Sky marshal video access

• US 9,640,000 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Poth, Albin, Bode, Stefan, Koch, Maik
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Jonathan V
• Application Number:
  US13/689,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1965 the vehicle being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A surveillance device and method provide access to a surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance. A computer program may be used to execute the method for accessing the surveillance system. The surveillance device includes an authentication unit for examining an access-authorization request for access to the surveillance system, and a control unit for selecting, on the basis of the access-authorization request, a display unit from a plurality of display units provided in the aircraft, and for relaying a video-image signal corresponding to a captured video image of a subarea of the cabin of the aircraft to the selected display unit for the purpose of displaying the video image.

Claims

1. A surveillance device for access to a surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance, the surveillance device comprising:

an authenticator configured to examine an access-authorisation request for access to the surveillance system; and

a controller configured to designate, on the basis of the access-authorisation request, a display unit from a plurality of display units provided in the aircraft, and to relay a video-image signal corresponding to a captured video image of a portion of the cabin of the aircraft to the designated display unit for the purpose of displaying the video image;

wherein the designated display unit comprises a monitor configured to display the video-image signal to a person located in a passenger seat of the aircraft; and

wherein the designated display unit is located outside of a cockpit of the aircraft.

2. The surveillance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the designated display unit to display the video image, which in particular is variable in its size, at a predetermined position on the designated display unit such that the video image is superimposed on an in-flight entertainment programme represented on the designated display unit, which is retrievable on each of the plurality of display units.

3. The surveillance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the designated display unit to display a warning element and, upon selection of the warning element, to cause a warning appliance to transmit a warning signal, in particular at least one of an acoustic and visual warning signal, into the cockpit of the aircraft.

4. The surveillance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to unlock a telephone assigned to the designated display unit for connection to the cockpit of the aircraft.

5. A surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance, the surveillance system comprising:

(a) a surveillance device for access to a surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance, the surveillance device comprising;

an authenticator configured to examine an access-authorisation request for access to the surveillance system; and

a controller configured to designate, on the basis of the access-authorisation request, a display unit from a plurality of display units provided in the aircraft, and to relay a video-image signal corresponding to a captured video image of a portion of the cabin of the aircraft to the designated display unit for the purpose of displaying the video image;

wherein the designated display unit comprises a monitor configured to display the video-image signal to a person located in a passenger seat of the aircraft; and

wherein the designated display unit is located outside of a cockpit of the aircraft; and

(b) a camera, the camera comprising at least one video camera configured and arranged and oriented in such a manner in the aircraft to capture in each instance a video image of differing portions of the cabin of the aircraft and in each instance to generate an associated video-image signal.

6. The surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one video camera is provided on or above a cockpit door arranged between the cockpit and the cabin and is configured and is oriented in such a manner in the direction of the cabin to capture a video image of a portion of the cabin outside the cockpit door and to generate an associated video-image signal.

7. The surveillance system according to claim 5, the surveillance system further comprising a plurality of authentication appliances for recording the access-authorisation request, each of the plurality of authentication appliances being assigned to a display unit of the plurality of display units, and the controller being further configured to designate the display unit for displaying the video image, on the assigned authentication appliance of which the access-authorisation request was recorded.

8. The surveillance system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of authentication appliances each comprise at least one of a code-inputter comprising one of a telephone or a touch-screen, for entering a predefined code, and a card-reader configured to evaluate an identification card, and a reader configured to identify electromagnetic waves emitted by a transponder.

9. The surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of:

the camera is part of a cockpit-door surveillance system provided on board the aircraft and the display units are part of an in-flight entertainment system.

10. A method for access to a surveillance system for keeping a cabin of an aircraft under surveillance, the method comprising the following steps:

examining, by an authenticator, an access-authorisation request for access to the surveillance system;

designating, by a controller and on the basis of the access-authorisation request, a display unit from a plurality of display units provided in the aircraft and outside of a cockpit of the aircraft; and

relaying, by the controller, a video-image signal corresponding to a captured video image of a portion of the cabin of the aircraft to the designated display unit for the purpose of displaying the video image;

wherein the designated display unit comprises a monitor configured to display the video-image signal to a person located in a passenger seat of the aircraft.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein further a warning element is displayed on the designated display unit and upon selection of the warning element a warning signal, particular at least one of an acoustic and visual warning signal, is transmitted into the cockpit of the aircraft.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein further a telephone assigned to the designated display unit for connecting to the cockpit of the aircraft is released.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the video image, which in particular is variable in its size, is displayed in such a manner at a predetermined position on the designated display unit that the video image is superimposed on an in-flight entertainment programme represented on the designated display unit, which is retrievable on each of the plurality of display units.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program configured to execute the method according to claim 10.