AIRCRAFT INCLUDING DATA DESTRUCTION MEANS

• US 20100235567A1
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: PERROUD, Marc, ESTRADA-FERNANDEZ, Miguel
• Application Number:
  US12/718,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20100235567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen

Abstract

The aircraft includes:

• • means for causing data of a predetermined type to be stored on board solely in one or more memories; and
  • automatic means for acting, when a predetermined event occurs, to destroy the data stored in this way.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

means for causing data of a predetermined type to be stored on board solely in one or more memories; and

automatic means for acting, when a predetermined event occurs, to destroy the data stored in this way.

2. An aircraft according to claim 1, including at least one of the following members suitable for signaling the occurrence of the predetermined event:

a moisture sensor;

a temperature sensor;

an accelerometer;

an inertial relay or sensor;

a manual control member;

a geographical positioning member;

an altimeter;

an on-board computer;

a discrete input;

a radio receiver;

a sensor for sensing removal of the memory or one of the memories; and

a sensor for sensing ejection of a pilot or a command for such ejection.

3. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the memory or one of the memories is a volatile memory.

4. An aircraft according to claim 3 including means for maintaining the memory or one of the memories under power whenever the or each main electricity power supply network of the aircraft is off.

5. An aircraft according to claim 3, wherein destruction comprises switching the memory off.

6. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the memory or one of the memories is a flash memory.

7. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the means are suitable for causing the data to be destroyed in at least one of the following modes:

erasing the data;

igniting a pyrotechnic charge;

chemical attack; and

subjecting the memory to an overvoltage.

8. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the memory is a main memory and the aircraft includes an auxiliary memory and means for causing data to be copied from the main memory to the auxiliary memory in the presence of a second predetermined event.

9. A method of protecting data on board an aircraft, the method comprising:

storing data of a predetermined type on board solely in one or more volatile memories;

maintaining the or each memory under power whenever the or each main electricity power supply network of the airplane is off; and

when a predetermined event occurs, automatically commanding destruction of the data as stored in this way.

10. A computer program, including code instructions suitable for commanding the implementation of steps of a method according to claim 9 when executed on a computer.