Aircraft data handoff

• US 9,730,042 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Bambini, John Silvio
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US14/975,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 455431, 455 98, 4554041, 4554042, 455508, 455521, 455527, 455441, 340961, 340945, 340313, 340973, 340981, 34053918, 3406913, 340 748
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties

Abstract

Systems and methods for collecting aircraft data from aircrafts within proximity of one another while in-flight are provided. In one embodiment, the method can include receiving, by a first aircraft, a first transmission from a second aircraft. The first transmission can include first data associated with the second aircraft. The method can include determining a communication time period based, at least in part, on the first data. The method can include sending, to the second aircraft, a second transmission that can include second data indicative of at least the communication time period. The method can include receiving, from the second aircraft, one or more third transmissions that can include third data indicative of one or more parameters of the second aircraft. A size of the third data can be based, at least in part, on the communication time period.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of collecting aircraft data, comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices located on a first aircraft, a first transmission from a second aircraft, wherein the first transmission comprises a first set of data associated with the second aircraft;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a communication time period during which the first aircraft can receive data sent from the second aircraft, wherein the communication time period is determined based at least in part on the first set of data, a velocity associated with the first aircraft, a velocity associated with the second aircraft, and a distance between the first and second aircrafts;

sending, by the one or more computing devices, a second transmission to the second aircraft, wherein the second transmission comprises a second set of data indicative of at least the communication time period; and

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, one or more third transmissions from the second aircraft, wherein the one or more third transmissions comprise a third set of data indicative of one or more parameters associated with the second aircraft, and wherein a size of the third set of data is based at least in part on the communication time period.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first set of data comprises an indication of a distress signal associated with the second aircraft.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

activating, by the one or more computing devices, an alert indicating that the distress signal associated with the second aircraft has been received.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending, by the one or more computing devices, a fourth set of data to a control tower, wherein the fourth set of data is indicative of the distress signal associated with the second aircraft.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the one or more computing devices, the third set of data to one or more remote computing devices, wherein one or more of the remote computing devices are configured to compile data associated with the second aircraft.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the third set of data comprises one or more data fragments, and wherein one or more of the remote computing devices are configured to compile the data fragments to create a compiled set of data associated with the second aircraft.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first set of data comprises at least one of a heading of the second aircraft, a speed of the second aircraft, a flight number associated with the second aircraft, or an altitude of the second aircraft.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more third transmissions include a header segment and a body segment.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the header segment comprises at least one of a flight number associated with the second aircraft, an aircraft-type associated with the second aircraft, a tail number associated with the second aircraft, or a flight time tick associated with the second aircraft, and wherein the body segment comprises the third set of data.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first aircraft and the second aircraft are in-flight.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the third set of data comprises data indicative of data recorded in a flight recorder of the second aircraft.

12. An avionics system for collecting aircraft data, the avionics system comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices included with a first aircraft, the one or more memory devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a first transmission from a second aircraft, the first transmission comprising a first set of data associated with the second aircraft;

receiving one or more second transmissions from the second aircraft, the second transmissions comprising a second set of data indicative of one or more parameters associated with the second aircraft,

wherein a size of the second set of data is based at least in part on a communication time period during which the first aircraft is able to receive the one or more second transmissions from the second aircraft, and

wherein the communication time period is based at least in part on the first set of data, a velocity associated with the first aircraft, a velocity associated with the second aircraft, and a distance between the first and second aircrafts.

13. The avionics system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the communication time period during which the first aircraft is able to receive the one or more second transmissions from the second aircraft.

14. The avionics system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending a responsive transmission to the second aircraft, wherein the responsive transmission comprises an indication of the communication time period.

15. The avionics system of claim 12, wherein the first set of data comprises an indication of a distress signal associated with the second aircraft.

16. The avionics system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending the second set of data to one or more remote computing devices, wherein at least one of the remote computing devices is configured to compile data associated with the second aircraft.

17. An aircraft, comprising:

an engine;

a fuselage; and

a computing system comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices located on the aircraft, the one or more memory devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising

receiving, from another aircraft, a first transmission comprising a first set of data associated with a velocity and a location of the other aircraft; and

receiving, from the other aircraft, one or more second transmissions comprising a second set of data indicative of one or more parameters associated with the other aircraft,

wherein a size of the second set of data is based at least in part on a communication time period indicative of a time period during which the aircraft can receive the one or more second transmissions from the other aircraft,

wherein the communication time period is based at least in part on the first set of data of the first transmission, a velocity associated with the first aircraft, a velocity associated with the second aircraft, and a distance between the first and second aircrafts.

18. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the communication time period based at least in part on the first set of data; and

sending, to one or more remote computing devices, the second set of data, wherein at least one of the remote computing devices is configured to compile data associated with the second aircraft.