Method and apparatus for tracking aircraft and securing against unauthorized access

• US 6,995,689 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kelly C. Crank
• Original Assignee: Kelly C. Crank
• Inventors: Crank, Kelly C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Application Number:
  US10/435,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 340/970, 340/963, 340/961, 340/945, 701/3, 701/4, 701/9, 701/14, 701/120, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/970
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0056 detecting passenger or crew behavior by sensors, e.g. biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

A system for monitoring an aircraft receives navigation signals and deriving a position vector therefrom and also receives an input representative of altitude of the aircraft above ground level. The system samples the position vector at a selected sample rate and outputs a succession of samples of the position vector, the sample rate depending on whether the altitude of the aircraft above ground level is less than a predetermined value. Data packets that contain respective samples of the position vector are transmitted to a ground-based receiving station. The ground-based receiving station may calculate secondary data.

Claims

1. A combined airborne and ground-based system for monitoring an aircraft, comprising:

a first airborne means for receiving navigation signals and deriving a position vector therefrom,

a second airborne means for receiving an input representative of altitude of the aircraft above ground level,

a third airborne means for sampling said position vector and outputting a succession of samples of said position vector, representing successive discrete positions of the aircraft, wherein said third airborne means is responsive to the second airborne means such that the sample rate has a first substantially constant value in the event that the aircraft is at an altitude greater than a predetermined altitude and has a second substantially constant value, greater than the first constant value, in the event that the aircraft is at an altitude less than said predetermined altitude,

a fourth airborne means for receiving the succession of samples of the position vector from the third airborne means and generating data packets descriptive of said successive discrete positions of the aircraft,

a fifth airborne means for transmitting the data packets,

a first ground-based means for receiving the data packets,

a second ground-based means for extracting the aircraft position vector samples from the data packets, and

a third ground-based means for graphic display of the position vector samples.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein each sample of said position vector includes a latitude value, a longitude value and an altitude above sea level value.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the data packets further contain an alphanumeric identifier.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the data packets further contain date and time values.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first means receives navigation signals from global navigation satellites.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second ground-based means calculates multiple aircraft flight parameters from the position vector samples.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second ground-based means calculates at least one of aircraft heading, aircraft speed, and ground speed, aircraft path, and correlated terrestrial display parameter from the position vector samples.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for comparing the position of the aircraft, represented by a position vector sample, with the positions of a plurality of ground-based facilities, selecting at least one of said ground-based facilities, and calculating a distance vector from the aircraft position to said one ground-based facility.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for dynamically updating the graphic display of the distance vector in accordance with position vector samples contained in successive data packets received by the first ground-based means.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for graphically displaying said distance vector and numerical data defining the magnitude of said distance vector.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second airborne means includes a means for calculating a trajectory of the aircraft based on position vector samples contained in successive data packets received by the first ground-based means and for calculating a net terminal location of the aircraft based on intersection of projected trajectory of the aircraft with a terrestrial plane.

19. A system according to claim 10, wherein the second ground-based means graphically displays updated position vector samples to a correlated terrestrial display parameter.

20. A system according to claim 10, wherein the second ground-based means graphically displays updated position vector samples and correlated terrestrial information.

21. A system according to claim 10, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for determining the position of the aircraft, represented by a position vector sample, and the second ground-based means graphically displays updated position vector samples and terrestrial information regarding a spatial domain that includes the position of the aircraft.

22. A system according to claim 11, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for conditionally asserting an alarm signal, a means for comparing current values of parameters that define the aircraft'"'"'s trajectory with nominal values of those parameters and negating the conditional alarm signal in the event that the current values of the parameters match the nominal values within a predetermined tolerance, and a means operative in the event that the current values do not match the nominal values within said predetermined tolerance for comparing current values of control settings of the aircraft with stored values to determine whether the control settings can be adjusted sufficiently to avert intersection of the projected trajectory with the terrestrial plane and, if so, canceling the alarm signal, and, if not, transmitting the calculated net terminal location to a ground-based facility for emergency response.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for comparing the net terminal location of the aircraft with the positions of a plurality of ground-based facilities, selecting at least one of said ground-based facilities, and calculating a distance vector from each selected ground-based facility to the net terminal location.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for graphically displaying said distance vector.

12. A combined airborne and ground-based system for monitoring an aircraft, comprising:

a first airborne means for receiving navigation signals and deriving an aircraft position vector therefrom,

a second airborne means for sampling said aircraft position vector at a selected sample rate and outputting a succession of samples of said aircraft position vector,

a third airborne means for receiving the succession of samples of the aircraft position vector and generating data packets that contain respective samples of the aircraft position vector, and

a fourth airborne means for transmitting the data packets,

a first ground-based means for receiving the data packets, and

a second ground-based means for extracting the aircraft position vector samples from the data packets and calculating an aircraft flight parameter from the position vector samples

wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for calculating a trajectory of the aircraft based on position vector samples contained in successive data packets received by the first ground-based means and for calculating a net terminal location of the aircraft based on terrain features and the trajectory of the aircraft,

and wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for conditionally asserting an alarm signal, a means for comparing current values of parameters that define the aircraft'"'"'s trajectory with nominal values of those parameters and negating the conditional alarm signal in the event that the current values of the parameters match the nominal values within a predetermined tolerance, and a means operative in the event that the current values do not match the nominal values within said predetermined tolerance for comparing current values of control settings of the aircraft with stored values to determine whether adjustment of the control settings can influence the trajectory of the aircraft sufficiently to avoid collision with terrain features and, if so, canceling the alarm signal, and, if not, reporting the net terminal location to a ground-based facility for emergency response.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for comparing the net terminal location of the aircraft with the positions of a plurality of ground-based facilities, selecting at least one of said ground-based facilities, and calculating a distance vector from each selected ground-based facility to the net terminal location.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the second ground-based means includes a means for graphically displaying said distance vector.

15. A combined airborne and ground-based system for monitoring an aircraft, comprising:

a first airborne means for receiving navigation signals and deriving an aircraft position vector therefrom,

a second airborne means for sampling said aircraft position vector at a selected sample rate and outputting a succession of samples of said aircraft position vector,

a third airborne means for receiving the succession of samples of the aircraft position vector and generating data packets that contain respective samples of the aircraft position vector, and

a fourth airborne means for transmitting the data packets,

a first ground-based means for receiving the data packets, and

a second ground-based means including a means for determining the position of the aircraft, represented by a position vector sample, selecting a spatial domain that includes the position of the aircraft, and providing a display of the spatial domain, the second ground-based means having a first state in which it displays the spatial domain as an air traffic control navigational display and a second state in which it displays the spatial domain and correlated terrestrial features that are not shown in the first state.

16. A combined airborne and ground-based system for monitoring an aircraft, comprising:

a first airborne means for receiving navigation signals and deriving an aircraft position vector therefrom,

a second airborne means for sampling said aircraft position vector at a selected sample rate and outputting a succession of samples of said aircraft position vector,

a third airborne means for receiving the succession of samples of the aircraft position vector and generating data packets that contain respective samples of the aircraft position vector, and

a fourth airborne means for transmitting the data packets,

a first ground-based means for receiving the data packets, and

a second ground-based means including a means for comparing the position of the aircraft, represented by a position vector sample, with the positions of a plurality of ground-based facilities, allowing selection of one of said ground-based facilities, and calculating a distance vector from the aircraft position to said one ground-based facility,

and wherein the second ground-based means includes a display means having a first state in which it displays general air-traffic control information pertaining to the vicinity of the selected ground-based facility and a second state in which it displays said distance vector and terrestrial features in the vicinity of the selected ground-based facility.

17. A combined airborne and ground-based system for monitoring an aircraft, comprising:

a first airborne means for receiving navigation signals and deriving an aircraft position vector therefrom,

a second airborne means for sampling said aircraft position vector at a selected sample rate and outputting a succession of samples of said aircraft position vector,

a third airborne means for receiving the succession of samples of the aircraft position vector and generating data packets that contain respective samples of the aircraft position vector, and

a fourth airborne means for transmitting the data packets,

a first ground-based means for receiving the data packets, and

a second ground-based means including a means for comparing the position of the aircraft, represented by a position vector sample, with the positions of a plurality of ground-based facilities, allowing selection of one of said ground-based facilities, and calculating a distance vector from the aircraft position to said one ground-based facility,

and wherein the second ground-based means includes a display means having a first state in which it displays general aircraft navigational information pertaining to the vicinity of the selected ground-based facility and a second state in which it displays said distance vector and terrestrial features in the vicinity of the selected ground-based facility.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the general aircraft navigational information that is displayed in the first state of the display means includes terrestrial information but does not include said terrestrial features.