Anti-hijacking security system and apparatus for aircraft

• US 20040078122A1
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phillip Mckinney Pippenger
• Original Assignee: Phillip Mckinney Pippenger
• Inventors: Pippenger, Phillip McKinney
• Granted Patent: US 7,006,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking

Abstract

A vehicle security system and method allows for the disabling of manual vehicle control, while automatic vehicle guidance provides control of the vehicle. The vehicle, which may be an aircraft, boat, train, truck, etc. is thus secured against unauthorized guidance that could harm passengers or other persons or property. In an embodiment, the security system automatically controls the vehicle to avoid collision with ground features when imminent collision is detected.

Claims

1. A method of securing an aircraft against unauthorized direction or misdirection comprising:

detecting a potential imminent unauthorized control input to the aircraft;

in response to the step of detecting, triggering a security mode whereby manual control of the aircraft navigation is disabled, and automatic control of aircraft navigation is commenced.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a potential imminent unauthorized control input to the aircraft comprises the step of observing of a suspected hijacker by a human operator, and wherein the step of triggering a security mode comprises the step of actuating, by a human operator, an actuator adapted to cause triggering of the security mode when actuated.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a potential imminent unauthorized control input to the aircraft comprises the step of automatically detecting intrusion past a predefined boundary, and wherein the step of triggering a security mode comprises the step of automatically triggering the security mode in response to the step of automatically detecting intrusion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

automatically selecting a nearest suitable landing site for the aircraft based on a search of a database of landing sites; and

automatically redirecting the aircraft onto a flight path terminating at the selected nearest suitable landing site.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

detecting that the location of the aircraft coincides with a point on an approach path to the selected nearest suitable landing site; and

automatically executing a landing sequence whereby a landing of the aircraft at the selected nearest suitable landing site is effected.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of

detecting that the location of the aircraft coincides with a point on an approach path to the selected nearest suitable landing site;

and

receiving remote control signals constructed to guide the aircraft during approach to and landing at the selected nearest suitable landing site.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically causing a radio transmission to be broadcast, wherein the radio transmission identifies the aircraft and indicates an entry of the aircraft into security mode.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a remotely transmitted radio transmission constructed to control the navigation of the aircraft after entry into security mode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the disabling of manual control of the aircraft navigation includes disabling manual control over cabin and cockpit environmental parameters, and wherein the commencement of automatic control of aircraft navigation includes commencement of automatic control of cabin and cockpit environmental parameters.

10. A method of securing an aircraft against misdirection resulting in a collision with a building or other ground structure or feature, comprising the steps of:

comparing a current location of the aircraft with the location of a particular ground feature in the vicinity of the aircraft'"'"'s current location by searching a database of ground feature locations;

determining, based on the step of comparing, that the current aircraft location and trajectory create a danger of imminent collision of the aircraft with the particular ground feature;

automatically disabling manual control of aircraft navigation based on the step of determining; and

calculating and causing to be automatically executed an evasive action of the aircraft whereby a collision with the particular ground feature is averted.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of;

determining that the automatically executed evasive action was not the first such evasive action automatically executed since the latest take off of the aircraft; and

in response to the step of determining that the automatically executed evasive action was not the first such evasive action automatically executed, triggering a security mode, whereby manual control of aircraft navigation continues to be disabled, and the airplane is automatically redirected to and landed at a nearest suitable landing site.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of;

determining that the automatically executed evasive action was the first such evasive action automatically executed since the latest take off of the aircraft; and

re-enabling manual control of aircraft navigation.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the database of ground features comprises a set of location and physical extent data fields associated with a corresponding set of ground features.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the database contains a ground feature associated with a group of buildings, and wherein the physical extent data field associated with the ground feature defines a single spatial envelope that encompasses the group of buildings.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the physical extent data field associated with a particular ground feature defines a spatial envelope that encompasses both the exact physical dimensions of the ground feature as well as a buffer region extending beyond the exact physical dimensions of the ground feature.