Apparatus, system and method for aircraft security and anti-hijacking intervention

• US 20060025900A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arnouse Digital Devices Corporation
• Original Assignee: Michael Arnouse
• Inventors: Arnouse, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/10
• 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: B64D 45/0056 detecting passenger or crew behavior by sensors, e.g. biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A system and method for operating an aircraft such that any hostile persons taking over the cockpit, for instance, terrorists or a disgruntled pilot, cannot control the flight path of the aircraft to enter restricted airspace, such as ‘no fly’ zones, or any authorized pilots while operating an aircraft cannot unintentionally enter any no fly zone areas.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

monitoring the position of an aircraft relative to a no fly zone;

alerting a pilot if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of the no fly zone;

allowing the pilot an opportunity to maneuver the aircraft around the no fly zone; and

,

assigning control of the aircraft to a computer system if the pilot fails to maneuver the aircraft around the no fly zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the position of an aircraft further comprises monitoring an aircraft'"'"'s position relative to a database of no fly zone areas.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the database of no fly zone areas is located on the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of communicating with one or more external databases containing current no fly zone data for updating the database of no fly zones areas located on the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of alerting a pilot if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of the no fly zone, allowing the pilot an opportunity to maneuver the aircraft around the no fly zone and assigning control of the aircraft to a computer system if the pilot fails to maneuver the aircraft around the no fly zone further comprises:

initiating a flight time calculation if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of the no fly zone;

initiating a countdown timer based on the flight time calculation; and

,

taking control of the aircraft if the countdown timer expires.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising the further step of:

updating the countdown timer based on changes in speed of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of alerting a pilot comprises the further step of initiating an audible message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the audible message changes as the aircraft approaches the no fly zone.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of:

returning control of the aircraft to a pilot if the aircraft changes position to move beyond the specified distance from the no fly zone.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of:

communicating at least one message from the aircraft to a control center.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one message comprises at least the location and identity of the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring position of an aircraft comprises the further step of determining an exact position of the aircraft using a positioning device comprising at least a global positioning device and an altimeter.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the positioning device further comprises at least one of a compass and a directional finder.

14. An apparatus for operating an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a monitoring system for comparing the position of the aircraft to a database of restricted areas;

means for assuming control of the aircraft if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of at least one of the restricted areas,

wherein the means for assuming control comprises means for engaging an automated control unit on the aircraft to execute a pre-programmed flight path.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

positioning means disposed on the aircraft for determining the position of the aircraft, said positioning means in communication with said monitoring system.

16. An aircraft control computer having loaded thereon software for performing the following steps:

monitoring the position of the aircraft relative to a database of restricted areas;

initiating a flight time calculation if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of at least one of the restricted area;

initiating a countdown timer based on the flight time calculation; and

,

taking control of the aircraft if the countdown timer expires.

17. A computer system comprising:

at least one server computer including a database of restricted areas;

at least one client computer coupled to the at least one server computer through a network, wherein the at least one client computer includes at least one program stored therein, said program performing the following steps;

monitoring the position of an aircraft relative to the database of restricted areas;

initiating a flight time calculation if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of at least one of the restricted area;

initiating a countdown timer based on the flight time calculation; and

,

taking control of the aircraft if the countdown timer expires.

18. A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for processing by a machine, the computer program comprising:

a first code segment for monitoring the position of an aircraft relative to a database of restricted areas;

a second code segment for initiating a flight time calculation if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of at least one of the restricted area;

a third code segment for initiating a countdown timer based on the flight time calculation; and

,

a fourth code segment for assigning control of the aircraft to a computer system if the countdown timer expires.

19. A system of operating an aircraft comprising:

A device for monitoring the position of an aircraft relative to a no fly zone;

A device for alerting a pilot if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of the no fly zone;

A device for allowing the pilot an opportunity to maneuver the aircraft around the no fly zone; and

,

A device for assigning control of the aircraft to a computer system if the pilot fails to maneuver the aircraft around the no fly zone.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a database storing data relating no fly zone areas.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the database of no fly zone areas is located on the aircraft.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising one or more external databases containing current no fly zone data for updating the database of no fly zones areas located on the aircraft.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

A device for initiating a flight time calculation if the aircraft comes within a specified distance of the no fly zone;

A device for initiating a countdown timer based on the flight time calculation; and

,

A device for taking control of the aircraft if the countdown timer expires.

24. The system of claim 23, comprising a device for updating the countdown timer based on changes in speed of the aircraft.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the device for alerting a pilot initiates an audible message.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the audible message changes as the aircraft approaches the no fly zone.

27. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

A device for returning control of the aircraft to a pilot if the aircraft changes position to move beyond the specified distance from the no fly zone.

28. The system of claim 19, further comprising a device for communicating at least one message from the aircraft to a control center.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one message comprises at least the location and identity of the aircraft.

30. The system of claim 19, further comprising a positioning device for determining an exact position of the aircraft.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the positioning device comprises at least a global positioning device and an altimeter.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the positioning device further comprises at least one of a compass and a directional finder.

33. The system of claim 19 further comprising one or more biometric devices for determining the identity of the pilot.

34. The system of claim 33 further comprising a database storing authorized pilots.

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising a device for comparing the identity of the pilot determined by the one or more biometric devices against the database of authorized pilots, to determine if the pilot operating the aircraft is authorized.

36. The system of claim 35 further comprising a device for assigning control of the aircraft to a computer system if the pilot is not determined to be authorized.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the one or more biometric devices comprises a fingerprint reader located on the controller for flying the aircraft

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more biometric devices further comprises a pulse reader located on the controller for flying the aircraft.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the one or more biometric devices further comprises a retina reader located in the cockpit.

40. An apparatus for monitoring location of an aircraft comprising:

a global positioning device; and

an altimeter.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a compass.

42. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a directional finder.

43. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a compass and a directional finder.