Comprehensive multi-media surveillance and response system for aircraft, operations centers, airports and other commercial transports, centers and terminals

• US 20070130599A1
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Inventors: Monroe, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1965 the vehicle being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19673 Addition of time stamp, i.e. time metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A data collection and distribution system for monitoring aircraft in flight, on the ground and at the gate or terminal for monitoring critical and catastrophic events, managing the emergency during such an event, and for investigating the event. The system generates, transmits and collects critical data generated by monitoring equipment onboard an aircraft or other commercial transport and selectively displays the data on a cockpit display console as well as for downloading, transmitting and displaying data at external monitoring and response stations, including fixed ground stations, roving ground stations and chase aircraft or vehicles. Digital surveillance information is collected, processed, dispatched, and log via remote control and access. The system includes a variety of system appliances such as surveillance cameras, sensors, detectors, and panic buttons and accommodates legacy equipment. Within the commercial transport, the system maybe hardwired or may use wireless transmission and receiving systems.

Claims

1. A method for collecting, selecting and transmitting data generated onboard an aircraft to a remote location off board and to selected stations on a network, comprising the steps of:

collecting data based on an event occurring onboard the aircraft;

a. generating a signal from the data;

b. transmitting the signal to an off board receiving station located on a network; and

c. managing the transmitted signal at the receiving station.

2. The method or claim 1, including a flight control station for collecting, prioritizing and transmitting the data while the aircraft is in flight.

3. The method of claim 1 including a ground control station for collecting, prioritizing and transmitting the data while the aircraft is on the ground.

4. The method of claim 1 including a terminal station for collecting, prioritizing and transmitting the data while the aircraft is at the gate of a terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the terminal station is incorporated into the terminal security system.

6. The method of claim 1, including a flight control station, a ground control station and a terminal station for collecting, prioritizing and transmitting the data while the aircraft is in flight, on the ground and at the gate, respectively.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the terminal station is incorporated into the terminal security system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step includes transmission to the off board station via a satellite communications link.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step includes transmission to the off board station via a military radio link.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step includes transmission to the off board station via a cellular telephone link.

11. The method of claim 1, further including the step of transmitting the prioritized signal to an onboard recorder.

12. The method of claim 1, further including the step of transmitting the prioritized signal to a cockpit display module.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal includes a video component.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the video may be transmitted in real time off board on command.

15. The method of claim 13, further including the step of triggering off board transmission of the video signal to the off board station.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the triggering step is event triggered.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the triggering step is manually triggered.

18. The method of claim 1, including selecting a communications link for transmitting information to and from the aircraft.

19. A data system for providing in flight monitoring, collection, display and recording of video data generated onboard an aircraft, the system comprising:

a. A plurality of cameras strategically placed throughout an aircraft;

b. An IP encoder for encoding the data signal produced by the cameras;

c. A transmitter for transmitting the IP data signal from the cameras;

d. A communications link associated with the transmitter for transmitting the IP data signal off board;

e. A panic button including selective signal generators for identifying a type of condition onboard the aircraft at a time of activation; and

f. a manually operated switch for activating transmission of the data to the off board station, wherein the manually operated switch is the panic button controlled by a crewmember.

20. A comprehensive situational awareness system for monitoring real-time situations onboard a mobile unit, transmitting data to a remote station and providing real-time response, the system comprising:

a. sensors strategically placed onboard the mobile unit, the sensors generating data for monitoring the real-time conditions onboard the mobile unit;

b. a data collection network for collecting the data generated by the sensors;

c. a remote station off board the mobile unit for receiving the data;

d. a mobile unit-to-remote link for transmitting collected data corresponding to a predefined event on board the mobile unit in real-time;

e. a response generator associated with the remote station for generating an appropriate response based on the transmitted data; and

f. a blocking function generator permitting a personnel on the mobile unit to block transmission of the data to a remote location under predefined conditions.

21. A system for providing real-time situational awareness of conditions onboard an aircraft, comprising:

a. cameras strategically placed throughout the aircraft for collecting and transmitting data;

b. an IP network for collecting the data generated by the cameras;

c. an off board receiving station; and

d. a wireless transmitter for transmitting the collected data to the off board receiving station.

22. The system of claim 21, further including an onboard receiving station for receiving the collected data.

23. The system of claim 22, the onboard receiving station including a selection function whereby the specific camera data being accessed may be selectively controlled by a crewmember.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the transmitter transmits collected data in real-time to the off board receiving station upon occurrence of a predefined event onboard the aircraft.

25. The system of claim 21, including a panic button accessible by a crewmember for initiating transmission of real-time data to the remote station.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the panic button is wireless and there is further including a transmitter/receiver associated with the panic button and the IP network for transmitting a signal generated by the panic button to the network.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the panic button is wired into the IP network.

28. The system of claim 21, including an onboard recorder for recording the collected data.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the cameras are analog devices and there is further including an analog-to-digital encoder for converting the camera analog signal to a digital IP signal.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the cameras are digital devices generating an IP compatible data signal.

31. The system of claim 21, further including legacy sensors onboard the aircraft and a converter associated with the legacy sensors for converting signals generated thereby to an IP protocol for collecting said signals on the network.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein only data that is distinguishable from the most recently collected data is collected, thereby minimizing the amount of data collected for transmission.

33. The system of claim 21, further including a management system associated with the remote station for notifying response personnel and for identifying an appropriate response to the transmitted data.

34. The system of claim 21, further including a geo-location generator associated with the collected data for identifying the location of the aircraft at the time the data is generated.

35. The system of claim 33, further including a geo-location generator associated with the collected data for identifying the location of the aircraft at the time the data is generated.

36. The system of claim 35, further including a management system associated with the remote station for notifying response personnel and for identifying an appropriate response to the transmitted data, wherein response personnel include geo-location generators and wherein the data and response criteria is transmitted to the closest appropriate response personnel.

37. The system of claim 33, further including password protection for the access of transmitted data by personnel.

38. A comprehensive monitoring and surveillance system for monitoring a moving vehicle while in route to a destination, for monitoring the moving vehicle while in the port or terminal of destination and for managing responses to events in response to data generated by the system, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted on the vehicle and adapted for generating data signals in response to events occurring in the vehicle;

b. a remote receiving station;

c. a transmitter associated with the vehicle for transmitting the data signals to the remote receiving station, d. a control center for managing the received signals at the remote receiving station; and

e. a response system for responding to the managed signals.

39. The system of claim 38, further including a plurality of sensors located at the terminal for monitoring the external conditions present in the vicinity of the vehicle when it is in the terminal, said sensors producing data signals and there further including a transmitter for transmitting the data signals to the remote location.

40. The system of claim 38, further including a recorder onboard the vehicle for recording the data signals.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein signals are transmitted to the remote station only upon the occurrence of a predefined event on board the vehicle.

42. The system of claim 38, further including a mobile remote station and a wireless transmitter for transmitting the data signals to the mobile remote station.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the mobile remote station is a handheld receiver carried by roving personnel.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the mobile remote station is an intercept vehicle.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the mobile remote station is a response vehicle.

46. The system of claim 38, further including an onboard station for receiving the data signals.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein at least one sensor is a camera.

48. The system of claim 38, wherein at least one sensor is a panic button which may be manually operated by a crewmember to generate a data signal.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the panic button is a wireless portable unit to be worn by a crewmember.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the panic button is adapted for generating an unique signal identifying the type of event.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the panic button is adapted for generating an unique signal identifying the crewmember activating the signal.

56. The system of claim 48, wherein the panic button is permanently mounted on the vehicle.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the panic button is adapted for generating an unique signal identifying the location of the panic button within the vehicle.

52. (canceled)

53. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

55. (canceled)