Remotely controlling a servant aircraft

• US 7,035,721 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence J Koncelik Jr (Lawrence J. Koncelik)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence J Koncelik Jr (Lawrence J. Koncelik)
• Inventors: Koncelik, Lawrence J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/754,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/3, 701/4, 701/9, 701/10, 701/11, 701/302, 340/945, 340/963, 342/29, 342/32, 342/36, 342/357.08, 455/431, 455/521, 455/517, 455/519, 455/527
• US Class Current: 701/9
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing

Abstract

A remote control signal, such as a signal from a GPS satellite or from an escort aircraft, is received at a servant aircraft. If the remote control signal is valid and is a landing remote control signal, the processor causes the landing of the servant aircraft. The processor may cause a crash landing or a landing at an airport.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of

receiving a remote control signal at a servant aircraft;

determining if the remote control signal is valid;

determining if the remote control signal is a landing remote control signal; and

causing a processor to land the servant aircraft in response to the remote control signal if the remote control signal is valid and if the remote control signal is a landing remote control signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein

the remote control signal is a global positioning satellite signal which can also be a landing remote control signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein

the remote control signal comes from an escort aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

the step of causing the processor to land the servant aircraft comprises causing the processor to crash land the servant aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein

the step of causing the processor to land the servant aircraft comprises causing the processor to land the servant aircraft at an airport.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein

the step of determining if the remote control signal is valid includes causing a processor to determine if the remote control signal is valid;

and

wherein the step of determining if the remote control signal is a landing remote control signal includes causing a processor to determine if the remote control signal is a landing remote control signal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein

the landing remote control signal includes instructions specifying how the servant aircraft should land.

8. The servant aircraft of claim 7 wherein

the instructions specify landing the servant aircraft at an airport.

9. The servant aircraft of claim 7 wherein

the instructions specify crash landing the servant aircraft.

10. The servant aircraft of claim 9 wherein

the instructions specify crash landing the servant aircraft anywhere.

11. A servant aircraft comprised of

a receiver;

a processor; and

wherein receiver is adapted to receive a remote control signal; and

wherein the processor is programmed to examine the remote control signal to determine if the remote control signal is valid and to determine if the remote control signal is a landing remote control signal, and if the remote control signal is valid and is a landing remote control signal, the processor is programmed to cause the landing of the servant aircraft.

12. The servant aircraft of claim 11 wherein

the processor is programmed to cause the crash landing of the servant aircraft.

13. The servant aircraft of claim 11 wherein

the processor is programmed to cause the landing of the servant aircraft at an airport.

14. The servant aircraft of claim 11 wherein

the landing remote control signal includes instructions specifying how the servant aircraft should land.

15. The servant aircraft of claim 14 wherein

the instructions specify landing the servant aircraft at an airport.

16. The servant aircraft of claim 14 wherein

the instructions specify crash landing the servant aircraft.

17. The servant aircraft of claim 16 wherein

the instructions specify crash landing the servant aircraft anywhere.