Air transport safety and security system

• US 20040204801A1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Glasser, Jody L., Nahapetian, Arme, Steenberge, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/413,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204801A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• 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 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members

Abstract

A safety and security system is disclosed. The system includes an aircraft subsystem, a ground subsystem in communication with the aircraft subsystem via a wireless communication link, and an external system in communication with the ground subsystem via a second communication link. The aircraft subsystem includes a comparator module for comparing flight data with expected data, and a triggering module for triggering transmission of selected data when the flight data deviate from the expected data. The ground subsystem includes an analyzer module for analyzing the selected data transmitted from the aircraft. One of the ground subsystem and the external system includes a correlation module for correlating the selected data transmitted from the aircraft with information accessible by the external system.

Claims

1. A safety and security system, comprising:

an aircraft subsystem including;

a comparator module for comparing flight data with expected data; and

a triggering module for triggering transmission of selected data when the flight data deviates from the expected data;

a ground subsystem in communication with the aircraft subsystem unit via a wireless communication link, wherein the ground subsystem includes an analyzer module for analyzing the selected data transmitted from the aircraft; and

an external system in communication with the ground subsystem via a second communication link, wherein one of the ground subsystem and the external system includes a correlation module for correlating the selected data transmitted from the aircraft with information accessible by the external system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft subsystem includes:

a flight management system;

a data management system in communication with the flight management system; and

a communication management system in communication with the data management system, wherein the communication management system is for transmitting the selected data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the comparator module and the triggering module reside within the flight management system.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the comparator module and the triggering module reside within the data management system.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the data management system includes a flight data acquisition unit, and wherein at least one of the comparator module and the triggering module reside within the flight data acquisition unit.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the comparator module and the triggering module reside within the communication management system.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication management system includes a communication management unit for transmitting the selected data.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication management system includes an aircraft communications addressing and reporting system for transmitting the selected data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication link includes one of a VHF communication link, a HF communication link, and a satellite communications link.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the ground subsystem includes:

a transceiver; and

a server in communication with the transceiver via a third communication link, wherein the server includes the analyzer module.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server further includes the correlation module.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the transceiver comprises a portion of a base station.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the transceiver comprises a portion of an earth station.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the third communication link comprises a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the external system is one of a civilian air traffic control system, a military air traffic control system, a military air defense system, and a military command and control system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the external system includes a server in communication with the ground subsystem via the second communication link, and wherein the server includes the correlation module.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second communication link comprises a portion of a computer network.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the correlation module comprises a portion of the ground subsystem.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the correlation module comprises a portion of the external system.

20. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

analyze selected data transmitted from an aircraft;

correlate the selected data with information received from an external system; and

generate a warning when the selected data indicate a dangerous condition.

21. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

correlate selected data transmitted from an aircraft with information resident on an external system; and

generate a warning when the selected data indicate a dangerous condition.

22. A method for warning of a dangerous condition associated with an aircraft, the method including:

collecting flight data on board the aircraft;

comparing the flight data to expected data;

triggering transmission of selected data when the flight data deviate from the expected data;

analyzing the selected data transmitted from the aircraft;

correlating the selected data with information accessible by an external system; and

generating a warning when the selected data indicate a dangerous condition.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein correlating the selected data includes correlating the selected data with information received from the external system.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein correlating the selected data includes correlating the selected data with information resident on the external system.

25. A safety and security system, comprising:

an aircraft subsystem, wherein the aircraft subsystem includes;

means for comparing flight data with expected data; and

means for triggering transmission of selected data when the flight data deviate from the expected data;

a ground subsystem in communication with the aircraft subsystem via a wireless communication link, wherein the ground subsystem includes means for analyzing the selected data transmitted from the aircraft; and

an external system in communication with the ground subsystem via a second communication link, wherein one of the ground subsystem and the external system includes means for correlating the selected data transmitted from the aircraft with information accessible by the external system.