Method and apparatus for thwarting attempts to hijack aircraft and for responding to other aircraft emergencies

• US 20030128122A1
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James S. Reynolds
• Original Assignee: James S. Reynolds
• Inventors: Reynolds, James S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,995,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0015 Devices specially adapted for the protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0034 by ground-control override
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking

Abstract

Apparatus and method are provided for detecting and responding to aircraft emergencies and, in particular, thwarting attempts to hijack an aircraft including the storage in aircraft computer memory of a pattern of aircraft flight characteristics assumed to be unique to aircraft controlled by hijackers. The invention also periodically detects real-time flight characteristics from the aircraft automatic sensing apparatus and compares the real-time flight characteristics with the stored patterns of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of a hijacked aircraft. The assumed aircraft flight characteristics includes thresholds such as exceeding given airspeeds or altitudes less than a specific altitude. If an assumed stored pattern is matched by the real-time flight characteristics, automatic control is taken of the autopilot, attempts to manually control the aircraft are overridden and the aircraft is caused to automatically begin flying in an emergency holding pattern. The invention detects and responds to other emergencies also.

Claims

1. Apparatus for thwarting an attempt to hijack an aircraft, wherein said aircraft has sensing apparatus for automatically sensing a plurality of aircraft flight characteristics and said aircraft has an automatic pilot, said apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing a pattern of aircraft flight characteristics assumed to be unique to aircraft controlled by hijackers,

detection means for periodically comparing the output of said aircraft'"'"'s flight characteristic sensing apparatus with said stored pattern of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of a hijacked aircraft,

control means for taking automatic control of said autopilot when said stored pattern of assumed flight characteristics is detected and for ignoring attempts to manually control said aircraft, and

emergency flight control means for causing said aircraft to automatically begin flying an emergency holding pattern.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said automatic pilot includes modifiable microcode software, and wherein said storage means comprises modified microcode in said aircraft'"'"'s automatic pilot.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a manual hijack alarm means actuatable by any member of said aircraft flight crew, and wherein said detection means periodically senses said manual hijack alarm, and wherein said control means takes automatic control of said autopilot when either said stored pattern of assumed hijacked aircraft flight characteristics is sensed or when said manual hijack alarm has been actuated and sensed.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising emergency external ground control means for transferring control of said aircraft from said control means either to ground control to provide automatic flight control of said aircraft or to cockpit control.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said storage means is a microprocessor-based module separate from said automatic pilot and further comprising interface means for connecting said storage means to said automatic pilot.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said microprocessor-based module includes microcode software which may be modified remotely from ground control, whereby said microcode software is changeable in response to the dynamic demands of a particular emergency.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said microcode software may be updated periodically to include changes of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of a hijacked aircraft.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said microcode software may be remotely modified during the course of a hijacking to either autoland the aircraft at an appropriate airfield or fly other courses under ground control.

9. Apparatus for responding to an in-flight emergency in an aircraft, wherein said aircraft has sensing apparatus for automatically sensing a plurality of aircraft flight characteristics and said aircraft has an automatic pilot, said apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing patterns of aircraft flight characteristics assumed to be unique to aircraft subjected to in-flight emergencies,

detection means for periodically comparing the output of said aircraft'"'"'s flight characteristic sensing apparatus with said stored patterns of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of an aircraft with an in-flight emergency,

control means for taking automatic control of said autopilot when one of said stored patterns of assumed in-flight emergency characteristics is detected and for ignoring attempts to manually control said aircraft, and

emergency response means for appropriate action in the circumstances.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a manual in-flight emergency alarm means actuatable by any member of the flight crew of said aircraft, and wherein said detection means periodically senses said in-flight emergency alarm means, and wherein said control means takes automatic control of said autopilot when either one of said stored patterns is detected or when said manual in-flight emergency alarm has been actuated and detected.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said storage means is a microprocessor-based module separate from said automatic pilot and further comprising interface means for connecting said storage means to said automatic pilot.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said microprocessor-based module includes microcode software which may be modified remotely from ground control, whereby said microcode software is changeable in response to the dynamic demands of a particular emergency.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said microcode software may be updated periodically to include changes of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of an aircraft having an in-flight emergency.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said microcode software may be modified during the course of an emergency to remotely autoland said aircraft at an appropriate airfield.

15. A method for thwarting an attempt to hijack an aircraft, wherein said aircraft has sensing apparatus for automatically sensing a plurality of aircraft flight characteristics and said aircraft has an automatic pilot, said method comprising the steps:

storing a pattern of aircraft flight characteristics assumed to be unique to aircraft controlled by hijackers,

periodically comparing the output of said aircraft'"'"'s flight characteristic sensing apparatus with said stored pattern of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of a hijacked aircraft,

taking automatic control of said autopilot when said stored pattern of assumed flight characteristics is detected and overriding attempts to manually control said aircraft, and

causing said aircraft to automatically begin flying an emergency holding pattern.

16. A method for detecting and responding to an in-flight emergency in an aircraft, wherein said aircraft has sensing apparatus for automatically sensing a plurality of aircraft flight characteristics and said aircraft has an automatic pilot, comprising the steps:

storing patterns of aircraft flight characteristics in said aircraft'"'"'s autopilot assumed to be unique to aircraft subjected to in-flight emergencies,

periodically comparing the output of said aircraft'"'"'s flight characteristic sensing apparatus with said stored patterns of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of an aircraft with an in-flight emergency,

taking automatic control of said autopilot when one of said stored patterns of assumed in-flight emergency characteristics is detected and overriding attempts to manually control said aircraft, and

causing an appropriate response to said emergency.