911 Autopilot - preventing aircraft hijackings using inexpensive technology and procedures
First Claim
1. ) Claim one is a unique combination of technology and procedures, which would foil hijackings. The autopilot on aircraft would be password protected and could be engaged from take-off through landing. The pilot could not open the cockpit door without the autopilot engaged (it would automatically engage if he opened the door). And if the door were forcibly opened the autopilot would be engaged. This would eliminate control of hijacker who overpowered the pilot. A ground controller could override the password protection, but this would only done for legitimate emergencies. Using voice recognition, fingerprint or retina or any other system of identifying the pilot or the copilot, could enhance the system. These more advanced systems of protecting the disengaging of autopilot would further reduce the chance of hijacking. If the system required two forms of consent, i.e. both pilots, then this would ensure that a single deranged pilot could not even hijack the plane. And the system could be overridden by ground control in a genuine emergency. As an enhancement, remote control of the autopilot could be taken over by ground controllers if suspicious activity occurred such as the cockpit down being broken, or an emergency signal by the pilot. “
- 911 Autopilot”
offers a low cost version, which simply is a time, delayed before autopilot is disengaged. This could include an automatic call for military escort, thereby insuring that an aircraft has a military escort before control is returned to hijackers. This technology would be very easy to quickly implement since it only involves a time delay of autopilot disengagement. So password protected autopilot with complete control from takeoff until landings would be the best system but in the interim, a low cost “
911 Autopilot”
may be the only short-term solution. Any variations of password protection, and time delay for disengagement, and remote control of autopilot are covered by this invention.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Mark R. Haley has procedures and technology, which would prevent hijacking of aircraft. This system would include a password protected autopilot system, which is automatically engaged if the pilot opens the cockpit door after takeoff or if the cockpit door is forcibly opened. The password-protected autopilot could only be overridden by the pilot (or co pilot who has the password), or by a ground controller in case of emergency. Then a hijacking could not take control of the aircraft. “911 Autopilot” is a low cost variation, which simply delays disengagement of autopilot until a military escort arrives. The military escort could remotely control the release of the autopilot or a simple time delay could release autopilot. In either case, the hijacked plane would be under military escort and therefore it would be unable to be used to ram buildings.
20 Citations
1 Claim
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1. ) Claim one is a unique combination of technology and procedures, which would foil hijackings. The autopilot on aircraft would be password protected and could be engaged from take-off through landing. The pilot could not open the cockpit door without the autopilot engaged (it would automatically engage if he opened the door). And if the door were forcibly opened the autopilot would be engaged. This would eliminate control of hijacker who overpowered the pilot. A ground controller could override the password protection, but this would only done for legitimate emergencies. Using voice recognition, fingerprint or retina or any other system of identifying the pilot or the copilot, could enhance the system. These more advanced systems of protecting the disengaging of autopilot would further reduce the chance of hijacking. If the system required two forms of consent, i.e. both pilots, then this would ensure that a single deranged pilot could not even hijack the plane. And the system could be overridden by ground control in a genuine emergency. As an enhancement, remote control of the autopilot could be taken over by ground controllers if suspicious activity occurred such as the cockpit down being broken, or an emergency signal by the pilot. “
- 911 Autopilot”
offers a low cost version, which simply is a time, delayed before autopilot is disengaged. This could include an automatic call for military escort, thereby insuring that an aircraft has a military escort before control is returned to hijackers. This technology would be very easy to quickly implement since it only involves a time delay of autopilot disengagement. So password protected autopilot with complete control from takeoff until landings would be the best system but in the interim, a low cost “
911 Autopilot”
may be the only short-term solution. Any variations of password protection, and time delay for disengagement, and remote control of autopilot are covered by this invention.
- 911 Autopilot”
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeMark Ray Haley
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Original AssigneeMark Ray Haley
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InventorsHaley, Mark Ray
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Application NumberUS10/234,769Publication NumberTime in Patent OfficeDaysField of SearchUS Class Current701/11CPC Class CodesB64D 45/0031 means for overriding or res...G05D 1/0061 for transition from automat...
