Method and system for triggering an emergency measure

• US 9,783,318 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE), Safety and Accident Investigation Centre
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Girod, Maurice, Greaves, Matthew, Bartels, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Application Number:
  US14/846,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20160075446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 340963
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0065 Black boxes, devices automatically broadcasting distress signals
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/02 using fuzzy logic computing arrangements based on biological models G06N3/00; computing arrangements using knowledge-based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking

Abstract

A method for triggering a first emergency measure associated with an aircraft emergency comprising the steps of determining a risk level for an aircraft emergency and triggering the first emergency measure if the risk level exceeds a first threshold for the first emergency measure is described and claimed. The risk level is determined by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters and/or aircraft parameters using a predefined logic. The first threshold is adjusted according to a position of the aircraft over ground. Furthermore, a system for use onboard an aircraft for triggering a first emergency measure and an aircraft comprising such a system are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for triggering a first emergency measure associated with an aircraft emergency comprising determining a risk level for an aircraft emergency and triggering the first emergency measure if the risk level exceeds a first threshold for the first emergency measure,

wherein the risk level is determined by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters using a predefined logic, and

wherein the first threshold is adjusted according to a position of an aircraft over ground, wherein the position of the aircraft over ground is evaluated to determine if the aircraft is flying over sea or land, and

wherein the first threshold is adjusted to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over sea than if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over land.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises triggering a second emergency measure associated with an aircraft emergency if the risk level exceeds a second threshold for the second emergency measure,

wherein the second threshold differs from the first threshold, and

wherein the second threshold is adjusted according to the position of the aircraft over ground.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first or second threshold is adjusted such that the first or the second emergency measure is triggered at a lower risk level if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over sea than if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over land.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first emergency measure comprises an activation of an Emergency Locator Transmitter, a data transmission or an arming of a Deployable Flight Recorder.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the risk level is determined by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters using a predefined fuzzy logic.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein based on the position of the aircraft over ground it is determined if the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport,

wherein the first threshold are adjusted to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport than if it has been determined that the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport.

4. A method for triggering a first emergency measure associated with an aircraft emergency comprising determining a risk level for an aircraft emergency and triggering the first emergency measure if the risk level exceeds a first threshold for the first emergency measure,

wherein the risk level is determined by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters using a predefined logic, and

wherein the first threshold is adjusted according to a position of an aircraft over ground, wherein based on the position of the aircraft over ground it is determined that the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport,

wherein the first threshold is adjusted to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport than if it has been determined that the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first threshold is adjusted such that the first emergency measure is triggered at a lower risk level if it has been determined that the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport than if it has been determined that the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport.

16. The method according to claim 4, wherein the position of the aircraft over ground is evaluated to determine if the aircraft is flying over sea or land, and

wherein the first threshold is adjusted to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over sea than if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over land.

8. A system for use onboard an aircraft for triggering a first emergency measure associated with an emergency of the aircraft, the system comprising a control unit,

wherein the control unit is adapted to receive a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters from a control system of the aircraft comprising a position of the aircraft over ground, to determine a risk level for an aircraft emergency and to trigger the first emergency measure if the risk level exceeds a first threshold for the first emergency measure,

wherein the risk level is determined by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters received from the control system using a predefined logic, and

wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the first threshold according to the position of the aircraft over ground received from the control system, wherein the control unit is adapted to evaluate the position of the aircraft over ground to determine if the aircraft is flying over sea or land, and

to adjust the first threshold to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over sea than if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over land.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to trigger a second emergency measure associated with an aircraft emergency if the risk level exceeds a second threshold for the second emergency measure, wherein the second threshold differs from the first threshold and the control unit is adapted to adjust the second according to the position of the aircraft over ground received from the control system.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the first threshold such that the first emergency measure is triggered at a lower risk level if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over sea than if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over land.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the first emergency measure is one of an activation of an Emergency Locator Transmitter, a data transmission or an arming of a Deployable Flight Recorder, respectively.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to determine the risk level by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters received from the control system using a predefined fuzzy logic.

15. An aircraft comprising a system according to claim 8.

19. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to determine based on the position of the aircraft over ground received from the control system if the aircraft within a predefined region around an airport, and

wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the first threshold to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport than if it has been determined that the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport.

11. A system for use onboard an aircraft for triggering a first emergency measure associated with an emergency of the aircraft, the system comprising a control unit,

wherein the control unit is adapted to receive a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters from a control system of the aircraft comprising a position of the aircraft over ground, to determine a risk level for an aircraft emergency and to trigger the first emergency measure if the risk level exceeds a first threshold for the first emergency measure,

wherein the risk level is determined by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters received from the control system using a predefined logic, and

wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the first threshold according to the position of the aircraft over ground received from the control system, wherein the control unit is adapted to determine based on the position of the aircraft over ground received from the control system if the aircraft within a predefined region around an airport, and

wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the first threshold to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport than if it has been determined that the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the first threshold such that the first emergency measure is triggered at a lower risk level if it has been determined that the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport than if it has been determined that the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is adapted to evaluate the position of the aircraft over ground to determine if the aircraft is flying over sea or land, and

to adjust the first threshold to a different value if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over sea than if it has been determined that the aircraft is flying over land.