Aircraft monitoring and analysis system and method

• US 6,577,339 B1
• Filed: 07/30/1998
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pinotage LLC
• Original Assignee: Pinotage LLC
• Inventors: Leiner, Dennis C., Thompson, Robert Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US09/126,368
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 348/39, 348/46-48, 348/61, 348/65, 348/71-76, 348/113, 348/117, 348/135, 348/142, 348/143, 348/152, 348/153, 348/159, 348/169, 348/207, 348/222, 348/335, 348/340, 348/373, 348/374, 348/375, 340/540, 340/945, 340/963, 701/3, 701/8, 701/9, 701/10, 701/14
• US Class Current: 348/211.14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A camera that includes a camera head, an amplifier, and a camera control unit. The camera head includes a charge coupled device and at least one lens that is optically coupled to the charge coupled device to focus light energy onto the charge coupled device. The charge coupled device provides a plurality of signals indicative of the light energy incident upon a plurality of regions of the charge coupled device. The amplifier is electrically coupled to the charge coupled device to receive the plurality of signals from the charge coupled device and provide a plurality of amplified signals to the camera control unit, but, the amplifier is physically separated from the charge coupled device so that the amplifier is outside the camera head. The camera control unit is electrically coupled to the amplifier to receive the plurality of amplified signals from the amplifier and to process the plurality of amplified signals to form an image. In one embodiment, the camera head can move in numerous directions relative to other portions of the camera system, including rotationally, pivotally, and towards and away from a body of the camera.

Claims

1. An aircraft analysis system for an aircraft, the aircraft having a fault or error warning system capable of detecting and indicating a fault or error with a portion of the aircraft, the aircraft analysis system comprising:

at least one electronic image receiving device that is mounted to a surface of the aircraft to view at least one portion of the aircraft; and

means, coupled to the at least one image receiving device and responsive to a fault or error indicated by the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system, for automatically activating the at least one electronic image receiving device such that when the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system detects a fault or error, the at least one electronic image receiving device is activated to view a portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

2. The aircraft analysis system of claim 1, wherein the means for automatically activating includes:

a positioning system, coupled to the at least one image receiving device, that movably positions the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

3. The aircraft analysis system of claims 2, wherein the positioning system includes means for deploying the at least one image receiving device outside a body of the aircraft.

4. The aircraft analysis system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted to an exterior surface of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft analysis system of claim 1, further comprising:

a camera compartment that movably mounts the at least one image receiving device to an exterior surface of the aircraft and houses the at least one image receiving device to shield the at least one image receiving device from extremes in environmental conditions.

6. The aircraft analysis system of claim 5, further comprising:

an environmental control system that controls at least one of temperature, pressure, and humidity within the camera compartment.

7. The aircraft analysis system of claim 5, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted within the camera compartment to view a plurality of different portions of the exterior of the aircraft.

8. The aircraft analysis system of claim 5, wherein the at least one image receiving device can be extended to a position that is outside the camera compartment.

9. The aircraft analysis system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted to an interior surface of the aircraft.

10. The aircraft analysis system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image receiving device includes a plurality of image receiving devices, each of the plurality of image receiving devices viewing different portions of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft analysis system of claim 1, further comprising:

a camera control unit, coupled to the at least one image receiving device, to form an image of the portion the aircraft viewed by the at least one image receiving device.

12. The aircraft analysis system of claim 11, further comprising:

a display, coupled to the camera control unit, to display the image formed by the camera control unit.

13. The aircraft analysis system of claim 11, further comprising:

a storage medium, coupled to the camera control unit, to automatically store the image formed by the camera control unit.

14. The aircraft analysis system of claim 13, wherein the aircraft includes a structurally rigid compartment within the aircraft that is intended to retain its structural integrity in the event the aircraft crashes, and wherein the storage medium is disposed within the structurally rigid compartment.

15. A method of monitoring an aircraft, the aircraft having a fault or error warning system capable of detecting and indicating a fault or error with a portion of the aircraft, the aircraft further including at least one electronic image receiving device mounted to a surface thereof to view at least one portion of the aircraft, the at least one image receiving device being coupled to the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system, the method comprising an act of:

(A) in response to an indication of a fault or error detected by the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system, automatically activating the at least one electronic image receiving device to view a portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of controlling at least one of temperature, pressure, and humidity within a space surrounding the at least one image receiving device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of viewing a plurality of different portions of the aircraft where a fault or error is detected.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the act (A) comprises an act of automatically activating the at least one image receiving device to view a plurality of different portions of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the aircraft further includes a camera compartment that movably mounts the at least one image receiving device to an exterior surface of the aircraft and houses the at least one image receiving device, the method further comprising an act of extending the at least one image receiving device to a position that is outside the camera compartment.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of displaying an image viewed by the at least one image receiving device.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of automatically storing an image viewed by the at least one image receiving device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the aircraft includes a structurally rigid compartment that is intended to retain its structural integrity in the event the aircraft crashes, and wherein the act of automatically storing the image viewed by the at least one image receiving device comprises an act of automatically storing the image viewed by the at least one image receiving device to a storage medium within the structurally rigid compartment.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of transmitting an image viewed by the at least one image receiving device to a location remote from the aircraft.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of, in addition to automatically activating the at least one image receiving device, manually controlling the at least one image receiving device from a cockpit of the aircraft to view different portions of the aircraft.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the act (A) comprises an act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected comprises an act of deploying the at least one image receiving device outside a body of the aircraft.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected comprises an act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view an external portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected comprises an act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view an internal portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

29. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of mounting the at least one image receiving device to the surface of the aircraft to view at least one portion of the aircraft.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising an act of shielding the at least one image receiving device from extremes in environmental conditions.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising an act of housing the at least one image receiving device within a camera compartment.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising an act of controlling at least one of temperature, pressure, and humidity within the camera compartment.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the act of mounting the at least one image receiving device to a surface of the aircraft comprises an act of movably mounting the at least one image receiving device to an interior surface of the aircraft.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the act of mounting the at least one image receiving device to a surface of the aircraft comprises an act of movably mounting the at least one image receiving device to an exterior surface of the aircraft.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the act of mounting the at least one image receiving device to a surface of the aircraft comprises an act of mounting a plurality of image receiving devices to surfaces of the aircraft.

36. A method of monitoring an aircraft, the aircraft having a fault or error warning system capable of detecting and indicating a fault or error with a portion of the aircraft, the aircraft further including at least one electronic image receiving device mounted to a surface thereof to view at least one portion of the aircraft, the method comprising an act of:

(A) coupling the at least one image receiving device to the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system so that, in response to an indication of a fault or error detected by the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system, the at least one image receiving device can be automatically activated to view a portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising an act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected comprises an act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view an external portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected comprises an act of adjusting a viewing position of the at least one image receiving device to view an internal portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising an act of mounting the at least one image receiving device to the surface of the aircraft to view at least one portion of the aircraft.

41. The method of claim 36, further comprising an act of displaying an image viewed by the at least one image receiving device.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising an act of automatically storing an image viewed by the at least one image receiving device.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the aircraft includes a structurally rigid compartment that is intended to retain its structural integrity in the event the aircraft crashes, and wherein the act of automatically storing the image viewed by the at least one image receiving device comprises an act of automatically storing the image viewed by the at least one image receiving device to a storage medium within the structurally rigid compartment.

44. The method of claim 36, further comprising an act of transmitting an image viewed by the at least one image receiving device to a location remote from the aircraft.

45. The method of claim 36, further comprising an act of automatically activating the at least one image receiving device to view a portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the act of automatically activating the at least one image receiving device to view a portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected comprises an act of automatically activating the at least one image receiving device to view a plurality of different portions of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising an act of, in addition to automatically activating the at least one image receiving device, manually controlling the at least one image receiving device from a cockpit of the aircraft to view different portions of the aircraft.

50. The aircraft monitoring system of claims 40, wherein the positioning system includes an actuator coupled to the at least one image receiving device, the actuator adapted to deploy the at least one image receiving device outside a body of the aircraft.

48. An aircraft monitoring system for an aircraft, the aircraft having a fault or error warning system capable of detecting and indicating a fault or error with a portion of the aircraft, the aircraft monitoring system comprising:

at least one electronic image receiving device that is mounted to a surface of the aircraft to view at least one portion of the aircraft; and

a controller, coupled to the at least one image receiving device and responsive to a fault or error indicated by the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system, automatically activating the at least one image receiving device such that when the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system detects a fault or error, the at least one electronic image receiving device is activated to view a portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

49. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 48, wherein the controller comprises a positioning system, coupled to the at least one image receiving device, that movably positions the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

51. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 48, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted to an exterior surface of the aircraft.

52. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 48, further comprising a camera compartment that movably mounts the at least one image receiving device to an exterior surface of the aircraft and houses the at least one image receiving device.

53. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 52, further comprising an environmental control system that controls at least one of temperature, pressure, and humidity within the camera compartment.

54. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 52, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted within the camera compartment to view a plurality of different portions of the exterior of the aircraft.

55. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 52, wherein the at least one image receiving device can be extended to a position that is outside the camera compartment.

56. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 48, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted to an interior surface of the aircraft.

57. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 48, wherein the at least one image receiving device includes a plurality of image receiving devices, each of the plurality of image receiving devices viewing different portions of the aircraft.

58. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 48, wherein the controller is adapted to form an image of the portion the aircraft viewed by the at least one image receiving device.

59. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 58, further comprising a display, coupled to the controller, to display the image formed by the controller.

60. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 59, further comprising a storage medium, coupled to the controller, to automatically store the image formed by the controller.

61. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 60, wherein the aircraft includes a structurally rigid compartment within the aircraft that is intended to retain its structural integrity in the event the aircraft crashes, and wherein the storage medium is disposed within the structurally rigid compartment.

62. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 48, further comprising controls, mounted within a cockpit of the aircraft and coupled to the controller, the controls being adapted to manually control the at least one image receiving device.

63. An aircraft monitoring system for an aircraft, the aircraft having a fault or error warning system capable of detecting and indicating a fault or error with a portion of the aircraft, the aircraft monitoring system comprising:

at least one electronic image receiving device that is mounted to a surface of the aircraft to view at least one portion of the aircraft; and

a processor, coupled to the at least one image receiving device and responsive to a fault or error indicated by the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system, automatically activating the at least one image receiving device such that when the aircraft'"'"'s fault or error warning system detects a fault or error, the at least one electronic image receiving device is activated to view a portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

64. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 63, wherein the controller comprises a positioning system, coupled to the at least one image receiving device, that movably positions the at least one image receiving device to view the portion of the aircraft where the fault or error is detected.

65. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 63, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted to an exterior surface of the aircraft.

66. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 63, wherein the at least one image receiving device is movably mounted to an interior surface of the aircraft.

67. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 63, wherein the processor is adapted to form an image of the portion the aircraft viewed by the at least one image receiving device.

68. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 63, further comprising a display, coupled to the processor, to display the image formed by the processor.

69. The aircraft monitoring system of claim 63, further comprising controls, mounted within a cockpit of the aircraft and coupled to the processor, the controls being adapted to manually control the at least one image receiving device.