Method and system for controlling a hijacked aircraft

• US 7,840,317 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2004
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey A. Matos
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey A. Matos
• Inventors: Matos, Jeffrey A., Milde, Karl F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/919,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20060032978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,290 Days
• Field of Search: 701/16, 701/110, 701/2, 701/11, 701/4, 701/3, 701/9, 701/14, 701/36, 244/189, 244/190, 244/183, 244/175, 244/75.1, 244/46.R, 280/270, 340/541, 340/945, 340/540, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 382/115, 380/258
• US Class Current: 701/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0034 by ground-control override
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the flight of an aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency is disclosed. The apparatus includes:

• (a) a remote flight control, located separate and apart from said aircraft, for remote flight control of said aircraft by a remote human pilot;
• (b) an onboard manual flight control on the aircraft for manual flight control of the aircraft by an onboard human pilot;
• (c) an onboard autopilot on the aircraft for automatic flight control of the aircraft;
• (d) a device for detecting an in-flight emergency on board the aircraft, when the onboard pilot is incapable of properly manually flying said first aircraft due to an attack upon the aircraft or its occupants, including its onboard human pilots, or due to any other incapacity of the onboard human pilots, and producing an in-flight emergency signal in response thereto; and
• (e) an onboard remote piloting device on the aircraft for receiving the in-flight emergency control signal and control signals from said remote flight control device and allowing the control of the aircraft by the remote human pilot and preventing flight control by any person on board the aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the flight of a first aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency, employing a system which comprises:

(1) onboard manual flight control means for manual flight control of said first aircraft by an onboard human pilot;

(2) an onboard automatic flight control system, comprising at least one of an autopilot and a flight management computer system, for automatic flight control of said first aircraft;

(3) remote manual flight control means, in two-way communication with said first aircraft, for remote manual flight control by a remote human pilot located in a second aircraft, separate and apart from said first aircraft, and in visual contact with said first aircraft; and

(4) onboard remote piloting means for allowing the control of said first aircraft by said remote human pilot with the aid of said remote flight control means;

said method comprising the steps of;

(a) detecting an in-flight emergency wherein the onboard pilot is incapable of manually flying said first aircraft due to an attack upon said first aircraft or its occupants, including its onboard human pilots, or due to any other incapacity of said onboard human pilots;

(b) upon detection of said in-flight emergency, automatically controlling the flight of said first aircraft by means of said onboard flight control system to cause said first aircraft to fly in accordance with a prescribed emergency flight plan; and

(c) manually piloting said first aircraft by remote control, with the aid of said remote manual flight control means and said onboard remote piloting means, by said remote human pilot in said second aircraft, to activate aerodynamic control surfaces of said aircraft in substantially real time to control the flight of said aircraft without guidance of said autopilot, to land said first aircraft at an airfield while in visual contact with the first aircraft.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said prescribed emergency flight plan includes the step of flying said first aircraft to the vicinity of a designated airfield for landing.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield at an altitude below 10,000 feet above sea level, terrain permitting, to minimize the effect of an accidental sudden decompression of the aircraft cabin.

4. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield via a prescribed emergency flight path which avoids other aircraft and maximizes safety.

5. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids over-flying populated areas on the ground.

6. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids over-flying specific areas.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said remote manual flight control means and said remote human pilot are located on the ground at a central station which is in two-way communication with said first aircraft.

8. The method defined in claim 7, wherein said central station is within sight of said first aircraft.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said central station is located at the landing field selected for said first aircraft.

10. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said two-way communication is substantially directional between said first aircraft and said central station, to prevent unauthorized communication with said first aircraft.

11. The method defined in claim 7, wherein said first aircraft has means for reducing the receiver sensitivity to receipt of signals from said ground station, when the first aircraft and the ground station are in close proximity.

12. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said first aircraft has means for reducing the receiver sensitivity for receipt of signals from the second aircraft.

13. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said second aircraft is within sight of said first aircraft.

14. The method defined in claim 13, wherein said second aircraft follows said first aircraft in flight.

15. The method defined in claim 1, wherein antennas for said two-way communication between said first and said second aircraft are directional, to prevent unauthorized communication with said first aircraft.

16. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said remote human pilot manually controls a plurality of variable parameters of said first aircraft, with the aid of said remote manual flight control means, to remotely pilot said first aircraft after detection of said in-flight emergency, said parameters being selected from the group consisting of throttles, elevator, rudder, flaps, ailerons and landing gear.

17. The method defined in claim 1, wherein, upon detection of said in-flight emergency, the response to all onboard human operation of the first aircraft is inactivated, so that no onboard person is able to affect the ability of the first aircraft to automatically fly in accordance with said prescribed emergency flight plan.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein, after response to all onboard human operation of the aircraft has been inactivated, flying the aircraft to its original destination with the aid of said onboard autopilot.

19. The method defined in claim 17, wherein, after response to all onboard human operation of the aircraft has been inactivated, flying the aircraft to a designated airfield with the aid of said onboard autopilot.

20. The method defined in claim 17, wherein, after response to all human operation of the onboard autopilot has been inactivated, automatically selecting a preferred airfield, from a plurality of pre-designated airfields, depending upon the current location of the first aircraft, and then flying the aircraft to said selected airfield with the aid of said onboard autopilot.

21. The method defined in claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the step of remotely modifying said prescribed emergency flight plan of said first aircraft and thereafter automatically flying said first aircraft, with the aid of said flight control system, in accordance with the modified prescribed emergency flight plan.

22. The method defined in claim 21, wherein, the prescribed emergency flight plan of said autopilot is modified by said remote human pilot with the aid of said remote manual flight control means.

23. The method defined in claim 21, wherein said prescribed emergency flight plan includes the step of flying said first aircraft to the vicinity of a designated airfield for landing.

24. The method defined in claim 23, wherein said designated airfield is selected by a remote human pilot.

25. The method defined in claim 24, wherein said designated airfield is selected from among a plurality of pre-designated airfields.

26. The method defined in claim 21, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield at an altitude below 10,000 feet above sea level, terrain permitting, to minimize the effect of an accidental sudden decompression of the aircraft cabin.

27. The method defined in claim 21, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield via a prescribed emergency flight path which avoids other aircraft.

28. The method defined in claim 21, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids over-flying certain areas on the ground.

29. The method defined in claim 21, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids over-flying specific areas.

30. The method defined in claim 21, wherein said remote manual flight control means and said remote human pilot are located on the ground at a central station which is in two-way communication with said first aircraft.

31. The method defined in claim 30, wherein said central station is within sight of said first aircraft.

32. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said central station is located at the landing field selected for said first aircraft.

33. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said two-way communication is highly directional between said first aircraft and said control station, to prevent unauthorized communication with said first aircraft.

34. The method defined in claim 30, wherein said first aircraft has means for reducing the sensitivity of receipt of signals from said ground station, when the first aircraft and the ground station are in close proximity.

35. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting an in-flight emergency includes the step of determining when an authorized crew member of said first aircraft fails to perform a specified activity within a prescribed period of time.

36. The method defined in claim 35, wherein the specified activity is to press a button.

37. The method defined in claim 35, wherein the specified activity is to speak a specified word.

38. The method defined in claim 35, wherein the specified activity is to enter a specified code in a keypad.

39. The method defined in claim 35, further comprising the step of alerting an authorized crew member of the first aircraft to the termination of the prescribed period of time, shortly before the prescribed period of time has elapsed.

40. The method defined in claim 39, wherein said alerting step is performed by issuing at least one of an audible sound and a visual signal.

41. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said first aircraft further comprises:

a master aircraft control on said first aircraft being operative to receive (a) a set of aircraft control inputs from each of (1) said onboard manual flight control means, (2) said onboard remote piloting means, and (3) said onboard autopilot, said master aircraft control being further operative to output control signals to an output to control the aerodynamic surfaces of said first aircraft when said control unit is in a first, a second and a third operating state, respectively, and (b) at least one control input for setting the state of the master aircraft control.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said control input sets the state of said master aircraft control to the third state when said in-flight emergency is detected on board the first aircraft.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said control input sets the state of the master control to the second state upon transmission of a remote takeover signal from a location remote from said first aircraft.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein, following the enabling of master control state 2 from a location remote from said first aircraft, said aircraft control inputs come from a remote pilot located at a ground-based central station.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein, upon arrival of said second aircraft to a range of points which are substantially within the line of sight of said first aircraft, control of said first aircraft is transferred from said remote pilot located at said ground based central station to said remote pilot located upon said second aircraft.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state following the receipt of a second set of master aircraft control state-setting inputs from a second aircraft.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said second aircraft is substantially within line of sight of said first aircraft.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said first aircraft receiver has means for reducing receiver sensitivity.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state following the receipt of said second set of master aircraft control state-setting inputs from a ground-based central station.

50. The method of claim 42, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state and maintaining said third state until the arrival of said second aircraft.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said master aircraft control cannot return to said first state after reaching the second and third states, without intervention by authorized personnel.

52. The method of claim 42, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state when said first aircraft reaches the vicinity of said control tower at said designated airfield.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said master aircraft control cannot return to said first state after reaching the second and third states, without intervention by authorized personnel.

54. The method of claim 43, wherein, following the enabling of master control state 2 from off said first aircraft, said aircraft control inputs come from said ground-based central station.

55. The method of claim 43, wherein, following the enabling of said second state from a location remote from said first aircraft, said control inputs come from said remote pilot aboard said second aircraft.

56. The method of claim 41, wherein,

(1) upon detection of said in-flight emergency, said ground-based central station:

(a) causes said second aircraft containing remote pilot and piloting means to fly to the vicinity of said first aircraft, and (b) transmits said master control state setting signal to said first aircraft which causes said master aircraft control to initially enter master aircraft control state 3; and

(2) upon arrival of said second aircraft to a range of points which are substantially within the line of sight of said first aircraft, said second aircraft transmits said master control state setting signal to said first aircraft which causes said to enter master aircraft control state 2, whereby said remote pilot controls the flight of said first aircraft.

57. The method of claim 41, wherein said master aircraft control switches from state 2 to state 3 whenever said aircraft control inputs are not received from said onboard piloting means.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said master aircraft control switches from state 3 back to state 2 when said aircraft control inputs are received.

59. The method of claim 41, wherein said master aircraft control has a fourth operating state in which none of said sets of aircraft control inputs is output to control the aerodynamic surfaces of said first aircraft, wherein said control unit is placed in said fourth operating state when said first aircraft is on the ground.

60. The method defined in claim 59, wherein the state of said control unit is changed to said fourth operating state when said first aircraft has been manually flown by said remote human pilot and landed at said airfield.

61. The method defined in claim 60, wherein the state of said control unit is changed from said fourth to said first operating state when said control unit is supplied with a security code with the aid of said remote manual flight control means and said onboard remote piloting means.

62. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

upon detection of said in-flight emergency, inactivating the response to onboard human operation of the onboard manual flight control means so that no onboard person is able to manually fly said first aircraft.

63. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

upon detection of said in-flight emergency, inactivating the response to onboard human operation of the onboard autopilot so that no onboard person is able to affect the ability of the autopilot to automatically fly said first aircraft.

64. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of manually changing the prescribed emergency flight plan in said autopilot, with the aid of said remote flight control means, by said remote human pilot.

65. The method defined in claim 64, wherein said step of manually changing the prescribed emergency flight plan in said autopilot includes changing individual autopilot parameters.

66. The method defined in claim 65, wherein said autopilot parameters include altitude and heading.

67. Apparatus for controlling the flight of a first aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) remote flight control means, located in a second aircraft, separate and apart from said first aircraft, for remote flight control of said first aircraft by a remote human pilot who is in visual contact with said first aircraft;

(b) onboard manual flight control means on said first aircraft for manual flight control of said first aircraft by an onboard human pilot;

(c) an onboard automatic flight control means, comprising at least one of an autopilot and a flight management computer system, on said first aircraft for automatic flight control of said first aircraft;

(d) means for detecting an in-flight emergency on board the first aircraft, wherein the onboard pilot is incapable of manually flying said first aircraft due to an attack upon said first aircraft or its occupants, including its onboard human pilots, or due to any other incapacity of said onboard human pilots, and producing an in-flight emergency signal in response thereto; and

(e) onboard remote piloting means on said first aircraft for receiving said in-flight emergency control signal and for receiving control signals from said remote flight control means and, in response thereto, activating aerodynamic control surfaces of said aircraft in substantially real time to control the flight of said aircraft without guidance of said autopilot, thereby to enable the control of said first aircraft by said remote human pilot, who is in visual contact with the first aircraft, in the event of said in-flight emergency.

68. The apparatus defined in claim 67, wherein said onboard remote piloting means (e) comprises a master aircraft control on said first aircraft, coupled to said means (a)-(d), which is operative to receive a set of aircraft control inputs from each of (b) said onboard manual flight control means, (a) said remote flight control means, and (c) said onboard autopilot, and to select a set of control inputs to control throttles and aerodynamic surfaces of said first aircraft, in response to said in-flight emergency control signal.

69. The apparatus defined in claim 68, wherein said master aircraft control has a plurality of operating states, wherein the control inputs from said onboard manual flight control means are selected when in a first state, the control inputs from said remote flight control means are selected when in a second state and the control inputs from said onboard autopilot means are selected when in a third state.

70. The apparatus defined in claim 69, wherein said master aircraft control has a fourth operating state, wherein none of said control inputs is selected when in said fourth state, said master aircraft control being set in said fourth state after said aircraft has landed following the detection of an in-flight emergency.

71. The apparatus defined in claim 67, wherein said means for detecting an in-flight emergency includes:

(1) an input device for receiving a live feed of at least one of audio and video from the flight deck and cabin of the first aircraft; and

(2) means connected to said input device for evaluating the live feed and determining therefrom if an in-flight emergency exists, and for producing said in-flight emergency signal if the content of the live feed exceeds a threshold indicating an in-flight emergency.

72. The apparatus defined in claim 71, wherein said means for detecting an in-flight emergency further comprises means for transmitting said in-flight emergency signal to a remote station.

73. The apparatus defined in claim 72, wherein said means for evaluating the live feed further produces a warning signal if the content of the live feed comes close to said threshold indicating an in-flight emergency, but does not exceed it.

74. The apparatus defined in claim 73, wherein said means for transmitting said in-flight emergency signal further comprises means for transmitting said warning signal to said remote station.

75. The apparatus defined in claim 72, wherein said means for transmitting said in-flight emergency signal further comprises means for transmitting said live feed to said remote station.

76. The apparatus defined in claim 67, further comprising a first transmitting and receiving device (T/R device) on board said first aircraft providing communication between said first aircraft and a remote station.

77. The apparatus defined in claim 76, wherein said first T/R device includes a directional first antenna for communication with a second antenna of a second transmitting and receiving (T/R) device that is coupled to said remote station.

78. The apparatus defined in claim 77, wherein said directional first antenna is oriented so as not to communicate with any ground-based antenna.

79. The apparatus defined in claim 77, wherein said second antenna includes a plurality of second antennas disposed at different locations, and wherein said second T/R device further comprises means for selecting the one of said second antennas that is used for transmitting to, and receiving from said first antenna.

80. The apparatus defined in claim 77, wherein said first and second T/R devices communicate at an RF frequency which propagates in the atmosphere only in a substantially a direct line of sight.

81. The apparatus defined in claim 77, wherein said second antenna is highly directional and is arranged adjacent an airfield on which said first aircraft is to land, after an in-flight emergency has been declared, said second antenna having means for aiming said second antenna at said first aircraft during landing.

82. The apparatus defined in claim 77, wherein said second antenna is directional and is arranged on said second aircraft.

83. The apparatus defined in claim 82, wherein said second antenna includes means for aiming said second antenna at said first aircraft.

84. The apparatus defined in claim 77, wherein said first antenna includes means for pointing said first antenna at said second antenna.

85. The apparatus defined in claim 67, wherein said remote piloting means includes means for preventing flight control by any person on board said first aircraft, in response to receipt of said in-flight emergency control signal.