Systems and methods for monitoring pilot health

• US 10,426,393 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Bosworth, William Robert, Chua, Zarrin Khiang-Huey, Duda, Jessica Edmonds, Nahm, Eugene H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhter, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US16/032,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20190090800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 3405731, 340971-980
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/22 Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/02 Initiating means
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0051 by monitoring passengers or crew on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0053 using visual equipment, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0056 detecting passenger or crew behavior by sensors, e.g. biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Pilot health monitoring systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided. A pilot health monitoring system is configured to collect information regarding the pilot'"'"'s physiological and/or physical characteristics, and information regarding a state of the aircraft; analyze the information; determine a health condition of the pilot and/or a state of the aircraft; and/or provide warnings and/or commands as a function of the information.

Claims

1. A pilot monitoring system for use in an aircraft, the pilot monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to monitor one or more health parameters of a pilot;

an aircraft state monitoring system configured to determine flight situation data of the aircraft;

an analysis system to determine, via one or more processors, an incapacitation level of the pilot as a function of the one or more health parameters;

a human machine interface operatively coupled with the one or more processors to provide an interface between the pilot and the pilot monitoring system, the human machine interface configured to present a warning to the pilot as a function of the determined incapacitation level; and

an actuation system operatively coupled with the one or more processors to adjust or actuate one or more flight controls of the aircraft as a function of the determined incapacitation level, wherein the actuation system is configured to perform an emergency descent procedure and an auto-landing procedure,

wherein, during the emergency descent procedure, the pilot monitoring system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, to a predetermined airspeed and a predetermined altitude, and

wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the pilot monitoring system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, from the predetermined altitude to a touchdown location.

2. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the pilot monitoring system is configured to monitor one or more health parameters for each of a plurality of pilots, wherein the human machine interface is configured to display the one or more health parameters for each of the plurality of pilots.

3. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the one or more health parameters includes both a physiological state and a behavioral state of the pilot.

4. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein, during the emergency descent procedure, the actuation system is configured to automatically:

(1) adjust or actuate the one or more flight controls to descend the aircraft from a cruising altitude to the predetermined altitude;

(2) adjust or actuate the one or more flight controls to slow the aircraft from a cruising airspeed to the predetermined airspeed;

(3) alert an air traffic control facility of an emergency situation; and

(4) set and hold the aircraft in a holding pattern at or near its current position.

5. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the actuation system is configured to automatically:

(1) adjust or actuate the one or more flight controls;

(2) adjust an airspeed of the aircraft;

(3) adjust or actuate an autobrake;

(4) determine a glideslope for the aircraft to the touchdown location;

(5) adjust or actuate landing gear; and

(6) adjust or actuate one or more reverse thrusters.

6. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the actuation system is configured to control secondary flight controls of the aircraft during the auto-landing procedure.

7. The pilot monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the actuation system includes an XY-plotter defining a Y-axis and an X-axis, a tool to engage at least one of the secondary flight controls of the aircraft, and a control system to move the tool along the Y-axis and the X-axis.

8. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more optical sensors to monitor the pilot visually, wherein the pilot monitoring system determines a behavioral state of the pilot as a function of information gathered by the one or more optical sensors.

9. The pilot monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the pilot monitoring system is configured to determine whether the pilot is incapacitated based at least in part on the behavioral state for the pilot.

10. The pilot monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the analysis system is configured to compute a point of gaze for the pilot using one or more eye-tracking techniques, wherein the pilot monitoring system is configured to determine whether the pilot is incapacitated based at least in part on the point of gaze for the pilot.

11. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the pilot monitoring system is configured to gather the one or more health parameters for the pilot using one or more wearable vital sensors associated with the pilot.

12. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the human machine interface is configured to display a plurality of tasks via a touch screen display in a form of a task list during the auto-landing procedure, wherein each of the plurality of tasks is marked as either completed or not completed during the auto-landing procedure based at least in part on an input provided via the touch screen display or an operation of the aircrew automation system.

13. The pilot monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors is configured to monitor one or more cockpit instruments of the aircraft visually to generate the flight situation data.

14. A method for monitoring a pilot in an aircraft using an automation system, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring, via a plurality of sensors, one or more health parameters for the pilot;

determining, via an aircraft state monitoring system, flight situation data of the aircraft;

determine, via an analysis system, an incapacitation level of the pilot, wherein incapacitation level is determined as a function of the one or more health parameters;

presenting a warning to the pilot, via a human machine interface, as a function of the determined incapacitation level, wherein the human machine interface is configured to provide an interface between the pilot and the automation system;

adjusting or actuating, via an actuation system, one or more flight controls of the aircraft as a function of the determined incapacitation level;

performing an emergency descent procedure as a function of the determined incapacitation level, wherein, during the emergency descent procedure, the automation system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, to a predetermined airspeed and a predetermined altitude; and

performing an auto-landing procedure, wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the automation system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, from the predetermined altitude to a touchdown location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the actuation system is configured to automatically:

(1) adjust or actuate the one or more flight controls;

(2) adjust an airspeed of the aircraft;

(3) adjust or actuate an autobrake;

(4) determine a glideslope for the aircraft to the touchdown location;

(5) adjust or actuate landing gear; and

(6) adjust or actuate one or more reverse thrusters.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the automation system is configured to gather the one or more health parameters for the pilot using one or more wearable vital sensors associated with the pilot.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more optical sensors to monitor the pilot visually, wherein the automation system is configured to determine a behavioral state of the pilot as a function of information gathered by the one or more optical sensors.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of computing a point of gaze for the pilot through one or more eye-tracking techniques, wherein the pilot monitoring system is configured to determine whether the pilot is incapacitated based at least in part on the point of gaze for the pilot.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors is configured to monitor one or more cockpit instruments of the aircraft visually to generate the flight situation data.

20. A pilot monitoring system for use in an aircraft, the pilot monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to monitor one or more health parameters of a pilot;

an aircraft state monitoring system configured to determine flight situation data of the aircraft;

an analysis system to determine, via one or more processors, an incapacitation level of the pilot as a function of the one or more health parameters;

a human machine interface operatively coupled with the one or more processors to provide an interface between the pilot and the pilot monitoring system, the human machine interface configured to present a warning to the pilot as a function of the determined incapacitation level; and

an actuation system operatively coupled with the one or more processors to adjust or actuate one or more flight controls of the aircraft as a function of the determined incapacitation level,

wherein the actuation system is configured to perform an auto-landing procedure, and

wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the pilot monitoring system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, to a touchdown location.

21. The pilot monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the actuation system is configured to perform an emergency descent procedure as a function of the determined incapacitation level, wherein, during the emergency descent procedure, the pilot monitoring system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, to a predetermined airspeed and a predetermined altitude.

22. The pilot monitoring system of claim 20, wherein, during the emergency descent procedure, the actuation system is configured to automatically:

(1) adjust or actuate the one or more flight controls to descend the aircraft from a cruising altitude to the predetermined altitude;

(2) adjust or actuate the one or more flight controls to slow the aircraft from a cruising airspeed to the predetermined airspeed;

(3) alert an air traffic control facility of an emergency situation; and

(4) set and hold the aircraft in a holding pattern at or near its current position.

23. The pilot monitoring system of claim 20, wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the actuation system is configured to automatically:

(1) adjust or actuate the one or more flight controls;

(2) adjust an airspeed of the aircraft;

(3) adjust or actuate an autobrake;

(4) determine a glideslope for the aircraft to the touchdown location;

(5) adjust or actuate landing gear; and

(6) adjust or actuate one or more reverse thrusters.

24. The pilot monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more optical sensors to monitor the pilot visually, wherein the pilot monitoring system determines a behavioral state of the pilot based at least in part on the visual monitoring gathered by the one or more optical sensors.

25. The pilot monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the pilot monitoring system is configured to monitor one or more health parameters for each of a plurality of pilots, wherein the human machine interface is configured to display the one or more health parameters for each of the plurality of pilots.