Emergency transmission monitoring and reporting

• US 7,948,401 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Potomac Aviation Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: Potomac Aviation Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Wartofsky, David J., Simon, Gary B.
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US11/624,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/963, 340/981, 340/982, 340/983, 340/514, 340/961, 340/970, 455/404, 455/414, 455/404.1, 455/414.1, 701/3, 701/14, 701/301, 342/29, 342/385, 342/386
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for monitoring an emergency frequency at a ground station for detection of an emergency signal and, upon detecting an emergency signal, determining whether the emergency signal represents an emergency event. If an emergency event is detected, the emergency event is reported. Determining whether the emergency signal represents an emergency event may include testing validity of the emergency signal to eliminate false positives. Reporting the emergency event may include sending an emergency event message to a remote server. The emergency event message may include time information and signal strength information associated with the detected emergency event and location information associated with the ground station.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

monitoring an emergency frequency at a ground station for detection of an emergency signal;

upon detecting an emergency signal, determining whether the emergency signal represents an emergency event by testing validity of the emergency signal wherein testing validity of the emergency signal includes declaring an emergency event if the emergency signal is continuously present during K time intervals, where K>

1;

if an emergency event is detected, reporting the emergency event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the emergency frequency includes monitoring periodically.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein reporting the emergency event includes sending an emergency event message to a server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the emergency event message includes time information and signal strength information associated with the detected emergency event, the signal strength information representing strength of the emergency frequency signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the emergency event message further includes location information associated with the ground station.

6. Apparatus at a ground station, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to (i) monitor an emergency frequency for detection of an emergency signal, (ii) determine whether a detected emergency signal represents an emergency event by testing validity of the emergency signal, the processor tests validity of the emergency signal by declaring an emergency event if the emergency signal is continuously present during K time intervals, where K>

1 and (iii) format an emergency event message; and

a network interface coupled to the processor that communicates the emergency event message.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a radio receiver coupled to the processor that receives emergency frequency transmissions, wherein the processor monitors the received emergency frequency transmissions.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to monitor the emergency frequency periodically.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the network interface communicates the emergency event message to a server.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the emergency event message includes time information and signal strength information associated with the detected emergency event, the signal strength information representing strength of the emergency frequency signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the emergency event message further includes location information associated with the ground station.

12. A system comprising:

plural monitor units located at respective ground stations, each unit configured to (i) monitor an emergency frequency for detection of an emergency signal, (ii) determine whether a detected emergency signal represents an emergency event by testing validity of the emergency signal, the monitor unit tests validity of the emergency signal by declaring an emergency event if the emergency signal is continuously present during K time intervals, where K>

1 (iii) format an emergency event message and communicate the emergency event message over a network; and

a server coupled to the plural monitor units over the network, the server configured to (i) receive the emergency event message communicated by any of the monitor units, (ii) determine a location of the emergency event, (iii) select an emergency services provider based on the location of the emergency event and (iv) report the emergency event to the selected emergency services provider.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the emergency event message includes time information and signal strength information associated with the detected emergency event and location information associated with the ground station, the signal strength information representing strength of the emergency frequency signal.

14. A computer implemented method comprising:

monitoring an emergency locator transmission (ELT) frequency band at a ground station having an emergency monitoring unit that includes a radio receiver configured to receive radio transmissions in the ELT band from aircraft;

declaring an emergency event associated with a distressed aircraft if radio transmissions received in the ELT band are present continuously during K time intervals, where K>

1; and

if the emergency event is declared, reporting the emergency event.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein reporting the emergency event includes sending an emergency event message to a server, the emergency event message including time information and signal strength information associated with the declared emergency event and location information associated with the ground station.

16. Apparatus at a ground station, the apparatus comprising:

a radio receiver configured to receive radio transmissions in an emergency locator transmission (ELT) frequency band from aircraft;

a processor configured to (i) declare an emergency event associated with a distressed aircraft if radio transmissions received in the ELT band are present continuously during K time intervals, where K>

1 and (ii) format an emergency event message associated with the declared emergency event; and

a network interface coupled to the processor that communicates the emergency event message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the emergency event message includes time information and signal strength information associated with the declared emergency event and location information associated with the ground station.

18. A system comprising:

plural monitor units located at respective ground stations, each unit configured to (i) receive radio transmissions in an emergency locator transmission (ELT) frequency band from aircraft (ii) declare an emergency event associated with a distressed aircraft if radio transmissions received in the ELT band are present continuously during K time intervals, where K>

1 and (iii) communicate an emergency event message associated with the declared emergency event over a network; and

a server coupled to the plural monitor units over the network, the server configured to (i) receive the emergency event message communicated by any of the monitor units, (ii) determine a location of the emergency event, (iii) select an emergency services provider based on the location of the emergency event and (iv) report the emergency event to the selected emergency services provider.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the emergency event message includes time information and signal strength information associated with the detected emergency event and location information associated with the ground station.