Device for generating a warning signal, especially for helicopters

• US 6,608,568 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deep Blue Technology AG
• Original Assignee: Deep Blue Technology AG
• Inventors: Ruchti, Heinz Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/700,531
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 340/963, 340/946, 340/965, 340/980, 244/17.11, 701/3, 701/8, 701/9, 701/14, 731/78.H
• US Class Current: 340/946
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/02 for indicating aircraft speed or stalling conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances, especially for helicopters, having a signal receiving means for receiving and processing an operational status signal; a signal comparison means which compares the received operational status signal against predefined criterion; a monitoring signal generating means which generates a monitoring signal when the operational status signal meets said criterion; a monitoring transmission signal transmitting means which wirelessly emits said generated monitoring signal; a monitoring transmission signal receiving means which receives said emitted monitoring signal; a monitoring transmission signal comparison means which analyzes whether said received monitoring transmission signal meets predefined monitoring transmission signal criteria; and an output means which emits an output signal when the monitoring transmission signal meets said criteria, whereby said receiving means, said monitoring transmission signal comparison means and said output means are worn by a user and said output signal is immediately perceived by the user.

Claims

1. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances, especially for helicopters, having:

a transmitter for receiving and processing an operational status signal;

a signal comparison means which compares the received operational status signal against predefined criterion;

a signal generating means which generates a monitoring signal when said operational status signal meets said criterion and an address signal uniquely identifying said transmitter;

a signal transmitting means which wirelessly emits an emitted signal comprising said generated monitoring signal and said address signal;

a signal receiving means which receives said emitted signal;

a receiver comparison means which analyzes whether said received monitoring signal meets predefined monitoring signal criteria;

an output means which emits an output signal when said monitoring signal meets said criteria;

whereby said receiving means, said receiver comparison means and said output means are worn by a user and said output signal is immediately perceived by the user;

said output means further comprising a memory storing an address comparison signal and an address comparison means which analyses whether the received address signal concurs with the address comparison signal stored in memory;

at least one of said address signal and said address comparison signal being variable;

signal changing means capable of changing said one of said address signal and said address comparison signal to make said address signal and said address comparison signal identical to one another;

said output means only emitting said output signal when the address signal received by said output means and the address comparison signal stored in the memory are identical.

2. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said output means comprises a display means for displaying the operational status.

3. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

a conversion means is provided which digitally codes the emitted signal to be transmitted by said signal transmitting means.

4. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

at least said signal generating means of said signal transmitting means comprises a first microprocessor means which is controlled by a program filed in a memory.

5. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said output means comprises a microprocessor unit which is controlled by a program stored in the memory allocated to said output means.

6. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said address signal is stored in the signal transmitting means as a digital sequence of numbers having n bits and that the address comparison signal is likewise stored in the memory as a digital sequence of numbers having n bits.

7. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

the signal generating means of said signal transmitting means generates an address control signal;

that an address control comparison signal is stored in the memory of the output means; and

that the receiver comparison means switches said output means to an address signal change mode as soon as the comparison means recognizes that an address control signal emitted by the monitoring transmission signal transmitting means is identical to the address control comparison signal stored in the output means.

8. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 7, characterized in that

said signal transmitting means comprises a first detection means which recognizes the occurrence of a predefined criterion and induces the switching of the signal transmitting means to an address change mode in which an address control signal and the address signal are emitted.

9. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said output means comprises a received energy measurement means which measures the energy of the emitted signal received by the signal receiving means at least upon instance of the signal comparison means establishing that said address signal transmitted by the signal transmitting means is identical with the address control comparison signal stored in the output means.

10. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said signal changing means comprises a manually actuatable circuit means and that said address signal received during address change mode will only be filed in the output means when said manually actuatable circuit means is activated.

11. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said signal changing means only changes said one of said address signal and said address comparison signal when the energy of the received signal is above a predetermined defined value and when said circuit means is activated.

12. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

transmission of the emitted signal from the signal transmitting means to signal receiving means transpires by means of ultrasound.

13. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

transmission of the emitted signal from the signal transmitting means to the signal receiving means transpires by means of electromagnetic waves.

14. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 12, characterized in that

transmission of the emitted signal transpires via the change in phasing of a sinusoidal wave (phase shift keying).

15. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said signal transmitting means comprises a timer unit and measures status at predefined set intervals of time.

16. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 15, characterized in that

the status determined during a measurement is converted into a signal and transmitted prior to the next measurement being performed and that a programmed intelligent sequence is provided which effects that the temporal interval between measurement and transmission of measured signals is not constant.

17. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that said warning device monitors at least one of the critical operating parameters of the system to be monitored.

18. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that a warning signal is triggered in the event that one of said critical operating parameters monitored exceeds a predetermined threshold.

19. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according claim 18, characterized in that

the intensity of said warning signal is contingent upon the exceeding of said threshold.

20. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 17, characterized in that the decisive torque parameter respective transmission overload is defined and monitored.

21. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 17, characterized in that the decisive temperature parameter respective turbine overload is defined and monitored.

22. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 18, characterized in that

said output means generates vibration upon the generating of said warning signal.

23. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 18, characterized in that

said output means generates a physiologically harmless electric pulse upon the emitting of said warning signal.

24. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 18, characterized in that

said output means generates a physiologically tolerable amount of heat for being perceived by the user upon the emitting of said warning signal.

25. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that said output means emits a warning signal by means of activating warning lights.

26. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 25, characterized in that

several warning lights are provided and that the number of warning lights which are lighted is a measure of an operational parameter approaching a dangerous state.

27. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said signal receiving means, said receiver signal comparison means and said output means are arranged within one housing.

28. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 27, characterized in that

said housing with said monitoring transmission signal receiver unit of the warning device is capable of being worn at the user'"'"'s wrist by means of a strap.

29. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 28, characterized in that

said monitoring transmission signal receiving means and said output means are integrated in one wristwatch.

30. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that

said signal receiving means and said output means are arranged on the frame of a pair of glasses.

31. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that said warning device monitors the critical operational parameters of a helicopter.

32. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that said warning device monitors the critical operational parameters of an aircraft.

33. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 1, characterized in that said warning device monitors the critical operational parameters of a motor vehicle.

34. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 12, characterized in that

transmission of the emitted signal transpires via a differential change in phasing (differential phase shift keying).

35. Warning device for indicating dangerous circumstances according to claim 13, characterized in that

transmission of the emitted signal from the signal transmitting means to the signal receiving means transpires by means of radio waves.