Ejectable flight data recorder systems, methods, and devices
First Claim
1. 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 when the ejection system is triggered; and
a control system comprising;
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 at least position data and altitude data,wherein the arming controller is configured to dynamically disarm the ejection system when the data received from the aircraft data bus indicates the aircraft is currently in at least one of the following two situations;
(1) the aircraft is within a first threshold distance from a first geographic location, or (2) the aircraft is above a lower threshold altitude and below an upper threshold altitude; 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 at least a portion of the data received from the aircraft data bus.
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.
43 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. 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 when the ejection system is triggered; and a control system comprising; 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 at least position data and altitude data, wherein the arming controller is configured to dynamically disarm the ejection system when the data received from the aircraft data bus indicates the aircraft is currently in at least one of the following two situations;
(1) the aircraft is within a first threshold distance from a first geographic location, or (2) the aircraft is above a lower threshold altitude and below an upper threshold altitude; andan 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 at least a portion of the data received from the aircraft data bus. - 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 when the ejection system is triggered; and a control system comprising; 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 at least altitude data, vertical speed data, and 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 one or more of the plurality of ejection conditions by analyzing at least a portion of the data received from the aircraft data bus, and wherein at least one of the plurality of ejection conditions comprises an anticipated collision within a threshold period of time, and the ejection controller is configured to calculate an anticipated time to collision based on at least the altitude data, the vertical speed data, and the airspeed data. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification