Safety aircraft flight system

• US 7,183,946 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary Jon Boudrieau
• Original Assignee: Gary Jon Boudrieau
• Inventors: Boudrieau, Gary Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/605,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 340/961, 340/945, 340/971, 244/118.5, 244/76.R, 244/189, 701/14, 701/9.2, 701/11
• US Class Current: 340/945
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0053 using visual equipment, e.g. cameras

Abstract

The present invention is a computer system designed to use the conventional devices and special programming of the present invention that will ensure the safe operation of aircraft. The present invention is an anti-terrorist and Anti-Crash System to ensure and maintain complete control of an aircraft on the ground, during taxiing and even in the air. With the present invention in place, an aircraft can be kept a safe distance from any building and other aircraft, and the aircraft can be remotely controlled. The system provides greater national security. Utilizing the On-Demand audio and visual monitoring components of the present invention, simultaneously, proper authorities can access all factual data from all onboard flight systems before a crash is imminent. Equipment lockouts are in place as well, so that if an aircraft is commandeered, the actual person in the cockpit is unable to effect aircraft travel, virtually eliminating human error.

Claims

1. A system for protecting aircraft operation at all times while an aircraft is in service, the aircraft having a pilot-operated control system to operate aircraft flight and taxi controls and an on-board autopilot coupled to the control system to automatically operate the aircraft flight and taxi controls, the system for protecting aircraft operation comprising:

an anti-crash system on the aircraft that automatically and without human intervention transmits commands to prevent the aircraft from crashing into the ground and into objects on the ground and in the air;

an auto-controlling and piloting system on the aircraft that receives the commands from the anti-crash system and is configured to prevent control by the pilot-operated control system and the on-board autopilot, the auto-controlling and piloting system overriding the pilot-operated control system and the autopilot to control movement of the aircraft on the ground and in the air;

a monitoring device system that monitors aircraft operation at all times while the aircraft is in service, the monitoring device system communicating with said anti-crash system; and

a secondary aircraft controller system on board the aircraft and coupled to the auto-controlling and piloting system for controlling the aircraft flight and taxi controls independent of the pilot-operated controls and the on-board autopilot.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an authorities security aircraft flight equipment system remote from the aircraft communicating with the anti-crash system and the auto-controlling and piloting system and the monitoring system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the anti-crash system only allows the aircraft to operate on a course set by proper authorities before lift off.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising an anti-crash system installed in a ground-based object that sends no-fly zone information comprising distance and height signals to the anti-crash system on the aircraft and signals causing the aircraft to avoid the ground-based object or other objects.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising an anti-crash system installed in a ground-based object that is configured to allow proper authorities to authorize changes in the course of the aircraft from the ground in emergency or crisis situations.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device system comprises an on-demand monitoring device system that is configured to automatically engage simultaneously when a problem is detected, the on-demand monitoring system enabling authorities to monitor on-board sensors.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the on-demand monitoring device system includes a live feed of video and audio from the aircraft to a remote ground-based system.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein a course set before lift off in the aircraft can be changed during flight only by use of the authorities security aircraft flight equipment system installed in a ground-based object by multiple authorities entering multiple codes.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the multiple codes are changed on a random basis to ensure that only authorized authorities can change a course or take control of an aircraft.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the auto-controlling and piloting system allows authorities to authorize the operation of the aircraft in the event of pilot or crew member inability to safely pilot the aircraft due to any reason.

11. An aircraft protection system for use at all times while an aircraft is in service, the aircraft having a control system to operate aircraft flight and taxi controls and an on-board autopilot coupled to the control system to automatically operate the aircraft flight and taxi controls, the system for protecting aircraft operation comprising:

an on-board monitoring system configured to monitor the aircraft at all times while the aircraft is in service and to transmit communication signals;

an anti-crash control system on board the aircraft and coupled to the monitoring system and responsive to the communication signals to automatically and without human intervention transmit commands to prevent the aircraft from crashing into objects;

an auto-controlling and piloting system on board the aircraft that receives the commands from the anti-crash system and prevents control of the aircraft by the control system and the on-board autopilot, the auto-controlling and piloting system overriding the autopilot to control movement of the aircraft on the ground and in the air;

a secondary aircraft controller system on board the aircraft to control the aircraft flight and taxi controls in response to the auto-controlling and piloting system; and

an authorities security aircraft flight equipment computer remote from the aircraft that communicates with the anti-crash system, the auto-controlling and piloting system, and the monitoring system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the anti-crash control system comprises an input for receiving the communication signal from the monitoring system and an output coupled to the auto-controlling and piloting system and secondary aircraft controller system, the anti-crash control system configured to assume control of the aircraft upon receipt of the communication signal and prevent control of the aircraft the aircraft control system and the on-board autopilot in the aircraft.

13. An aircraft management system for an aircraft having flight and taxi controls and an on-board autopilot coupled to the flight controls, the system comprising:

a monitoring system that monitors the operation of the aircraft at all times while the aircraft is in service to automatically detect when the aircraft is on a collision course with an object or the ground and automatically generating a detection signal when a collision course with an object or the ground is detected; and

an anti-crash system coupled to the monitoring system for receiving the detection signal therefrom and coupled to the autopilot and coupled to the flight and taxi controls via a secondary control system on the aircraft, the anti-crash system responsive to the detection signal to send commands to an auto-controlling and piloting system on board the aircraft to automatically bypass the autopilot and control the path of the aircraft without any human intervention to avoid a collision with the object or the ground, the anti-crash system configured to prevent control by the on-board autopilot when the anti-crash system is activated.

14. A system for protecting aircraft operation, comprising:

an anti-crash system that automatically prevents an aircraft from colliding with other objects;

an auto-controlling and piloting system, receiving commands from said anti-crash system;

a monitoring device system communicating with said anti-crash system;

an authorities security aircraft flight equipment computer communicating with said anti-crash system, said auto-controlling and piloting system, and said monitoring system; and

a secondary aircraft controller system, wherein a course set before lift off in the aircraft can be changed during flight only by use of the authorities security aircraft flight equipment computer installed in the ground-based object by three separate authorities entering three separate codes.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the three separate codes are changed on a random basis to ensure that only authorized authorities can change a course or take control of an aircraft.