Aircraft flight risk measuring system and method of operation

• US RE41,271 E1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Auctnyc 3 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Auctnyc 3 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Vaida, Theodore F.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/896,497
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/961, 340/963, 701/3, 701/7, 701/9, 701/14, 701/25, 701/33, 701/35, 701/301, 701/302, 702/144
• US Class Current: 340/963
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0015 Devices specially adapted for the protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan

Abstract

An aircraft flight risk measuring system for analyzing risks related to a flight of an aircraft. A user of the risk measuring system can be a flight dispatcher, an owner/operator, a pilot and other interested parties. The risk measuring system includes a risk management server system computer. The system computer has a two-way communication with a user computer operated by the user. An accident history database is connected to the system computer for providing accident reports related to the aircraft and other accident data. Also, a navigation database is connected to said system computer for providing airspace data, radio navigation aids, preferred routes, elevation data, geographic data and information related to a destination airport. Further, a non-static database is connected to the system computer for providing live information related to weather forecasts and data related to the aircraft'"'"'s flight. As an option, a two-way communication between said system computer and an aircraft computer on board the aircraft can be included. The two-way communication used for receiving and transmitting encoded data from the aircraft when the flight is in progress.

Claims

1. An aircraft flight risk measuring system for analyzing risks related to a flight of an aircraft, a user of the system can be a flight dispatcher, an owner/operator, a pilot and an interested party, the risk measuring system comprising:

a risk management server system computer, said system computer having a two-way communication with a user computer;

an accident history database connected to said system computer for providing accident reports related to the aircraft and other accident data;

a navigation database connected to said system computer for providing airspace data, radio navigation aids, preferred routes, elevation data, geographic data and information related to a destination airport; and

a non-static database connected to said system computer for providing live information related to weather forecasts and data related to the aircraft'"'"'s flight.

2. The risk measuring system as described in claim 1 further including a two-way communication between said system computer and an aircraft computer on board the aircraft, the two-way communication for receiving and transmitting encoded current data from the aircraft when the flight is in progress wherein said user computer is an aircraft computer on board an aircraft.

3. The risk measuring system as described in claim 2 further including a flight data plan inputted to said system computer from said user computer prior to the flight of the aircraft.

4. The risk measuring system as described in claim 2 further including a flight alert signal sent to said aircraft computer from said system computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold reached by said system computer when processing certain data received from said accident history database, said navigation database, said non-static database and in-flight data from the aircraft.

5. The risk measuring system as described in claim 1 further including a flight data plan inputted to said system computer from said user computer by the user of the system and prior to the flight of the aircraft.

6. The risk measuring system as described in claim 1 further including a risk management report for review by the user of the system, said report generated by said system computer based on data received from said accident history data, said navigation database and said non-static database.

7. The risk measuring system as described in claim 1 further including a flight alert signal sent to said user computer from said system computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold reached by said system computer when processing certain data received from said accident history data, said navigation database and said non-static database.

8. An aircraft flight risk measuring system for analyzing risks related to a flight of an aircraft, a user of the system can be a flight dispatcher, an owner/operator, a pilot and an interested party, the risk measuring system comprising:

a risk management server system computer, said system computer having a two-way communication with a user computer;

an accident history database connected to said system computer for providing accident reports related to the aircraft and other aircraft;

a navigation database connected to said system computer for providing airspace data, radio navigation aids, elevation data, geographic data and information related to a destination airport;

a non-static database connected to said system computer for providing live information related to weather forecasts and data related to the aircraft'"'"'s flight; and

a risk management report for output to said user computer for review by the user of the system, said report generated by said system computer based on data received from said accident history database, said navigation database and said non-static database.

9. The risk measuring system as described in claim 8 further including a two-way communication between said system computer and an aircraft computer on board the aircraft, the two-way communication for receiving and transmitting encoded current data from the aircraft when the flight is in progress.

10. The risk measuring system as described in claim 9, further including a flight alert signal sent to said aircraft computer from said system computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold reached by said system computer when processing certain data received from said accident history database, said navigation database, said non-static database and in-flight data from the aircraft.

11. The risk measuring system as described in claim 9, further including a flight data plan inputted to said system computer from said user computer by the user of the system and prior to the flight of the aircraft.

12. The risk measuring system as described in claim 8 further including a flight data inputted to said system computer from said user computer by the user of the system and prior to the flight of the aircraft.

13. The risk measuring system as described in claim 8 further including a flight alert signal sent to said user computer from said system computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold reached by said system computer when processing certain data received from said accident history database, said navigation database and said non-static database.

14. The method of measuring aircraft flight risk, a user of the method can be a flight dispatcher, an owner/operator, a pilot and an interested party, the steps comprising:

programming a risk management server system computer for receiving a two-way communication data from a user computer;

inputting accident history data from an accident history database connected to the system computer and providing accident reports related to the aircraft and other aircraft;

inputting navigation data from a navigation database connected to the system computer and providing airspace data, radio navigation aids, elevation data, geographic data and information related to a destination airport; and

inputting non-static data from a non-static database connected to the system computer for providing live information related to weather forecasts and data related to the aircraft'"'"'s flight.

15. The method as described in claim 14 further including the step of providing two-way communication between the system computer and an aircraft computer on board the aircraft and receiving and transmitting encoded current data from the aircraft when the flight is in progress.

16. The method as described in claim 14 including the step of inputting a flight data plan to the system computer from the aircraft computer and prior to the flight of the aircraft.

17. The method as described in claim 15 further including the step of inputting a flight alert signal to the aircraft computer from the system computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold reached by the system computer when processing certain data received from the accident history database, the navigation database, the non-static database and current in-flight data from the aircraft.

18. The method as described in claim 14 further including inputting a flight data plan to the system computer from the user computer by the user and prior to the flight of the aircraft.

19. The method as described in claim 14 further including outputting a risk management report for review by the user of the system from the system computer based on data received from the accident history database, the navigation database and the non-static database.

20. The method as described in claim 14 further including outputting a flight alert signal to the user computer from the system computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold reached by the system computer when processing certain data received from the accident history database, the navigation database and the non-static database.

21. An aircraft flight risk measuring system comprising:

a risk management server system computer, said system computer configured for two-way communication with a user computer;

an accident history database connected to said system computer for providing accident data;

a navigation database connected to said system computer for providing navigation data; and

a non-static database connected to said system computer for providing live information related to an aircraft flight.

22. The risk measuring system as described in claim 21, wherein said user computer is an aircraft computer on board an aircraft.

23. The risk measuring system as described in claim 22, wherein said system computer is arranged to receive a flight data plan prior to a flight of an aircraft.

24. The risk measuring system as described in claim 22, wherein said system computer is configured to send a flight alert signal to said user computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold based at least in part on data received from said accident history database, said navigation database, said non-static database, or said aircraft.

25. The risk measuring system as described in claim 21, wherein said system computer is configured to receive a flight data plan prior to a flight of an aircraft.

26. The risk measuring system as described in claim 21, wherein said system computer is configured to send a flight alert signal to said user computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold based at least in part on data received from at least one of said accident history database, said navigation database, said non-static database, and said aircraft.

27. The risk measuring system as described in claim 21, wherein navigation data includes at least one of:

airspace data, radio navigation aids, preferred routes, elevation data, geographic data and information related to a destination airport.

28. The risk measuring system as described in claim 21, wherein said system computer is configured to generate a risk management report based at least in part on data received from at least one of said accident history data, said navigation database and said non-static database.

29. The risk measuring system as described in claim 28, wherein said user computer is an aircraft computer on board an aircraft.

30. The risk measuring system as described in claim 29, wherein said system computer is configured to send a flight alert signal said user computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold based at least in part on data received from said accident history database, said navigation database, said non-static database, or said aircraft.

31. The risk measuring system as described in claim 29, wherein said system computer is configured to receive a flight data plan prior to flight of an aircraft.

32. The risk measuring system as described in claim 28, wherein said system computer is configured to receive a flight data plan prior to flight of an aircraft.

33. The risk measuring system as described in claim 28, wherein said system computer is configured to send a data alert signal to said user computer when a risk threshold is reached, the risk threshold based at least in part on data received from at least one of said accident history database, said navigation database, said non-static database, and said aircraft.

34. A method for use on a user computer of measuring aircraft flight risk for an aircraft flight, the user computer including a memory and a processor, comprising:

receiving accident history data related to said aircraft flight,

receiving navigation data related to said aircraft flight;

receiving live information related to said aircraft flight, the receiving being performed by the memory; and

determining aircraft flight risk for said aircraft flight based at least in part on at least one of the accident history data, the navigation data, and the live information, the determining being performed by the processor.

35. The method as described in claim 34, including the step of receiving a flight data plan prior to the flight of the aircraft.

36. The method as described in claim 34, further including outputting a risk management report based at least in part on data received from at least one of the accident history data, the navigation data and the live information.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein navigation data includes at least one of:

airspace data, radio navigation aids, preferred routes, elevation data, geographic data and information related to a destination airport.

38. The method as described in claim 34, further including the step of transmitting aircraft flight risk data to the aircraft when the flight is in progress.

39. The method as described in claim 35, further including the step of generating a flight alert signal when a risk threshold is reached, wherein the risk threshold is based at least in part on at least one of the accident history data, the navigation data, and the live information.

40. A computer readable storage medium having computer program code recorded thereon, that when executed by a processor controlled system, causes the processor controlled system to measure aircraft flight risk for an aircraft flight according to a method, comprising:

receiving accident history data related to said aircraft flight;

receiving navigation data related to said aircraft flight;

receiving live information related to said aircraft flight, the receiving being performed by the memory; and

determining aircraft flight risk for said aircraft flight based at least in part on at least one of the accident history data, the navigation data, and the live information, the determining being performed by the processor.

41. An apparatus for measuring aircraft flight risk for an aircraft flight, comprising:

means for receiving accident history data related to said aircraft flight;

means for receiving navigation data related to said aircraft flight;

means for receiving live information related to said aircraft flight, the means for receiving including a computer having a memory and a processor; and

means for determining aircraft flight risk for said aircraft flight based at least in part on at least one of the accident history data, the navigation data, and the live information, the determining being performed by the processor.