Method and apparatus for preventing an unauthorized flight of an aircraft

• US 20040217232A1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Yount, Larry J., Jackson, Joseph W., Beutler, Arthur D., Christianson, Eric L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,475,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/76R
• 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: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking

Abstract

A fly-by-wire (FBW) system (104) is coupled to cockpit controls (102) of an aircraft for controlling the aircraft, and an automatic flight control system (AFCS) (108) is coupled to the FBW system for maintaining the aircraft in stable flight. An unauthorized-flight detector (110) is coupled to the FBW system and coupled to the AFCS, and is arranged to carry out (306) a transfer of control of the FBW system from the cockpit controls to the AFCS, in response to a predetermined event.

Claims

1. A method of preventing an unauthorized flight of an aircraft having a fly-by-wire (PBW) system coupled to cockpit controls of the aircraft for controlling the aircraft, having an automatic flight control system (AFCS) capable of maintaining the aircraft in stable flight and having an unauthorized-flight detector coupled to the FBW system and coupled to the AFCS, the method comprising:

carrying out, by the unauthorized-flight detector, at least a partial transfer of control of the FBW system from the cockpit controls to the AFCS, in response to a manual trigger of the unauthorized-flight detector through an operator control; and

ascending to a set altitude sufficient to avoid collision with any structure or terrain factor upon transfer of control of the FBW system to the AFCS.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft further includes a ground-control communication link, and wherein the method further comprises, after carrying out the transfer of control, restoring cockpit control in response to receiving an appropriate signal over the ground-control communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft also includes an uninterruptible power system that is not routed through a circuit breaker or switch in the cockpit, and wherein the method flier comprises supplying power from the uninterruptible power system to the unauthorized-flight detector, and to other elements required for controlling the aircraft while preventing the unauthorized flight.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft also includes a flight management system (FMS) capable of navigating the aircraft to a predetermined destination and cooperating with an automatic landing and rollout system (ALRS) at the predetermined destination to safely land the aircraft, and wherein carrying out the transfer of control comprises effecting cooperation between the FMS and the AFCS to navigate the aircraft to, and safely land the aircraft at, the predetermined destination.

6. The method of claim 5, Farther comprising lowering landing gear of the aircraft at an appropriate point before landing.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising applying brakes at an appropriate point after landing to stop the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the unauthorized-flight detector includes a position detector arranged to determine position parameters of the aircraft, and further includes a pre-programmed database of restricted airspaces, and wherein the method further comprises comparing the position parameters of the aircraft with the pre-programmed database, and wherein carrying out the transfer of control occurs in response to the position parameters indicating that the aircraft is about to enter one of the restricted airspaces.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein carrying out the transfer of control comprises changing at least one of an altitude and a direction of flight of the aircraft, such that the aircraft avoids the one of the restricted airspaces.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein carrying out the transfer of control comprises automatically restoring cockpit control using the unauthorized-flight detector after the aircraft has successfully avoided the one of the restricted airspaces.

2. Cancelled.

11. An apparatus for preventing an unauthorized flight of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a fly-by-wire (FBW) system coupled to cockpit controls of the aircraft for controlling the aircraft;

an automatic flight control system (AFCS) coupled to the FBW system for maintaining the aircraft in stable flight;

an unauthorized-flight detector coupled to the FBW system and coupled to the AFCS;

the unauthorized-flight detector arranged to carry out at least a partial transfer of control of the FBW system from the cockpit controls to the AFCS, in response to a receiving a manual trigger of an operator control for tee unauthorized-flight detector; and

wherein the AFCS is operable to cause the aircraft to ascend to an altitude sufficient to avoid structure or terrain features upon the transfer of control of the FBW system from the cockpit control to the AFCS.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a ground-control communication link coupled to the unauthorized-flight detector, and wherein, after carrying out the transfer of control, the unauthorized-flight detector is further arranged to restore cockpit control in response to receiving an appropriate signal over the ground-control communication link.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an uninterruptible power system that is not routed through a circuit breaker or switch in the cockpit coupled to the unauthorized-flight detector, for supplying power to the unauthorized-flight detector and to other elements required for controlling the aircraft while preventing the unauthorized flight.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further arranged to allow the aircraft to descend only when coupled with an automatic landing system of an airport.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a flight management system (FMS) capable of navigating the aircraft to a predetermined destination and cooperating with an automatic landing and rollout system (ALRS) at the predetermined destination to safely land the aircraft and wherein the unauthorized-flight detector is further arranged to carry out the transfer of control by effecting cooperation between the FMS and the AFCS to navigate the aircraft to, and safely land the aircraft at, the predetermined destination.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further arranged to lower landing gear of the aircraft at an appropriate point before landing.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further arranged to apply brakes at an appropriate point after landing to stop the aircraft.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the unauthorized-flight detector comprises:

a position detector arranged to determine position parameters of the aircraft; and

a pre-programmed database of restricted airspaces; and

a comparator coupled to the position detector and to the pre-programmed database for comparing the position parameters of the aircraft with the pre-programmed database, and wherein the unauthorized-flight detector is further arranged to carry out the transfer of control in response to the position parameters indicating that the aircraft is about to enter one of the restricted airspaces.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the unauthorized-flight detector is further arranged to change at least one of an altitude and a direction of flight of the aircraft, such that the aircraft avoids the one of the restricted airspaces.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the unauthorized-flight detector is further arranged to automatically restore cockpit control after the aircraft has successfully avoided the one of the restricted airspaces without intervention from outside the aircraft.

12. Cancelled.