Ground based security surveillance system for aircraft and other commercial vehicles

• US 6,545,601 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: David A Monroe
• Inventors: Monroe, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/257,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/539, 340/521, 340/937, 340/541, 340/3.1, 340/533, 340/988, 348/143, 348/148, 348/152, 348/153
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0053 using visual equipment, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19621 Portable camera
• 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: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19673 Addition of time stamp, i.e. time metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves

Abstract

A security and surveillance system for aircraft on the ground incorporates a plurality of strategically spaced sensors including video imaging generators, audio sensors, motion detectors, and fire and smoke detectors for monitoring critical components and critical areas of both the interior and the exterior of the a commercial transport such as an aircraft. The captured data and images are transmitted to a ground based security station for display on a monitor and may be recorded on a “black box” recorder as well as on a ground based recording system. The multiple audio and image signals are multiplexed and sequenced utilizing split screen technology in order to minimize the recording and monitoring hardware required to process the images.

Claims

1. A security and surveillance system for ground or in port monitoring the condition of and tracking the location of a commercial transport as it moves about in monitored zones, the system comprising:

a. a ground based monitoring station for monitoring the position of and conditions relative to a commercial transport when in port;

b. a network of ground based sensors positioned on the ground and throughout an area to be monitored for defining a plurality of operating zones within the area, each of said sensors operational within the thus defined operating zone and adapted for monitoring a pre-selected condition associated with the commercial transport while within the operating zone for generating a unique data signal representing the specific condition to be monitored for describing both the status of the pre-selected condition of the commercial transport and for identifying the commercial transport as being located within the zone;

c. a communication system for transmitting the unique data signal from each of the network of ground based sensors to the ground based monitoring station for monitoring the selected conditions at the commercial transport, whereby both the condition and the location of the commercial transport may be determined; and

d. the ground based monitoring station further including a processor whereby all of the data signals from the network sensors is combined in order to derive the comprehensive condition of the commercial transport based on the data from all of the sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, the processor further comprising:

a. a collector adapted for collecting the plurality of data signals from the plurality of sensors and generating therefrom a combined signal incorporating each of the plurality of signals into a combined output signal; and

b. a processing system for receiving and processing the combined output signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said collector comprises a multiplexer for accepting all of the plurality of data signals and for generating therefrom a combined multiplex signal preserving the discrete identity of each of the plurality of data signals.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said combined multiplex signal includes specific, time sequenced interval segments of the plurality of data signals in a serial format.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said combined multiplex signal includes the plurality of signals released simultaneously in a compressed, parallel format.

6. The system of claim 2, said collector and processing system further including a self-contained power supply.

7. The system of claim 2, the collector further includes a multiplexing system adapted for accepting a plurality of parallel data signals simultaneously and for generating therefrom a single, combination output signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said multiplexing system is adapted for generating a combination output signal including a component comprising a plurality of the data signals in a split screen configuration wherein all or a selected portion of the plurality of data signals are simultaneously available.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ground based sensors is hard-wired directly to the ground based monitoring station.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ground based sensors further includes a transmitter associated with the sensor and there is further included a receiver associated with the ground based monitoring station, whereby the unique data signal generated by said sensor is communicated over a wireless communication system from the sensor to the ground based station.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein one of said sensors is an image sensor, and one of said sensors is an audio sensor for providing a visual and an audio data definition of the conditions in the proximity of the commercial transport.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein one of said image signal, said audio signal and said data signal is an analog signal and wherein one of said image signal, said audio signal and said data signal is a digital signal, the multiplexer network further including an analog to digital converter for converting the analog signal into a converted digital signal, the multiplexer adapted for multiplexing the converted digital signal and the digital signal into a combined digital output signal.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensors comprises an image sensor device for generating an image signal.

14. The system of claim 8, further including an illumination source associated with said image sensor for illuminating the critical location.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein said image sensor is a full motion video sensing and recording device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an audio sensor device for generating an audio signal.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an image sensor device for generating an image signal and at least one audio sensor device for generating an audio signal.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a motion detector device for generating a signal whenever motion is detected in the range of the device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an intrusive sensor device for generating a signal whenever intrusive activity occurs in the monitored area of the device.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a fire detection device for generating a signal in the event of a fire.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a smoke detection device for generating a signal in the event of the presence of smoke in the range of the device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said transport has an on-board monitoring system including a network of on-board sensors adapted for monitoring specific on-board conditions and generating a data signal in response thereto, and wherein said ground based monitoring station and said network of ground based sensors are adapted to interface with said on-board monitoring system to provide comprehensive information to both the ground based monitoring station and the on-board monitoring system inclusive all of the data collected by both the on-board sensors and the ground based sensors.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein said on-board sensor is a global positioning sensor adapted for generating a signal indicating the location of the transport.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein said global positioning sensor includes a separate sensor component in each end of the transport, whereby size and heading of the transport may be monitored.

25. The system of claim 16, the collector further comprising a multiplexer network for combining an image signal, an audio signal and a data signal into said combined output signal.

26. The system of claim 1, further including a recorder for capturing the combined output signal in a retrievable format.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said recorder comprises an analog recorder.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said recorder comprises a digital recorder.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said recorder is multi-channel.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein said combined output is in a serial format.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein said combined output is in a parallel format.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said parallel format is adapted for split screen viewing of a plurality of video signals.

33. The system of claim 3, wherein each sensor further includes a transmitter adapted for wireless transmission of the combined output signal to a remote location and wherein said ground based monitoring station includes a receiver, whereby the sensor signal may be transmitted to the monitoring station.

34. The system of claim 1, further including a mobile monitoring station for receiving the unique signal from the sensor.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein there is further included ground support equipment and ground support vehicles, and wherein each of said ground support equipment and ground vehicles includes location sensors for generating and sending ground support location signals, whereby the position of the commercial transport and relative to the ground support equipment and ground support vehicles may be monitored.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein said location sensor is an on-board GPS system.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein said commercial transport is adapted for directly receiving the ground support location sensor signals.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein said commercial transport is adapted for directly receiving the ground support location sensor signals and the location sensor signals generated by other commercial transports in the vicinity.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein said commercial transport includes a unique identifier which is adapted to be sensed by the ground based sensor, whereby the ground based sensor can generate an identification signal for alerting that the commercial transport is within range of the ground based sensor.

40. The system of claim 14, wherein said image and video sensors are responsive to the presence of activity within range in order to activate the sensor and initiate generation of a signal to the ground based monitoring station.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein said ground based sensor includes a time stamp for monitoring when said transport is within range.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein said ground based sensor is carried on-board the transport for deployment in the port once the transport enters same.

43. The system of claim 1, wherein said ground based communication system is adapted for downloading software from various system elements.

44. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is adapted for alerting the ground based monitoring station of the situational conditions in the vicinity of the commercial transport when in port.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein said sensor is adapted for generating an alarm whenever specific conditions are present.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein said ground based monitoring station further includes a transmitter for transmitting instructional information to the sensor upon presence of a specific condition.

47. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is responsive to the presence of specific conditions to generate the unique signal.

48. The system of claim 2, wherein there is further provided support systems in port for supporting the commercial transport and wherein said support systems further include at least one support system sensor adapted for transmitting a signal to the ground based monitoring station, whereby conditions of the commercial transport and the support system may be simultaneously monitored.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein said sensor and said support system sensor are each global positioning system sensors whereby the relative proximity of the commercial transport and the support system may be tracked and monitored.

50. The system of claim 48, further including an alarm generator for generating an alarm whenever the support system is in a excluded region occupied by the commercial transport.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the ground based monitoring station further includes a mapping capability for generating a map defining the presence of the commercial transport relative to the support system.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein said support system sensor includes a support system identifier for signaling to the ground based monitoring station the identity of the support system.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein said ground based monitoring system includes and alarm device for indicating when an unauthorized support system is in the area.

54. The system of claim 21, further including means associated with the on-board sensor for determining the format of the signal communication system of the ground based monitoring station and further including means for converting the signal generated by the on-board sensor to a ground based system compatible signal.

55. The system of claim 21, further including means associated with the ground based monitoring station for determining the signal format of the signal generated by the on-board sensor and further including means for converting the signal generated by the on-board sensor to a ground based system compatible signal.

56. The system of claim 21, further including means for accessing and controlling system on-board the commercial transport from the ground based monitoring station.

57. The system of claim 1, further including a personnel based unit including at least one sensor and a personnel communications system capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the ground based communications system for monitoring conditions present at the sensor.

58. The system of claim 56, further including a personnel based system for generating the location coordinates of the personnel and communicating this to the ground based communication system.

59. The system of claim 57, further including a location signal generator associated with the transport, whereby the proximity of the transport to the personnel may be monitored.

60. The system of claim 58, further including a signaling device for signaling the personnel in closest proximity to the transport upon the receipt of specific signal from the sensor by the ground based communication system.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein said personnel based system includes means for remotely controlling the sensor.

62. The system of claim 60, wherein said personnel based system includes means providing for communication directly between the transport and the personnel.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein said personnel based system includes means providing for communication directly between personnel.