METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND SECURING AN ENCLOSURE OF A VEHICLE, IN PARTICULAR OF AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20170233098A1
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Latecoere SA
• Original Assignee: Latecoere SA
• Inventors: GERARD, Boucourt
• Granted Patent: US 10,723,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0053 using visual equipment, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to optimise the monitoring and security of at least one enclosure, allowing a constant and complete view of the enclosure, and a modulated assessment of the state of security of same. For this purpose, the invention proposes to transmit images of the enclosure wirelessly to a mobile medium for helping the flight crew assess the situation and the measures to take in case of a sensitive security situation. According to one embodiment, the optimised system for monitoring and securing an enclosure, a cockpit (3), a cabin (2) and/or a luggage hold (4) of an aircraft (1), comprises video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 28) distributed so as to define a field of view inside or outside the enclosure (2 to 4), mobile (2T) or fixed (3A) display media dedicated to members of the crew of the enclosure capable, via suitable wireless transmission/reception means (20A), of receiving image streams transmitted by the video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 28) and of connecting to auxiliary data sources and to means for locking/unlocking (7 to 10, 41) the enclosure (2 to 4) arranged in areas sensitive with respect to security.

Claims

1. (canceled)

18. A system of optimized monitoring and securing of the interior of a vehicle enclosure, especially a piloting cockpit (3), a passenger cabin (2), and/or a cargo hold (4) of an airplane (1), intended to implement the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 26) distributed in the enclosure (2 to 4), so as to define a field of view of substantially the entire enclosure (2 to 4), mobile visualization media (2T) dedicated to members of the commercial personnel of the enclosure (2) able, via adapted wirelessly linked sending/receiving means (20A), to receive streams of images sent by the video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 26), and transmit commands to them, and communicate in two-way transmission with auxiliary data sources (11) and also with means of locking/unlocking (6V) the enclosure (2 to 4), situated in security-sensitive zones (7 to 10, 41), characterized in that means of modulated actions can be triggered on the means of locking/unlocking (6V), as well as alarms (Al) and modulated actions (Am) according to the degree of nonsecure status selected (Ens1 to Ens10), based on an image and/or audio processing, and transmitted to the crew members depending on the phase of transportation.

19. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein the video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 26) are associated with a microphone (20M) connected to a card for processing the audio into a transmission signal (20C), as well as temperature (55) and pressure (56) probes.

20. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein the video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 26) are digital with sensors (53c) which are photosensitive in spectral bands able to switch between the visible/near infrared band and the infrared band, and are outfitted with a digital processing module (50) of the signals coming from the photosensitive sensors (53c) and the audio processing card (20c), and the signals transmitted by the temperature (55) and pressure (56) probes.

21. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one video camera (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b) is mobile and has an autonomous electrical power supply.

22. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one video camera lens (27, 28) provided with dedicated lighting means (59) is mounted outside the vehicle, in particular beneath or behind a porthole (Ha) or a door (7) in the case in which the vehicle is an airplane (1), in particular to monitor the flaps (V1, V2) and the engines (M, M2) of the airplane (1).

23. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein the vehicle having a piloting station, a cockpit (3) in the case of an airplane (1), at least one fixed visualization medium (3A) is installed on a base (3E) of this piloting station (3).

24. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein the video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 28) have means of variation of the field of view and/or zoom controlled by the visualization medium (2T, 3A) via the wirelessly linked means of sending/receiving (20A).

25. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein means of recording the video images (11) and audio of the video cameras (21a to 23a, 21b to 23b, 24 to 28) are provided in connection with the visualization media (2T, 3A), either in the vehicle (1) or on the ground, by adapted wirelessly linked means of sending/receiving (11, 12).

26. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein the locking means (6V) which outfit the access doors (8) of the enclosure (3) of a vehicle (1) and the entry/exit from the vehicle (7), emergency evacuation doors (10), and bathroom doors (9) transmit by wireless link information on the locking/unlocking status to the electronic visualization media (2T, 3A).

27. The system of optimized securing and monitoring as claimed in claim 18, wherein the visualization media (2T, 3A), outfitted with a geolocation chip for a wireless communication connected to an internal transponder in A/C modes, itself connected to an avionics unit, are in vehicle/ground link via a wireless server (11) and a router (12), the router (12) being in transmitter/receiver connection with a ground base, in order to transmit to ground data regarding the security status of the vehicle (1) and receive from the ground base scheduled data updates and new configurations to be integrated in the visualization media (2T, 3A).

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