared to an acceptance parameter whilst the piece of luggage is stationary on the injector conveyor belt; and the controller is configured to actuate the injector conveyor belt when the controller assesses the piece of luggage as meeting the acceptance parameter.