Aircraft flight security system and method

• US 6,897,790 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2002
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kevin Orton
• Original Assignee: Kevin Orton
• Inventors: Orton, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/225,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/945, 340/5.2, 340/5.21, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.82, 340/5.1, 340/5.31, 713/202
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/302 Airplanes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0015 Devices specially adapted for the protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls

Abstract

A system of securing access to vehicle control systems using non-persistent identifiers. Identifiers are received and stored at the commencement of vehicle operations. Restricted events are detected and confirmation identifiers are requested, in order to continue vehicle operations. If confirmation identifiers are not presented, vehicle operations enter caution mode, and access to vehicle controls is restricted. Upon termination of a vehicle trip, the non-persistent identifiers are discarded. The system provides a convenient, low-overhead, secure means of regulating access to vehicle control systems.

Claims

1. A method of securing a vehicle, comprising:

commencing pre-departure operations,

creating in a security system a non-persistent identifier after commencement of pre-departure operations,

entering the non-persistent identifier into an identifier receiver,

storing the non-persistent identifier in an identifier processor,

monitoring during operation of the vehicle for a restricted event,

requesting entry of a comparison identifier upon detection of the restricted event,

allowing the restricted event to proceed if the comparison identifier matches the non-persistent identifier,

performing a restriction action if the comparison identifier does not match the non-persistent identifier,

terminating operation of the vehicle, and

clearing the non-persistent identifier from the identifier processor;

wherein the non-persistent identifier includes an access code that is not pre-arranged in the identifier processor prior to activation of the security system, the access code being uniquely created by a user each time the security system, is activated by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the comparison identifier comprises re-entering the non-persistent identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the aircraft comprises an autopilot and the restricted event comprises disengaging the autopilot.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the restriction action comprises preventing the autopilot from being disengaged.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the restriction action comprises turning control of the aircraft over to a backup controller.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the backup controller is located on the ground.

8. The method claim 3, wherein the restricted event comprises descending below a pre-defined altitude.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the restriction action comprises preventing the aircraft from descending below the pre-defined altitude.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted event comprises deviating from a pre-defined course.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction action comprises transmitting a warning.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction action comprises limiting access to one or more control systems of the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an identifier lockout event, and preventing entry of the non-persistent identifier once the identifier lockout event has occurred.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifier lockout event comprises the closing of an aircraft door.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the aircraft door is the last aircraft door to be closed.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifier lockout event comprises the commencement of flight operations.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a non-persistent identifier after commencement of pre-departure operations comprises creating the non-persistent identifier as part of the pre-departure operations.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a non-persistent identifier after commencement of pre-departure operations comprises creating a plurality of non-persistent identifiers, corresponding to a plurality of vehicle crewmembers.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a restriction action comprises entering a caution mode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein entering a caution mode comprises switching normal flight control logic to restricted flight control logic.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising recovering a backup identifier.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein clearing the non-persistent identifier from the identifier processor comprises clearing the non-persistent identifier only after vehicle operations have been terminated.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted event comprises issuance of a lock command.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted event comprises an unauthorized entry into a restricted area within the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a confirmation identifier subsequent to entering the non-persistent identifier into the identifier receiver module and prior to commencement of vehicle departure.

26. A system for securing a vehicle, the vehicle comprising one or more vehicle controls, the system comprising:

an identifier receiver adapted to receive a non-persistent identifier;

an identifier processor adapted to store the non-persistent identifier, to compare the stored non-persistent identifier with a comparison identifier, and to provide a comparison result; and

a vehicle control access manager adapted to receive the comparison result from the identifier processor, and to grant or deny access to the one or more vehicle controls depending on the comparison result;

wherein the non-persistent identifier includes an access code that is not prearranged in the identifier processor prior to activation of the system, the access code being uniquely created by a user each time the system is activated by the user, and

wherein the vehicle control access manager is adapted to detect a restricted event report the restricted event to the identifier processor and request entry of the comparison identifier, and wherein the restricted event occurs during vehicle operations.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier receiver comprises a keypad.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier receiver comprises a biometric device adapted to receive biometric identifier.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier receiver is located proximal to a vehicle crew station within the vehicle.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the vehicle crew station comprises an aircraft cockpit.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the vehicle crew station comprises an aircraft flight attendant station.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier receiver is located in a vehicle departure area external to the vehicle.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the vehicle departure area comprises an airport terminal.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier processor comprises an identifier storage module and an identifier comparison module.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier processor is adapted to recognize a plurality of identifier classes, each identifier class having a different access profile.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the plurality of identifier classes includes at least an aircraft flight crew class and an aircraft flight attendant class.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier processor is adapted to receive a restricted event warning from the vehicle control access manager, and to request entry of the comparison identifier.

38. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier processor is adapted to contain a backup identifier.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the backup identifier comprises a plurality of backup identifiers, each backup identifier granting different levels of access to the one or more vehicle controls.

40. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier processor is adapted to prevent entry of the non-persistent identifier once pre-departure operations have been completed.

41. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier processor is adapted to reset the non-persistent identifiers upon completion of a trip by the vehicle.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the system further comprises a sensor, and completion of a trip is detected by gathering sensor data from the sensor.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft, and the sensor data comprises data indicating that the aircraft is on the ground.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the sensor data comprises landing gear status data.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the sensor data comprises airspeed data.

46. The system of claim 26, wherein the identifier processor is adapted to require a confirmation identifier be entered subsequent to entry of the non-persistent identifier and prior to commencement of departure operations.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the identifier processor is adapted to prevent departure operations from commencing until a plurality of confirmation identifiers corresponding to a plurality of vehicle crew members have been received.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the confirmation codes are entered substantially simultaneously at two or more points physically dispersed throughout the aircraft.

49. The system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle control access manager comprises a module within an aircraft flight management computer, the aircraft flight management computer adapted to interface a vehicle control input device with a vehicle control.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the flight management computer is adapted to contain a plurality of flight control logic modules, and the vehicle control access manager is adapted to select one of the plurality of flight control logic modules depending on the comparison result.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the vehicle control access manager is adapted to enter a caution mode if the comparison result indicates that the comparison identifier and the non-persistent identifier do not match.

52. The system claim 26, wherein the restricted event comprises a vehicle course deviation.

53. The system of claim 26, wherein the restricted event comprises a vehicle altitude change.

54. The system of claim 26, wherein the restricted event comprises a vehicle autopilot deactivation.

55. The system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle control access manager is adapted to physically disconnect the control input device from the vehicle control.

56. The system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft, and vehicle operations comprise in-flight operations of the aircraft.