Method and system of aircraft pilot assessment
First Claim
1. A method for assessing the capability of a person to operate an aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing the value of an information parameter concerning said person for assessing the fitness of said person to operate said aircraft, said operator information parameter comprising at least one of a physiologic information parameter for said person and an action information parameter about at least one action of said person;
(b) sensing the value of an information parameter concerning said aircraft, said aircraft parameter comprising at least one of the(i) attitude,(ii) location,(iii) velocity,(iv) vertical airspeed,(v) rate of change of pitch,(vi) rate of change of roll,(vii) rate of change of yaw, and(viii) g-forces of said aircraft;
(c) determining whether the values of said operator and said aircraft information paramaters are not within a range of values deemed to be acceptable for said person and said aircraft, respectively, if said person were capable of properly operating said aircraft;
(d) generating an emergency condition signal when said value of said at least one of said information parameters is not within said range of acceptable values, thereby indicating said person'"'"'s decreased fitness to operate said aircraft;
(e) disabling control of said aircraft by said person in response to said signal;
(f) enabling control of said aircraft by an alternate source of control in response to said signal; and
(g) landing the aircraft safely by means of said alternate source of control;
wherein said alternate source of control includes at least one of a flight control system and an off-aircraft human pilot.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for assessing the capability of a pilot to operate an aircraft. The system senses the value of at least one operator information parameter for assessing the fitness of the pilot operating the aircraft and at least one aircraft information parameter relating to the position and motion of the aircraft. The operator information parameters include electroencephalogram information, electrocardiogram information, heart rate information, respiratory rate information, eye motion information, eyelid position information, eyelid motion information, expired gas mixture information, blood oxygen content information, blood oxygen saturation information and blood pressure information for the person operating the aircraft, and/or information about actions taken by the person operating the aircraft. Based on these parameters, the system determines if the pilot is capable of properly operating the aircraft and, if not, control of the aircraft is assumed by an alternate source of control which lands the aircraft safely.
22 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for assessing the capability of a person to operate an aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) sensing the value of an information parameter concerning said person for assessing the fitness of said person to operate said aircraft, said operator information parameter comprising at least one of a physiologic information parameter for said person and an action information parameter about at least one action of said person; (b) sensing the value of an information parameter concerning said aircraft, said aircraft parameter comprising at least one of the (i) attitude, (ii) location, (iii) velocity, (iv) vertical airspeed, (v) rate of change of pitch, (vi) rate of change of roll, (vii) rate of change of yaw, and (viii) g-forces of said aircraft; (c) determining whether the values of said operator and said aircraft information paramaters are not within a range of values deemed to be acceptable for said person and said aircraft, respectively, if said person were capable of properly operating said aircraft; (d) generating an emergency condition signal when said value of said at least one of said information parameters is not within said range of acceptable values, thereby indicating said person'"'"'s decreased fitness to operate said aircraft; (e) disabling control of said aircraft by said person in response to said signal; (f) enabling control of said aircraft by an alternate source of control in response to said signal; and (g) landing the aircraft safely by means of said alternate source of control; wherein said alternate source of control includes at least one of a flight control system and an off-aircraft human pilot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for assessing the capability of a person to operate an aircraft, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for sensing the value of an information parameter concerning said person for assessing the fitness of said person to operate said aircraft, said operator information parameter comprising at least one of a physiologic information parameter for said person and an action information parameter about at least one action of said person; (b) means for sensing the value of an information parameter concerning said aircraft, said aircraft information parameter comprising at least one of the at least one of the (i) attitude, (ii) location, (iii) velocity, (iv) vertical airspeed, (v) rate of change of pitch, (vi) rate of change of roll, (vii) rate of change of yaw, and (viii) g-forces of said aircraft; (c) means for determining whether the values of said operator and said aircraft information paramaters are not within the range of values deemed to be acceptable for said person, if said person were capable of properly operating said aircraft; (d) means for generating an emergency condition signal when said value of said at least one of said information parameters is not within said range of acceptable values, thereby indicating said person'"'"'s decreased fitness to operate said aircraft; (e) means for disabling control of said aircraft by said person in response to said signal; (f) means for enabling control of said aircraft by an alternate source of control in response to said signal; and (g) means for safely landing the aircraft by said alternate source of control; wherein said alternate source of control includes at least one of a flight control system and an off-aircraft human pilot. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification