Aircraft surveillance and recording system

• US 5,742,336 A
• Filed: 12/16/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederick A. Lee
• Original Assignee: Frederick A. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Frederick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US08/766,331
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/144, 348/148, 348/160
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• 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: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An aircraft surveillance and recording system adapted to monitor conditions prevailing in the course of a flight and provided for this purpose with video cameras placed at different sites on the plane. The output signals yielded by the video cameras are fed to an on-board radio-frequency transmitter to modulate a radio-frequency carrier that is radiated from the plane and intercepted by an active communication satellite. The satellite relays the signals to a ground recording station whose stored recording of the real time images from the cameras is available to investigators should an accident or other incident occur in the course of the flight. The system includes at least four video cameras, the first of which has an audio function and is trained on the flight crew in the cockpit of the plane. The second video camera is focused on the instrument panel and controls in the cockpit. The third camera which has an audio function looks into the passenger cabin, while the fourth camera is mounted on top of the aircraft rudder to observe exterior surface control movements, such as those of flaps, ailerons and elevators.

Claims

1. An aircraft surveillance and recording system adapted to monitor conditions prevailing on the course of a flight and operating in conjunction with an active communication satellite, the aircraft including a cockpit section occupied by a flight crew provided with an instrument panel and controls, said system comprising:

A. a plurality of video cameras placed at different sites in the plane to yield real-time image video signals;

one of said video cameras being placed in the cockpit section and being focused on said instrument panel and controls, a second of said cameras which include an audio function being placed in the cockpit section to view the faces of the flight crew and pick up their voices;

B. a transmitter installed in the plane which generates a radio frequency carrier and is coupled to an antenna which radiates the carrier so that it can be intercepted by the satellite;

c. means to apply the video signals from the cameras to the transmitter to modulate the carrier, whereby the satellite retransmits the modulated carrier; and

D. a ground recording station adapted to receive retransmitted video signals from the satellite and to record and store these signals, including those exhibiting the instrument panel and controls as well as the flight crew and their voices whereby an investigator of an aircraft accident, by playing the record, can then analyze the conditions which prevailed at the time of the accident.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which said aircraft includes a cabin section occupied by passengers, and a third of said plurality of cameras looks into the cabin to observe the passengers.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2, in which the third camera includes an audio function that picks up the voices of the passengers.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which the aircraft is provided with a rudder and a fourth of the plurality of video cameras is mounted on top of the rudder to observe exterior surface control movements, such as those of flaps, ailerons and elevators.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4, in which said of fourth video camera is housed in an aerodynamically-shaped protective casing.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which the output signals from the plurality of video cameras are combined to produce a composite signal for modulating the microwave carrier.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6, in which said ground recording station includes a video monitor to play the recording of said composite signal and to exhibit the recording on a video screen divided into sections, each section showing a respective video image.