Method and system for acquiring and recording data relative to the movement of an aircraft

• US 6,915,190 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leatt Corporation, LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Leatsrl
• Inventors: Galasso, Franco
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Donnelly, Arthur D.
• Application Number:
  US10/400,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20040095466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 701/14, 701/24, 701/28, 701/29, 701/35, 340/953, 340/973, 348/117, 348/143, 348/160
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0065 Black boxes, devices automatically broadcasting distress signals
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0053 using visual equipment, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A method and system for acquiring and recording on-board data relative to the movement of a vehicle, whereby a sequence of images of a control panel of the vehicle is acquired by a video camera installed in a cockpit of the vehicle, and is then recorded in a storage device; at the same time, a position of the vehicle is determined by means of a satellite locating device, and the position assumed by the vehicle at the time the image is acquired is related to each image stored in the storage device.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring and recording date relative to the movement of a vehicle (1);

the method comprising acquiring a sequence of images of a control panel (3) of the vehicle (1) by means of a video camera (6) installed in a cockpit (2) of the vehicle (1), storing the sequence of images in a storage device (11), determining a position of the vehicle (1) by means of a satellite locating device (10), and relating to each image stored in the storage device (11) the position assumed by the vehicle (1) at the time the image is acquired.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position of the vehicle (1) is determined by the satellite locating device (10) in a three-dimensional coordinate system.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position, speed, and acceleration of the vehicle (1) are determined by the satellite locating device (10);

the position, speed, and acceleration of the vehicle (1) at the time the image is acquired being related to each image stored in the storage device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein storage of the images in the storage device (11)is activated when the ground speed of the vehicle (1) is above a predetermined threshold;

storage of the image in the storage device (11) being cut off when the ground speed of the vehicle (1) is below the predetermined threshold for a first given time interval, or after a second given time interval following a collision detected by a collision sensor (12).

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the images are stored in the storage device (11) in digital storage format having a compression factor.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the images are stored in the storage device (11) in encrypted form.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the video camera (6) is fitted with a lighting device for illuminating the control panel (3) is insufficient.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein sounds in the cockpit (2) are acquired and stored in the storage device (11).

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sounds in the cockpit (2) are processed to filter out the background noise typical of the vehicle (1);

only the sounds in the cockpit (2) not forming part of the background noise typical of the vehicle (1) being stored in the storage device (11).

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage device (11) comprises solid-state memories (20, 21).

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein data is store din the storage device (11) on a FIFO basis.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the images are stored in two separate memories (20, 21) of the storage device (11) at two different respective storage rates.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the date store din the storage device (11) is transmitted to a ground control station by means of a radiofrequency communication device (24).

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a potential hazard situation is determined by analyzing information supplied by the satellite locating device (10);

and a potential hazard situation is indicated by means of a sound/light alarm (25) installed in the cockpit (2).

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the alarm (25) is controlled to emit short voice messages indicating the type of potential hazard.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each image acquired by video camera (6) is analyzed to determine the values shown on the on-board instruments.

17. A system (5) for acquiring and recording date relative to the movement of a vehicle (1);

the system comprising a video camera (6) installed in a cockpit (2) of the vehicle (1) to pick up an image of the control panel (3) of the vehicle (1), a storage device (11) for storing a sequence of images picked up by the video camera (6), and a control device (9), which is connectable to a satellite locating device (10) to determine a position of the vehicle (1) and which relates to each image stored in the storage device (11) the position assumed by the vehicle (1) at the time the image is acquired.

18. A system (5) as claimed in claim 17, and comprising the satellite locating device (10).

19. A system (5) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the storage device (11) comprises solid-state memories (20, 21).

20. A system (5) as claimed in claim 17, and comprising an external computer (23) for processing the data stored in the storage device (11) to display, on a suitable mapping medium, a path of the movement of the vehicle (1) synchronized with a reproduction of the images of the control panel (3).