Ejectable flight data recorder systems, methods, and devices
First Claim
1. A system for ejecting a flight data recorder from an aircraft in an emergency situation, the system comprising:
- a flight data recorder disposed within a launching tube, the flight data recorder configured to be ejectable from the launching tube, the flight data recorder comprising a nonvolatile memory for storing flight data;
an ejection system comprising a stored energy source configured to cause rapid ejection of the flight data recorder from the launching tube when the ejection system is triggered; and
an emergency detection system comprising;
an aircraft data bus interface configured to receive aircraft data bus information comprising at least position data, altitude data, vertical speed data, and airspeed data;
a sensor interface configured to receive sensor data generated by a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors comprising at least a plurality of collision sensors;
an arming controller for automatically arming and disarming the ejection system based at least in part on one or more of the position data, the altitude data, the vertical speed data, or the airspeed data,wherein the arming controller is configured to dynamically disarm the ejection system within a first threshold distance from a first geographic location, and the arming controller is configured to dynamically disarm the ejection system within a second threshold distance from a second geographic location, the second threshold distance being different than the first threshold distance; and
an ejection controller for automatically triggering the ejection system responsive to detection of one or more of a plurality of ejection conditions, the plurality of ejection conditions comprising ejection conditions grouped into at least two levels of authority,wherein the ejection controller is configured to, responsive to detection of an ejection condition having a lower level of authority, trigger the ejection system only if the ejection system is armed, andwherein the ejection controller is configured to, responsive to detection of an ejection condition having a higher level of authority, trigger the ejection system regardless of a current arming state of the ejection system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ejectable flight data recorder for robust retention of flight data and aiding in locating an aircraft after an emergency situation comprises: a buoyant housing comprising an internal cavity, a door for access to at least a portion of the internal cavity, and an aerodynamic outer shape having a longitudinal axis; an energy-dissipating nose cone for reducing an impact load on the housing when the flight data recorder impacts a water surface; a nonvolatile memory configured to store flight data; a position sensor for detecting a geographic position of the flight data recorder; a radio transmitter; an antenna electrically coupled to the radio transmitter; a sustainable power system; and a hydrophone for acoustically tracking a sinking trajectory of the aircraft in a body of water.
40 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system for ejecting a flight data recorder from an aircraft in an emergency situation, the system comprising:
-
a flight data recorder disposed within a launching tube, the flight data recorder configured to be ejectable from the launching tube, the flight data recorder comprising a nonvolatile memory for storing flight data; an ejection system comprising a stored energy source configured to cause rapid ejection of the flight data recorder from the launching tube when the ejection system is triggered; and an emergency detection system comprising; an aircraft data bus interface configured to receive aircraft data bus information comprising at least position data, altitude data, vertical speed data, and airspeed data; a sensor interface configured to receive sensor data generated by a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors comprising at least a plurality of collision sensors; an arming controller for automatically arming and disarming the ejection system based at least in part on one or more of the position data, the altitude data, the vertical speed data, or the airspeed data, wherein the arming controller is configured to dynamically disarm the ejection system within a first threshold distance from a first geographic location, and the arming controller is configured to dynamically disarm the ejection system within a second threshold distance from a second geographic location, the second threshold distance being different than the first threshold distance; and an ejection controller for automatically triggering the ejection system responsive to detection of one or more of a plurality of ejection conditions, the plurality of ejection conditions comprising ejection conditions grouped into at least two levels of authority, wherein the ejection controller is configured to, responsive to detection of an ejection condition having a lower level of authority, trigger the ejection system only if the ejection system is armed, and wherein the ejection controller is configured to, responsive to detection of an ejection condition having a higher level of authority, trigger the ejection system regardless of a current arming state of the ejection system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A system for ejecting an ejectable flight data recorder from an aircraft in an emergency situation, the system comprising:
-
an ejectable flight data recorder disposed within a launching tube, the ejectable flight data recorder configured to be ejectable from the launching tube, the ejectable flight data recorder comprising a nonvolatile memory; an ejection system comprising a stored energy source configured to cause rapid ejection of the flight data recorder from the launching tube by rapidly pressurizing the launching tube when the ejection system is triggered; and a control system comprising; one or more computer processors configured to receive flight data as stored in a conventional flight data recorder and cockpit voice data as stored in a conventional cockpit voice recorder, and to transmit the flight data and cockpit voice data to the ejectable flight data recorder for storage in the nonvolatile memory of the ejectable flight data recorder; an arming controller for automatically arming and disarming the ejection system based at least in part on data received from an aircraft data bus comprising one or more of position data, altitude data, vertical speed data, or airspeed data; and an ejection controller for automatically triggering the ejection system responsive to detection of one or more of a plurality of ejection conditions, wherein the ejection controller is configured to detect the plurality of ejection conditions by analyzing one or more of the data received from the aircraft data bus and data received from one or more collision sensors. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification