AIRCRAFT LANDING AND TAKEOFF LOGGING SYSTEM

• US 20160055687A1
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Justin James Sr. Blank
• Original Assignee: Justin James Sr. Blank
• Inventors: Blank, Justin James Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

An aircraft logging system is disclosed. The aircraft logging system may be mounted on an aircraft and may be configured to generate a log of aircraft landing, takeoff or both. The aircraft logging system may have an independent power supply and may be electrically decoupled from the aircraft on which it is mounted. The aircraft logging system may include a sensor, such as an altimeter, that enables identifying the occurrence of a landing using emitted signals. The aircraft logging system includes a positioning device configured to provide a position measurement

Claims

1. An self-contained aircraft logging system comprising:

a housing configured for attachment to an aircraft;

a power source configured to supply electric power to the aircraft logging system, the supplied electric power being independent of on-board power supply of the aircraft;

an altimeter configured to provide an altitude measurement of the aircraft logging system;

a positioning device configured to provide a position measurement of the aircraft logging system; and

a controller configured to;

detect, based on the altitude measurement, an occurrence of a landing or takeoff event; and

store, in a computer file, a log entry associated with the landing or takeoff event, the log entry including the position measurement provided by the positioning device.

2. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect the landing event based on the altitude measurement being within a first range of altitude parameters.

3. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect the takeoff event based on the altitude measurement being greater than a specified altitude threshold.

4. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, further comprising a memory device configured to store the log entry associated with the landing or takeoff event.

5. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, wherein the computer file is a delimiter-separated values file.

6. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, wherein the log entry further includes an indication of a time or date of the landing or takeoff event.

7. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, wherein the log entry further includes an event type specifying whether the detected event is a landing or takeoff event.

8. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, wherein the positioning device is a global positioning system (GPS) device and the position measurement comprises a latitude position measurement and a longitude position measurement.

9. The aircraft logging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a processor.

10. An aircraft logging system for mounting on an aircraft, the aircraft logging system comprising:

a power source configured to supply electric power to the aircraft logging system, the supplied electric power being decoupled from on-board power supply of the aircraft;

an altimeter configured to provide an altitude measurement;

a positioning device configured to provide a position measurement; and

a memory device configured to store a computer file including takeoff or landing log entries;

a controller configured to;

detect, based on the altitude measurement, an occurrence of a landing or takeoff; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the landing or takeoff, generate a landing or takeoff log entry, the landing or takeoff log entry including the position measurement and a time or date associated with the landing or takeoff; and

write the generated landing or takeoff log entry to the computer file.

11. The aircraft logging system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to detect the occurrence of the landing based on the altitude measurement being within a first range of altitude parameters.

12. The aircraft logging system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to detect the occurrence of the takeoff based on the altitude measurement being greater than a specified altitude threshold.

13. The aircraft logging system of claim 10, wherein the computer file is a delimiter-separated values file.

14. The aircraft logging system of claim 10, wherein the landing or takeoff log entry further includes an event type specifying whether the landing or takeoff log entry pertains to landing or takeoff.

15. The aircraft logging system of claim 10, wherein the positioning device is a global positioning system (GPS) device and the position measurement comprises a latitude position measurement and a longitude position measurement.

16. The aircraft logging system of claim 10, wherein the power source is a battery pack or a solar-powered panel.

17. The aircraft logging system of claim 10, wherein the log entry further includes an identity associated with the aircraft logging system.

18. An aircraft logging system comprising:

a power source;

an altitude detection device configured to detect aircraft landing or takeoff;

a positioning device configured to provide a position measurement of the aircraft logging system; and

a memory device configured to store a log of detected aircraft landings or takeoffs;

a controller configured to;

receive, from the altitude detection device, an indication of the detected aircraft landing or takeoff; and

in response to receiving the indication, store the position measurement in the log of detected aircraft landings or takeoffs.

19. The aircraft logging system of claim 18, wherein the altitude detection device is configured to detect aircraft landing if an object is detected by the altimeter to be within a specified distance from the aircraft logging system.

20. The aircraft logging system of claim 19, wherein the altitude detection device is a pressure switch or laser range finder.