Tracking System Device and Method

• US 20120166016A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spider Tracks Limited
• Original Assignee: Spider Tracks Limited
• Inventors: Bartley, Bruce Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,630,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

An aircraft monitoring system comprising a computer system and a receiver for receiving tracking data from a tracking device associated with an aircraft, the monitoring system having a passive tracking mode in which the computer system is configured to receive tracking data and an active tracking mode in which the computer system is configured to determine a condition indicative of an aircraft incident based on the absence of received tracking data. The monitoring system is automatically triggered into the active tracking mode when a signal is received from the aircraft indicating the aircraft has taken-off.

Claims

1. An aircraft monitoring system comprising a computer system and a receiver for receiving tracking data from a tracking device associated with an aircraft, the monitoring system having an active tracking mode in which the computer system is configured to determine a condition indicative of an aircraft incident, wherein the monitoring system is automatically triggered into the active tracking mode when a signal is received from the aircraft indicating the aircraft has taken-off

2. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein the signal is received from the aircraft after an apparatus on the aircraft determines take-off from any one or more of a change in aircraft speed, a change in aircraft altitude, or a change in distance travelled by the aircraft.

3. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 2 wherein the apparatus is the tracking device and determines take-off from any one or more of a change in aircraft speed, a change in aircraft altitude or a change in distance travelled by the aircraft.

4. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 2 wherein the apparatus obtains data from sensors on the aircraft indicative of or from which can be determined any one or more of a change in aircraft speed, a change in aircraft altitude, or a change in distance travelled by the aircraft or other parameter indicating aircraft take-off.

5. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein the signal contains data indicative of or from which can be determined any one or more of a change in aircraft speed, a change in aircraft altitude, or a change in distance travelled by the aircraft indicating aircraft take-off.

6. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the signal is received from the aircraft after an undercarriage position sensor triggers to indicate aircraft take-off.

7. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the condition indicative of an incident is determined based on the received tracking data.

8. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the condition indicative of an incident is the absence of tracking data received from the tracking device in accordance with a transmission regime.

9. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein the tracking data comprises at least position information of the tracking device.

10. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 1 further comprising a tracking device in the aircraft, wherein the tracking device comprises:

a positioning system for determining position information of the tracking device and/or the aircraft, and

a transmitter for transmitting the position information to the monitoring system.

11. An aircraft monitoring system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the position system is a Global Positioning System (GPS) comprising a GPS receiver and antenna for receiving position information from a GPS satellite.

12. An aircraft monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein upon determining a condition indicative of an incident in the active tracking mode, the monitoring system is adapted to provide an alert.

13. A tracking device for installation in an aircraft and for use with an aircraft monitoring system, the apparatus composing:

a receiver for receiving GPS signals,

a processor for generating tracking data from the GPS signals and/or other input information, and

a transmitter for transmitting to an aircraft monitoring system the tracking data and/or a signal indicating take-off to trigger the aircraft monitoring system into an active tracking mode in which the monitoring system is configured to determine a condition indicative of an aircraft incident based on the absence of received tracking data.

14. A tracking device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor determines take-off from any one or more of a change in aircraft speed, a change in aircraft altitude, and a change in distance travelled by the aircraft from the tracking data and generates the signal in response.

15. A tracking device according to claim 13 wherein the processor receives data from one or more sensors and determines take-off from any one or more of a change in aircraft speed, a change in aircraft altitude, or a change in distance travelled by the aircraft from the sensor data and generates the signal in response.

16. A method for monitoring an aircraft comprising the steps of:

receiving tracking data from a tracking device associated with the aircraft, and

operating in an active tracking mode to determine a condition indicative of an aircraft incident when a signal is received from the aircraft indicating the aircraft has taken off

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the signal contains data indicative of or from which can be determined any one or more of a change in aircraft speed, a change in aircraft altitude, or a change in distance travelled by the aircraft indicating aircraft take-off.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein the condition indicative of an incident is determined based on the absence of tracking data received from the tracking device in accordance with a transmission regime.

19. A method according to claim 16 wherein the step of receiving tracking data from the tracking device comprises receiving positional information of the aircraft.

20. A method according to claim 16 further comprising upon determining a condition indicative of an incident in the active tracking mode, generating an alert signal for transmission to a third party.