Aircraft with security alarm system

• US 20040257246A1
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capitol Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Capitol Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Pahl, Jeanette M, Waller, Donald D, Pahl, Douglas M
• Granted Patent: US 6,980,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1469 Doors between cockpit and cabin
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A passenger aircraft (10) with a security alarm system includes an aircraft fuselage (11) divided into a cockpit (14) and a passenger cabin (12). One or more portable transmitter units (17) carried by cabin crew members or other authorized personnel are adapted for discrete activation which sends a coded signal in the form of a radio frequency data burst to a receiver unit (19) located at an intermediate location in the passenger cabin (12). The receiver unit (19) activates an alarm unit (20) through hard wiring (22) past the bulkhead wall (15). The alarm unit (20) includes one or more audio or visual alarm devices (38, 40) that alerts the cockpit crew to an emergency situation in the cabin (12). The system includes a mute function that automatically mutes various alarms in the cockpit (14) to prevent distraction of the cockpit crew. During the mute on condition, the alarm assembly stores any received signals until the mute on condition is ended.

Claims

1. A passenger aircraft with a security alarm system, comprising:

a passenger aircraft fuselage;

an aircraft electric power system installed in the fuselage;

a bulkhead installed in the fuselage dividing the fuselage into a passenger cabin and a cockpit;

at least one portable battery operated transmitter unit located in the passenger cabin and intended to be carried on the person of authorized personnel;

each transmitter unit including a transmitter that can generate a signal in the form of a coded radio frequency pulse of short duration;

each transmitter unit having a switch connected to the transmitter to activate the transmitter to generate said signal;

an alarm assembly including a receiver unit and an alarm unit, said alarm assembly connected to the aircraft electric power system;

said receiver unit installed in the passenger cabin and said alarm unit installed in the cockpit and connected by wire to the receiver unit;

said receiver unit including a receiver for receipt of a coded signal from a transmitter for activation of the alarm unit;

said alarm unit including one or more alarm devices activated by a pulse signal from the receiver unit received from a transmitter in the passenger cabin.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 including:

a reset connected to the alarm unit to reset the alarm unit.

3. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein:

said alarm unit includes a visual alarm device.

4. The aircraft of claim 3 wherein:

said visual alarm device is a lamp.

5. The aircraft of claim 3 wherein:

said alarm unit includes an audio alarm device.

6. The aircraft of claim 5 including:

an auxiliary output from the alarm system connectible to other aircraft systems.

7. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein:

said alarm system includes an audio alarm device.

8. The aircraft of claim 7 wherein:

said audio alarm device is an intermittent tone generating device.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 wherein:

said alarm system includes a visual alarm device.

10. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein:

said transmitter transmits a data burst on the 900 MHz spread spectrum frequency band.

11. A passenger aircraft with a security alarm system comprising:

a passenger aircraft fuselage;

an aircraft electric power system installed in the fuselage;

a bulkhead installed in the fuselage dividing it into a passenger cabin and a cockpit, said cockpit having at least one control panel with a rail mount system for mounting aircraft avionics equipment;

at least one portable battery operated transmitter unit located in the passenger cabin and intended to be carried on the person of an authorized personnel;

each transmitter unit including a transmitter that can generate a coded signal in the form of a radio frequency data burst;

each transmitter unit having a switch connected to the transmitter to activate said transmitter to generate said signal;

an alarm assembly installed in the cockpit connected to said aircraft electrical system for power, said alarm system having a cabinet with fasteners compatible with the rail mounting system whereby the cabinet is mounted in the control panel;

said alarm assembly including a receiver unit and an alarm unit connected to the receiver unit;

said receiver unit including a receiver for receipt of a coded signal from a transmitter for activation of the alarm unit;

said alarm unit including one or more alarm devices activated upon receipt of a signal by the receiver unit received from a transmitter in the passenger cabin.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 wherein:

said transmitter can generate a coded signal in the form of one or more radio frequency data bursts in the 900 MHz spread spectrum frequency band.

13. The aircraft of claim 12 including:

a reset circuit connected to the alarm unit to reset the alarm unit.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 wherein:

said transmitter unit switch is a push button switch that is depressed in order to activate the transmitter.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 including:

a timer in the transmitter unit connected between the switch and the transmitter, said timer configured to require that the button switch be depressed a predetermined period of time before the transmitter will transmit a signal in order to prevent transmission of a signal upon accidental engagement of the switch.

16. The aircraft of claim 15 wherein:

said alarm unit includes a visual alarm device.

17. The aircraft of claim 16 wherein:

said alarm unit includes an audio alarm device.

18. The aircraft of claim 13 including:

one or more auxiliary outputs from the alarm system connectible to other aircraft systems.

19. The aircraft of claim 18 including:

a video camera connected to an auxiliary output.

20. The aircraft of claim 17 wherein:

said reset circuit includes a reset button integral with said lamp.

21. A passenger aircraft with a security alarm system comprising:

a passenger aircraft fuselage;

an aircraft electric power system installed in the fuselage;

a bulkhead installed in the fuselage dividing it into a passenger cabin and a cockpit;

at least one portable battery operated transmitter unit located in the passenger cabin and intended to be carried on the person of an authorized personnel;

each transmitter unit including a transmitter that can generate a coded signal in the form of a radio frequency data burst;

each transmitter unit having a switch connected to the transmitter to activate said transmitter to generate said signal;

an alarm assembly installed in the cockpit connected to said aircraft electrical system for power;

said alarm assembly including a receiver unit and an alarm unit connected to the receiver unit;

said receiver unit including a receiver for receipt of a coded signal from a transmitter for activation of the alarm unit;

said alarm unit including one or more alarm devices activated upon receipt of a signal by the receiver unit received from a transmitter in the passenger cabin;

a reset circuit connected to the alarm unit to reset the alarm unit;

a mute control installed in said cockpit in order to mute selected aircraft operational functions during critical aircraft operational procedures, said mute control generating a mute signal to signify a mute-on condition and a mute-off condition;

said alarm assembly connected to the mute control for recognizing said mute signal and, when the mute signal is in the mute-on condition, storing signals received from a transmitter unit while the mute-on condition is in effect, and transmitting the stored signal to the alarm unit when the mute-on condition is ended.

22. The aircraft of claim 21 wherein:

said transmitter can generate a coded signal in the form of one or more radio frequency data bursts in the 900 MHz spread spectrum frequency band.

23. The aircraft of claim 22 wherein:

said means for recognizing said mute signal includes a microprocessor.

24. The aircraft of claim 23 including:

a timer in the transmitter unit connected between the switch and the transmitter, said timer configured to require that the button switch be depressed a predetermined period of time before the transmitter will transmit a signal in order to prevent transmission of a signal upon accidental engagement of the switch.

25. The aircraft of claim 23 wherein:

said alarm unit includes a visual alarm device.

26. The aircraft of claim 24 wherein:

said visual alarm device is a lamp.

27. The aircraft of claim 24 wherein:

said alarm unit includes an audio alarm device.

28. The aircraft of claim 27 including:

one or more auxiliary outputs from the alarm system connectible to other aircraft systems.

29. The aircraft of claim 28 including:

a video camera connected to an auxiliary output.

30. The aircraft of claim 26 wherein:

said reset circuit includes a reset button integral with said lamp.