Method and system for triggering an emergency measure

• US 9,828,112 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• 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): Moyer, Dale
• Application Number:
  US14/840,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20160075444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• 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: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking

Abstract

A method for triggering a plurality of emergency measures associated with an aircraft emergency is disclosed. The method includes determining a risk level for an aircraft emergency by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters and/or aircraft parameters using a predefined logic. For each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures a threshold is defined and each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures is only triggered if the determined risk level exceeds the threshold defined for the emergency measure. Further, a system for use onboard an aircraft for triggering a plurality of emergency measures associated with an aircraft emergency and an aircraft comprising such a system are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for triggering a plurality of emergency measures associated with an aircraft emergency, the method comprising determining a risk level for an aircraft emergency by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters using a predefined logic,

wherein for each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures a threshold is defined and each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures is only triggered if the determined risk level exceeds the threshold defined for the emergency measure,

wherein at least one emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures is only triggered if the risk level exceeds a threshold defined for the at least one emergency measure and a calculated time-until-impact is less than a predetermined time-until-impact, or

wherein at least one emergency measure is not triggered though the risk level exceeds the threshold defined for the at least one emergency measure if the calculated time-until-impact is less than a predetermined time-until-impact.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein for at least one emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures a different threshold is defined than for at least one other emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises adjusting the threshold defined for at least one emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures according to a position of the aircraft over ground.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the threshold for the at least one emergency measure is adjusted to a different value if the aircraft is flying over land than if the aircraft is flying over sea or to a different value if the aircraft is within a predefined region around an airport than if the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein for at least one phase of flight at least one flight parameter or aircraft parameter of the flight or aircraft parameters evaluated for determining the risk level is classified as irrelevant,

if the risk level exceeds the threshold defined for at least one emergency measure, the predefined logic provides the specific flight parameters or aircraft parameters that have caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold, and

if a present phase of flight is the at least one phase of flight for which at least one flight or aircraft parameter has been classified as irrelevant and if the flight parameters or aircraft parameters having caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold are among the at least one flight or aircraft parameter that have been classified as irrelevant, the emergency measure is not triggered.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the emergency measures is one of an activation of an Emergency Locator Transmitter, a data transmission, an arming of a Deployable Flight Recorder and a deployment 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.

8. A system for use onboard an aircraft for triggering a plurality of emergency measures associated with an aircraft emergency, wherein the system comprises 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 and to determine a risk level for an aircraft emergency by evaluating the plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters received from the control system using a predefined logic,

wherein the control unit is adapted to define for each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures a threshold and to trigger each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures only if the determined risk level exceeds the threshold defined for the emergency measure,

wherein the control unit is further adapted to trigger at least one emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures only if the risk level exceeds a threshold defined for the at least one emergency measure and a calculated time-until-impact is less than a predetermined time-until-impact.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to define for at least one emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures a different threshold than for at least one other emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the threshold defined for at least one emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures according to a position of the aircraft over ground received from the control system,

wherein the control unit is adapted to adjust the threshold for the at least one emergency measure to a different value if the aircraft is flying over land than if the aircraft is flying over sea or to a different value if the aircraft is in within a predefined region around an airport than if the aircraft is not within a predefined region around an airport.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to receive a phase of flight from the control system and to classify for at least one phase of flight at least one flight parameter or aircraft parameter of the flight or aircraft parameters evaluated for determining the risk level as irrelevant,

that the control unit is further adapted such that if the risk level exceeds the threshold defined for at least one emergency measure, the predefined logic provides the specific flight parameters or aircraft parameters that have caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold, and

that the control unit is further adapted to determine if a present phase of flight received from the control system is the at least one phase of flight for which the control unit is adapted to classify at least one flight or aircraft parameter as irrelevant and if the flight parameters or aircraft parameters having caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold are among the at least one flight parameter or aircraft parameter that have been classified as irrelevant, the emergency measure is not triggered.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the emergency measures is one of an activation of an Emergency Locator Transmitter, a data transmission, an arming of a Deployable Flight Recorder and a deployment of a Deployable Flight Recorder.

13. 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.

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

15. A method for triggering a plurality of emergency measures associated with an aircraft emergency, wherein the method comprises determining a risk level for an aircraft emergency by evaluating a plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters using a predefined logic,

wherein for each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures a threshold is defined and each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures is only triggered if the determined risk level exceeds the threshold defined for the emergency measure,

wherein for at least one phase of flight at least one flight parameter or aircraft parameter of the flight or aircraft parameters evaluated for determining the risk level is classified as irrelevant,

that if the risk level exceeds the threshold defined for at least one emergency measure, the predefined logic provides the specific flight parameters or aircraft parameters that have caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold, and

that if a present phase of flight is the at least one phase of flight for which at least one flight or aircraft parameter has been classified as irrelevant and if the flight parameters or aircraft parameters having caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold are among the at least one flight or aircraft parameter that have been classified as irrelevant, the emergency measure is not triggered.

16. A system for use onboard an aircraft for triggering a plurality of emergency measures associated with an aircraft emergency, wherein the system comprises 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 and to determine a risk level for an aircraft emergency by evaluating the plurality of flight parameters or aircraft parameters received from the control system using a predefined logic,

wherein the control unit is adapted to define for each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures a threshold and to trigger each emergency measure of the plurality of emergency measures only if the determined risk level exceeds the threshold defined for the emergency measure,

wherein the control unit is adapted to receive a phase of flight from the control system and to classify for at least one phase of flight at least one flight parameter or aircraft parameter of the flight or aircraft parameters evaluated for determining the risk level as irrelevant,

that the control unit is further adapted such that if the risk level exceeds the threshold defined for at least one emergency measure, the predefined logic provides the specific flight parameters or aircraft parameters that have caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold, and

that the control unit is further adapted to determine if a present phase of flight received from the control system is the at least one phase of flight for which the control unit is adapted to classify at least one flight or aircraft parameter as irrelevant and if the flight parameters or aircraft parameters having caused the risk level to exceed the respective threshold are among the at least one flight parameter or aircraft parameter that have been classified as irrelevant, the emergency measure is not triggered.