Method for monitoring and locking aircraft compartment doors

• US 9,637,235 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus
• Original Assignee: Airbus
• Inventors: Pujol, Olivier
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Royit
• Application Number:
  US13/126,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20110273269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,744 Days
• Field of Search: 340 573, 340 61, 340 125, 2441181, 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1407 Doors; surrounding frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/003 Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0018 means on aircraft for restricting unauthorized access to the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for monitoring and locking aircraft compartment doors (1, 2, 3, 4), characterized in that said system includes a centralized device (12) for controlling the locking/unlocking in the form of a central processing unit (12) for controlling remote bolt devices having a radio transceiver device and a plurality of remote bolt devices (6) for locking/unlocking said doors provided with a radio control device connected to the transceiver device of the control device.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an aircraft, comprising:

checking security of a plurality of spaces within the aircraft and closing doors or hatches providing access to the plurality of spaces prior to a period of non-use of the aircraft, the period of non-use being a period when no passengers are on board the aircraft;

locking the doors or the hatches, after checking security prior to the period of non-use of the aircraft, via a monitoring and locking system having a central locking and unlocking control device, the central locking and unlocking device including a central control computer that operates remote locks equipped with a radio frequency emitter and receiver device to lock and unlock the doors or the hatches which are provided with a radio frequency control device connected to the radio frequency emitter and receiver device of the central control computer;

checking, via the monitoring and locking system, prior to a period of use of the aircraft, a status of the locks to the doors or hatches providing access to the plurality of spaces to determine whether at least one lock of the locks has experienced forced entry during the period of non-use;

performing, before the period of use of the aircraft, a security check only of at least a space sealed by a door or a hatch equipped with the at least one lock of the locks when the at least one lock has been determined via the monitoring and locking system to have experienced forced entry during the period of non-use; and

determining via the monitoring and locking system that a security check does not need to be performed in the plurality of spaces before the period of use when the monitoring and locking system determines that none of the locks have experienced forced entry during the period of non-use.

2. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising unlocking the locks via the central control computer once the status of the locks has been checked.

3. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote locks include a magnetic lock and an electromagnetic control device, the magnetic lock being locked via an electronic switch of the electromagnetic control device.

4. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein a connection between the central locking and unlocking control device and the remote locks is via a WiFi connection, the remote locks being locked via the WiFi connection.

5. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control computer is a cabin computer and the remote locks are locked via the cabin computer.

6. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an error message when the remote locks detect a fault or forced entry;

receiving, decoding, and displaying the error message with the central control computer; and

checking the status of the locks via the monitoring and locking system.

7. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central computer controls all of the remote locks to lock or unlock simultaneously.

8. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 2, further comprising controlling by the central computer all of the remote locks to unlock simultaneously.

9. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising powering the remote locks via a battery cell.

10. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising powering the remote locks via an autonomous power supply separate from an electrical power supply connection of the aircraft.

11. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 5, further comprising locating the cabin computer on an avionic rack and connecting the cabin computer to a control and display panel located at a chief flight attendant station or at a pilot seat.

12. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the period of non-use of the aircraft begins after a last crew member leaves the airplane and ends when a subsequent first crew member enters the airplane.

13. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising powering the remote locks via an autonomous power supply, separate from an airplane electricity generation facility, during the period of non-use of the aircraft,

wherein the autonomous power supply is recharged by the airplane electricity generation facility, and

wherein the airplane electricity generation facility is not operational during the period of non-use of the aircraft.

14. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the period of use of the aircraft begins as a crew boards the aircraft.

15. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the period of use includes flight, taxiing, or boarding of passengers.

16. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 15, wherein the central computer controls all the locks to remain unlocked during the period of use.

17. The method of monitoring an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central computer controls all the locks to remain unlocked during the period of use.