FLIGHT RECORDER, AIRCRAFT WITH FLIGHT RECORDER AND METHOD FOR READING OUT FLIGHT DATA FROM A FLIGHT RECORDER

• US 20140297101A1
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: GIROD, Maurice, BARTELS, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 9,193,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0065 Black boxes, devices automatically broadcasting distress signals
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a flight recorder, having a memory, a control device, which is coupled to the memory and which is configured to record flight data during the flight of an aircraft and to store said flight data in the memory, a transceiver device, which is coupled to the control device and which is configured to accept stored flight data signals from the control device and to convert them into acoustic signals, and an acoustic transducer, which is coupled to the transceiver device and which is configured to emit the acoustic signals of the transceiver device into a body of water, the control device being configured to receive control signals via the transceiver device and, depending on the control signals, to retrieve partial data areas of the stored flight data from the memory and to transfer them to the transceiver device.

Claims

1. A flight recorder, comprising:

a memory;

a control device, which is coupled to the memory and which is configured to record flight data during the flight of an aircraft and to store said flight data in the memory;

a transceiver device, which is coupled to the control device and which is configured to accept stored flight data signals from the control device and to convert them into acoustic signals; and

an acoustic transducer, which is coupled to the transceiver device and which is configured to emit the acoustic signals of the transceiver device into a body of water, the control device being configured to receive control signals via the transceiver device and, depending on the control signals, to retrieve partial data areas of the stored flight data from the memory and to transfer them to the transceiver device.

2. The flight recorder according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flight data collector, which is configured to collect operating parameters of the aircraft during the flight and to transfer them to the control device.

3. The flight recorder according to claim 2, further comprising:

a media collecting apparatus, which is configured to collect media recordings during the flight of the aircraft and to transfer them to the control device.

4. The flight recorder according to claim 1, wherein the memory has a database structure, which is configured to store the flight data in structured form.

5. The flight recorder according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to be operated in an energy-saving state until a control signal puts the control device into a normal operating state, the control device being configured to transfer flight data signals to the transceiver device only in the normal operating state.

6. The flight recorder according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electrical energy supply source, which is configured to supply the control device, the transceiver device and/or the acoustic transducer with electrical energy.

7. An aircraft, having a flight recorder according to claim 1.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the aircraft has an engine mounting, which is used as a housing for the flight recorder.

9. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the aircraft has an undercarriage housing, which is used as a housing for the flight recorder.

10. A method for reading out flight data from a flight recorder, comprising:

recording flight data during the flight of the aircraft and storing the flight data in a memory of a flight recorder;

receiving a control signal, which activates a control device of the flight recorder to output a selected partial data area of the stored flight data;

outputting the selected partial data area of the stored flight data by the control device to a transceiver device as a flight data signal;

converting the received flight data signals by the transceiver device into acoustic signals; and

outputting the converted acoustic signals of the transceiver device into a body of water.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the converted acoustic signals by a data read-out system located in the body of water.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the data read-out system is incorporated in an underwater vehicle, in the part of a ship located underwater or in a part of a floating buoy located underwater.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the floating buoy has a communications device for forwarding the flight data received by the data read-out system to a satellite communications system.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the control device is operated in an energy-saving state until a control signal puts the control device into a normal operating state.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the control device outputs flight data signals to the transceiver device only in the normal operating state.