METHOD FOR MONITORING AND LOCKING AIRCRAFT COMPARTMENT DOORS

• US 20110273269A1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus
• Original Assignee: Airbus
• Inventors: Pujol, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 9,637,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/6.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1407 Doors; surrounding frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/003 Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0018 means on aircraft for restricting unauthorized access to the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for monitoring and locking aircraft compartment doors (1, 2, 3, 4), characterised in that said system includes a centralised device (12) for controlling the locking/unlocking in the form of a central processing unit (12) for controlling remote bolt devices having a radio transceiver device and a plurality of remote bolt devices (6) for locking/unlocking said doors provided with a radio control device connected to the transceiver device of the control device.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an aircraft, characterized in that prior to a period of non-use of the aircraft, the security of a plurality of spaces within the aircraft is checked and the doors and/or hatches providing access to these spaces are closed, said doors and/or hatches are centrally locked by means of a monitoring and locking system comprising a central locking/unlocking control device (12) in the form of a central control computer (12) that operates remote locking devices equipped with a radiofrequency emitter/receiver device and a plurality of remote locking devices (6) for locking/unlocking said doors which are provided with a radiofrequency control device connected with the emitter/receiver device of the control device and in that prior to a further period of use of the aircraft, the status of said locks is checked using said monitoring and locking system.

2. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the status of said locks is checked in the central computer of the system and in that if it is detected that at least one lock has been forced, a security check is made at least at the space sealed by the door and/or hatch equipped with said lock.

3. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that once the status of said locks has been checked, the plurality of locks is opened by means of a central control from the central computer.

4. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, with the remote locking devices comprising a magnetic lock (7), and with the remote locking devices comprising an electromagnetic control device (8, 10, 11), the plurality of locks is locked by means of the electromagnetic control device.

5. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, with the connection between the central control device and the remote locking devices being a connection of the WiFi type, the remote locks are locked via said WiFi connection.

6. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, with the central computer being a cabin computer (14), the remote locks are locked via the cabin computer.

7. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, with the remote locking devices (6) comprising means of detecting faults or forced entry and of transmitting corresponding error messages, and with the central control device comprising means of receiving, decoding and displaying these messages, the status of the locks is checked by means of the means of displaying these messages.

8. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, with the central computer comprising a means for controlling the opening/closing of all of the remote locks, all of the remote locks are locked and unlocked simultaneously.