SKY MARSHAL VIDEO ACCESS

• US 20130160061A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: KOCH, Maik, Poth, Albin, Bode, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,640,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/76
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1965 the vehicle being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A surveillance device and method provide access to a surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance. A computer program may be used to execute the method for accessing the surveillance system. The surveillance device includes an authentication unit for examining an access-authorisation request for access to the surveillance system, and a control unit for selecting, on the basis of the access-authorisation request, a display unit from a plurality of display units provided in the aircraft, and for relaying a video-image signal corresponding to a captured video image of a subarea of the cabin of the aircraft to the selected display unit for the purpose of displaying the video image.

Claims

1. Surveillance device for access to a surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance, the surveillance device comprising:

an authentication unit for examining an access-authorisation request for access to the surveillance system; and

a control unit for designating, on the basis of the access-authorisation request, a display unit from a plurality of display units provided in the aircraft, and for relaying a video-image signal corresponding to a captured video image of a subarea of the cabin of the aircraft to the designated display unit for the purpose of displaying the video image.

2. Surveillance device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to instruct the designated display unit to display the video image, which is in particular is variable in its size, at a predetermined position on the designated display unit such that the video image is superimposed on an in-flight entertainment programme represented on the designated display unit, which is retrievable on each of the plurality of display units.

3. Surveillance device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to instruct the designated display unit to display a warning element and, upon selection of the warning element, to cause a warning appliance to transmit a warning signal, in particular at least one of an acoustic and visual warning signal, into the cockpit of the aircraft.

4. Surveillance device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to unlock a telephone assigned to the designated display unit for connection to the cockpit of the aircraft.

5. Surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance, the surveillance system comprising:

the surveillance device according to claim 1; and

a camera unit, the camera unit comprising at least one, in particular two or more, for example three, video cameras which are configured and are arranged and oriented in such a manner in the aircraft to capture in each instance a video image of differing subareas of the cabin of the aircraft and in each instance to generate an associated video-image signal.

6. Surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the video cameras is provided on or above a cockpit door arranged between the cockpit and the cabin and is configured and is oriented in such a manner in the direction of the cabin to capture a video image of a subarea outside the cockpit door and to generate an associated video-image signal.

7. Surveillance system according to claim 5, the surveillance system further comprising a plurality of authentication appliances for recording the access-authorisation request, each of the plurality of authentication appliances being assigned to a display unit of the plurality of display units, and the control unit being further configured to designate the display unit for displaying the video image, on the assigned authentication appliance of which the access-authorisation request was recorded.

8. Surveillance system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of authentication appliances each comprise at least one of a code-input unit, in particular a telephone or a touch-screen, for entering a predefined code, and a card-reading unit for evaluating an identification card, and a reading unit for identifying electromagnetic waves emitted by a transponder.

9. Surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of:

the camera unit is part of a cockpit-door surveillance system provided on board the aircraft and the display units are part of an in-flight entertainment system.

10. Method for access to a surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance, the method comprising the following steps:

examining, by means of an authentication unit, an access-authorisation request for access to the surveillance system;

designating, by means of a control unit and on the basis of the access-authorisation request, a display unit from a plurality of display units provided in the aircraft; and

relaying, by means of the control unit, a video-image signal corresponding to a captured video image of a subarea of the cabin of the aircraft to the designated display unit for the purpose of displaying the video image.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein further a warning element is displayed on the designated display unit and upon selection of the warning element a warning signal, in particular at least one of an acoustic and visual warning signal, is transmitted into the cockpit of the aircraft.

12. Method according to claim 10, wherein further a telephone assigned to the designated display unit for connecting to the cockpit of the aircraft is released.

13. Method according to claim 10, wherein the video image, which in particular is variable in its size, is displayed in such a manner at a predetermined position on the designated display unit that the video image is superimposed on an in-flight entertainment programme represented on the designated display unit, which is retrievable on each of the plurality of display units.

14. Computer program with program-code means, which, when it has been loaded into a computer or into a processor or is running on a computer or processor, causes the computer or processor to execute a method according to claim 10.

15. Program-storage medium or computer-program product with the computer program according to the preceding claim.