Search and rescue training simulator

• US 20060154219A1
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Singer, Brian P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/219
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/00 Teaching reading teaching lip-reading G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/02 for teaching control of vehicles or other craft

Abstract

A search and rescue training simulator and method. The training simulator comprises a first generating means, a second generating means, a third generating means, and a fourth generating means. The first generating means generates a simulated vehicle in motion performing a search and rescue function. The simulated vehicle includes a vehicular control panel. The second generating means generates a simulated environment. The third generating means generates a simulated receiver apparatus within the vehicular control panel. The fourth generating means generates a simulated transmitter apparatus within the simulated environment. The simulated transmitter apparatus is adapted to generate and transmit a signal. The simulated receiver apparatus is adapted to receive the signal and assist a user in locating the simulated transmitter apparatus in the simulated environment.

Claims

1. A training simulator, comprising:

first generating means for generating a simulated vehicle in motion performing a search and rescue function, wherein said simulated vehicle comprises a vehicular control panel;

second generating means for generating a simulated environment;

third generating means for generating a simulated receiver apparatus within the vehicular control panel; and

fourth generating means for generating a simulated transmitter apparatus within the simulated environment, wherein said simulated transmitter apparatus is adapted to generate and transmit a signal, wherein said simulated receiver apparatus is adapted to receive said signal and assist a user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in said simulated environment.

2. The training simulator of claim 1, wherein said simulated vehicle in motion is a simulated aircraft in flight.

3. The training simulator of claim 2, wherein said simulated transmitter apparatus comprises a simulated emergency locator transmitter (ELT).

4. The training simulator of claim 3, wherein said simulated receiver apparatus comprises a simulated aircraft direction finding (DF) apparatus.

5. The training simulator of claim 4, wherein said simulated aircraft DF apparatus comprises signal strength adjustment means for adjusting a signal strength of said received signal.

6. The training simulator of claim 4, wherein said simulated aircraft DF apparatus comprises frequency selection means for selecting a receiving frequency for said simulated receiver apparatus.

7. The training simulator of claim 6, wherein said frequency selection means is adapted to assist said user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in said simulated environment by incrementally adjusting said receiving frequency.

8. The training simulator of claim 4, wherein said signal comprises an audio signal, and wherein said simulated aircraft DF apparatus comprises audio broadcasting means for broadcasting said audio signal to assist said user in said locating by allowing said user to listen to an audio strength of said audio signal and maneuver said simulated aircraft in flight according to said audio strength in order to locate said simulated transmitter apparatus.

9. The training simulator of claim 4, wherein said simulated aircraft in flight is adapted to be maneuvered to block said signal from said DF apparatus to assist said user in said locating.

10. The training simulator of claim 9, wherein said simulated aircraft in flight is further adapted to be maneuvered to block said signal from said DF apparatus by wing shadowing.

11. The training simulator of claim 4, wherein said simulated aircraft DF apparatus comprises an indication gauge for indicting to the user a direction of the simulated transmitter apparatus in relation to the simulated aircraft.

12. The training simulator of claim 1, wherein said first generating means, said second generating means, said third generating means, and said fourth generating means are each a software generating means.

13. A training simulation method, comprising:

providing a training simulator comprising a simulated vehicle in motion performing a search and rescue function within a simulated environment, a simulated receiver apparatus within the simulated vehicle, and a simulated transmitter apparatus within the simulated environment;

transmitting by said simulated transmitter apparatus, a signal;

receiving by said simulated receiver apparatus, said transmitted signal; and

assisting by said signal and said simulated receiver apparatus, a user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in said simulated environment.

14. The method claim 13, wherein said simulated vehicle in motion is a simulated aircraft in flight.

15. The method claim 13, wherein said simulated transmitter apparatus comprises a simulated emergency locator transmitter (ELT).

16. The method claim 15, wherein said simulated receiver apparatus comprises a simulated aircraft direction finding (DF) apparatus comprising a DF gauge.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing a signal strength adjustment means within said simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

adjusting a signal strength of said received signal.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing a frequency selection means within said simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

selecting by said frequency selection means, a receiving frequency for said simulated receiver apparatus.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising incrementally adjusting said receiving frequency to assist said user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in said simulated environment.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said signal comprises an audio signal, wherein said simulated aircraft DF apparatus comprises an audio broadcasting means for broadcasting said audio signal, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving by the user, the audio signal; and

maneuvering by the user, the simulated aircraft in flight according to an audio strength of said audio signal in order to locate said simulated transmitter apparatus.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing an indication gauge within simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

indicating by the indication gauge to the user, a direction of the simulated transmitter apparatus in relation to the simulated aircraft.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising maneuvering by the user, said simulated aircraft in flight to block said signal from said DF apparatus to assist said user in said locating.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein blocking said signal from said DF apparatus comprises wing shadowing.

24. A method for deploying computing infrastructure, comprising integrating computer-readable code comprising a training simulator into a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing the steps of:

providing within the training simulator, a simulated vehicle in motion performing a search and rescue function within a simulated environment, a simulated receiver apparatus within the simulated vehicle, and a simulated transmitter apparatus within the simulated environment;

transmitting by the simulated transmitter apparatus, a signal;

receiving by the simulated receiver apparatus, said transmitted signal; and

assisting by said signal and said simulated receiver apparatus, a user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in a simulated environment.

25. The method claim 24, wherein said simulated vehicle in motion is a simulated aircraft in flight.

26. The method claim 25, wherein said simulated transmitter apparatus comprises a simulated emergency locator transmitter (ELT).

27. The method claim 26, wherein said simulated receiver apparatus comprises a simulated aircraft direction finding (DF) apparatus comprising a DF gauge.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

providing a signal strength adjustment means within said simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

adjusting a signal strength of said received signal.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

providing a frequency selection means within said simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

selecting by said frequency selection means, a receiving frequency for said simulated receiver apparatus.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising incrementally adjusting said receiving frequency to assist said user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in said simulated environment.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said signal comprises an audio signal, wherein said simulated aircraft DF apparatus comprises an audio broadcasting means for broadcasting said audio signal, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving by the user, the audio signal; and

maneuvering by the user, the simulated aircraft in flight according to an audio strength of said audio signal in order to locate said simulated transmitter apparatus.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

providing an indication gauge within simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

indicating by the indication gauge to the user, a direction of the simulated transmitter apparatus in relation to the simulated aircraft.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising maneuvering by the user, said simulated aircraft in flight to block said signal from said DF apparatus to assist said user in said locating.

34. A computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable memory unit coupled to the processor, said memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a training simulator method, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

providing within the training simulator, a simulated vehicle in motion performing a search and rescue function within a simulated environment, a simulated receiver apparatus within the simulated vehicle, and a simulated transmitter apparatus within the simulated environment;

transmitting by a simulated transmitter apparatus, a signal;

receiving by a simulated receiver apparatus, said transmitted signal; and

assisting by said signal and said simulated receiver apparatus, a user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in a simulated environment.

35. The method claim 34, wherein said simulated vehicle in motion is a simulated aircraft in flight.

36. The method claim 35, wherein said simulated transmitter apparatus comprises a simulated emergency locator transmitter (ELT).

37. The method claim 36, wherein said simulated receiver apparatus comprises a simulated aircraft direction finding (DF) apparatus comprising a DF gauge.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

providing a signal strength adjustment means within said simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

adjusting a signal strength of said received signal.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

providing a frequency selection means within said simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

selecting by said frequency selection means, a receiving frequency for said simulated receiver apparatus.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising incrementally adjusting said receiving frequency to assist said user in locating said simulated transmitter apparatus in said simulated environment.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein said signal comprises an audio signal, wherein said simulated aircraft DF apparatus comprises an audio broadcasting means for broadcasting said audio signal, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving by the user, the audio signal; and

maneuvering by the user, the simulated aircraft in flight according to an audio strength of said audio signal in order to locate said simulated transmitter apparatus.

42. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

providing an indication gauge within simulated aircraft DF apparatus; and

indicating by the indication gauge to the user, a direction of the simulated transmitter apparatus in relation to the simulated aircraft.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising maneuvering by the user, said simulated aircraft in flight to block said signal from said DF apparatus to assist said user in said locating.