Systems and methods for providing emergency location functionality

• US 10,071,819 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Adler, Charles O., Murphy, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Harry K
• Application Number:
  US15/053,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20170247118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 342386
• 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: G01S 1/0428 Signal details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/01 adapted for specific applications or environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0231 Emergency, distress or locator beacons

Abstract

Aircraft tracking and emergency location avionics architectures that integrate existing fixed Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) installations, their associated aircraft avionics systems and existing flight deck interfaces with an Autonomous Distress Tracker (ADT) transceiver unit in a coupled configuration. Some of the architectures allow the ADT unit and its advanced distress detecting and reporting capabilities to monitor the activation control path for the ELT and the associated ELT activation outputs. Other architectures place the ADT unit and its advanced distress detection capabilities and ground-controlled capabilities in the activation control path for the ELT. Additional architectures entail the connection of an ADT unit to an ELT remote panel on the flight deck of an aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for equipping an aircraft with an ADT unit that includes an attitude sensor, the aircraft having a flight deck equipped with an ELT remote panel that has a manually operable switch, the method comprising:

(a) connecting the switch of the ELT remote panel to a first input data port of an ADT unit by wiring; and

(b) connecting one or more radio frequency signal ports of the ADT unit to an antenna that is attached to an exterior of a fuselage skin of the aircraft.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

(c) connecting a second input data port of the ADT unit to an output port of an ELT unit by wiring,

wherein the ELT unit includes a device that detects accelerations/decelerations indicative of a crash impact.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

(d) connecting an output data port of the ADT unit to an input data port of the ELT unit by wiring.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein step (d) comprises connecting the output data port of the ADT unit to wiring that connects the switch of the ELT remote panel to the input data port of the ELT unit.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein step (a) comprises connecting the first input data port of the ADT unit to the wiring that connects the switch of the ELT remote panel to the input data port of the ELT unit.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises connecting the first input data port of the ADT unit to wiring that connects the switch of the ELT remote panel to an input data port of an ELT unit.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising connecting an output data port of the ADT unit to an aircraft avionics system by wiring.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

(c) connecting a second input data port of the ADT unit to an aircraft avionics system by wiring.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

(d) connecting a second input data port of the ADT unit to an output port of an ELT unit by wiring.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

(e) connecting an output data port of the ADT unit to an input data port of the ELT unit by wiring.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein step (e) comprises connecting the output data port of the ADT unit to wiring that connects the switch of the ELT remote panel to the input data port of the ELT unit.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein step (a) comprises connecting the first input data port of the ADT unit to the wiring that connects the switch of the ELT remote panel to the input data port of the ELT unit.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein step (a) comprises connecting the first input data port of the ADT unit to wiring that connects the switch of the ELT remote panel to an input data port of an ELT unit.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising connecting an output data port of the ADT unit to the aircraft avionics system by wiring.

15. A system onboard an aircraft comprising:

an ELT remote panel on the flight deck of the aircraft, the ELT remote panel comprising a switch;

a first antenna that is attached to an exterior of a fuselage skin of the aircraft; and

an ADT unit connected to the switch of the ELT remote panel and to the first antenna by wiring,

wherein the ADT unit comprises an attitude sensor.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

a second antenna that is attached to an exterior of a fuselage skin of the aircraft; and

an ELT unit connected to the second antenna and to the ADT unit,

wherein the ELT unit comprises a device that detects accelerations/decelerations indicative of a crash impact.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the ELT unit is also connected to the switch of the ELT remote panel.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising an aircraft avionics system connected to the ADT unit.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising an aircraft avionics system connected to the ADT unit and to the ELT unit.

20. A system onboard an aircraft comprising:

a manually operable switch;

an ELT unit comprising an input port and a first output port;

first and second antennas that are attached to an exterior of a fuselage skin of the aircraft;

an ADT unit comprising first and second input ports and a two-way port;

first wiring connecting the input port of the ELT unit to the switch;

second wiring connecting the first input port of the ADT unit to the first wiring;

third wiring connecting the first output port of the ELT unit to the first antenna; and

fourth wiring connecting the two-way port of the ADT unit to the second antenna.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the ADT unit further comprises an output port, the system further comprising fifth wiring connecting the output port of the ADT unit to the first wiring.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the first input port of the ADT unit is connected to the switch by a first portion of the first wiring and the second wiring, and the second output port of the ADT unit is connected to the input port of the ELT unit by a second portion of the first wiring and the fifth wiring.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the ELT unit further comprises a second output port, and the ADT unit further comprises a third input port, the system further comprising sixth wiring connecting the second output port of the ELT unit to the third input port of the ADT unit.