Ground based security surveillance system for aircraft and other commercial vehicles

• US 7,511,612 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Inventors: Monroe, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/227,587
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 340/521, 340/506, 340/539.1, 340/937, 340/533, 340/541, 340/3.1, 348/148, 348/152, 348/143, 348/153
• US Class Current: 340/521
• 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: G08B 13/19621 Portable camera
• 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: G08B 13/19673 Addition of time stamp, i.e. time metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves

Abstract

A security and surveillance system for aircraft on the ground incorporates a plurality of strategically spaced sensors including video imaging generators, audio sensors, motion detectors, and fire and smoke detectors for monitoring critical components and critical areas of both the interior and the exterior of the a commercial transport such as an aircraft. The captured data and images are transmitted to a ground based security station for display on a monitor and may be recorded on a “black box” recorder as well as on a ground based recording system. The multiple audio and image signals are multiplexed and sequenced utilizing split screen technology in order to minimize the recording and monitoring hardware required to process the images.

Claims

1. A digital video monitoring system adapted for use on a movable transport, the digital video monitoring system comprising:

a packet switching network supported on the transport;

a plurality of video cameras supported on the transport, the plurality of video cameras being in communication with the packet switching network, each of the video cameras being adapted to collect video of a field of view of the transport;

a digital video recorder in communication with the network, the digital video recorder being adapted for recording the collected video from the plurality of video cameras;

at least one analog to digital converter supported on the transport, the at least one analog to digital converter being associated with the plurality of video cameras, the at least one analog to digital converter being adapted to receive from each video camera the respective video, the at least one analog to digital converter being operable to provide digital video data, the digital video data corresponding to respective of the video;

at least one digital compressor supported on the transport, the at least one digital compressor being in communication with the at least one analog to digital converter to receive the digital video data, the at least one digital compressor being operable to provide at least one set of compressed digital video data, each set of compressed digital video data corresponding to respective of the digital video data;

at least one data multiplexer supported on the transport, the at least one multiplexer being in communication with the at least one digital compressor to receive a plurality of the sets of compressed digital video data, each data multiplexer being operable to provide respective multiplexed output, the multiplexed output including the plurality of the sets of compressed digital video data; and

at least one network interface supported on the transport, the at least one network interface being connected to the packet switching network, the at least one network interface being in communication with the at least one multiplexer to receive the multiplexed output, the at least one network interface being operable to provide to the packet switching network a series of data packets, the series of data packets including the multiplexed output.

2. The digital video monitoring system of claim 1 and further comprising:

a Global Positioning System unit adapted to receive at least one of;

a location of the transport; and

a speed of the transport.

3. The digital video monitoring system of claim 2 and further comprising:

a wireless transmitter in communication with the packet switching network to receive the multiplexed output, the wireless transmitter being adapted to transmit to a wireless receiver a wireless transmission, the wireless transmission communicating to the wireless receiver the multiplexed output, the wireless receiver being in communication with a recipient adapted to receive the multiplexed output, the recipient including at least one of;

a digital decompressor, a terminal having a display, and digital storage.

4. The digital video monitoring system of claim 3 and further comprising:

the wireless transmitter being adapted to transmit to the wireless receiver at least one of;

a location of the transport and a speed of the transport.

5. The digital video monitoring system of claim 4 and further comprising:

wherein the at least one of;

a location of the transport and the speed of the transport transmitted to the wireless receiver is mapped to the compressed digital video data at the display.

6. The digital video monitoring system of claim 4 and further comprising:

wherein the at least one of;

the location of the transport and the speed of the transport is included in the multiplexed output.

7. The digital video monitoring system of claim 6 and further comprising:

the display being operable to display video, the displayed video being rendered from the compressed digital video data, the display being operable to display with the displayed video the at least one of the following;

the location of the transport;

the speed of the transport.

8. The digital video monitoring system of claim 7 and further comprising:

at least one rendered video being displayed with at least one of;

location of the transport;

speed of the transport;

rendered video; and

at least one of mapped location of the transport and mapped speed of the transport.

9. The digital video monitoring system of claim 7 and further comprising:

at least one portable monitoring station, the at least one portable monitoring station including a respective portable display operable to display video, the video displayed on the portable display being rendered from the compressed digital video data, the portable display being operable to display with the displayed video the at least one of the following;

the location of the transport;

the speed of the transport.

10. A digital video monitoring system adapted for use on a movable transport, the digital video monitoring system comprising:

a packet switching network supported on the transport;

a plurality of video cameras supported on the transport, the plurality of video cameras being in communication with the packet switching network, each of the video cameras being adapted to collect video of the transport;

at least one analog to digital converter supported on the transport, the at least one analog to digital converter being associated with the plurality of video cameras, the at least one analog to digital converter being adapted to receive from each video camera the respective video, the at least one analog to digital converter being operable to provide digital video data, the digital video data corresponding to respective of the video;

at least one digital compressor supported on the transport, the at least one digital compressor being in communication with the at least one analog to digital converter to receive the digital video data, the at least one digital compressor being operable to provide at least one set of compressed digital video data, each set of compressed digital video data corresponding to respective of the digital video data;

at least one data multiplexer supported on the transport, the at least one multiplexer being in communication with the at least one digital compressor to receive a plurality of the sets of compressed digital video data, each data multiplexer being operable to provide respective multiplexed output, the multiplexed output including the plurality of the sets of compressed digital video data; and

at least one network interface supported on the transport, the at least one network interface being connected to the packet switching network, the at least one network interface being in communication with the at least one multiplexer to receive the multiplexed output, the at least one network interface being operable to provide to the packet switching network a series of data packets, the series of data packets including the multiplexed output.

11. The digital video monitoring system of claim 10 and further comprising:

a Global Positioning System unit adapted to receive at least one of;

a location of the transport; and

a speed of the transport.

12. The digital video monitoring system of claim 11 and further comprising:

a wireless transmitter in communication with the packet switching network to receive the multiplexed output, the wireless transmitter being adapted to transmit to a wireless receiver a wireless transmission, the wireless transmission communicating to the wireless receiver the multiplexed output, the wireless receiver being in communication with a recipient adapted to receive the multiplexed output, the recipient including at least one of;

a decompressor, a terminal having a display, and digital storage.

13. The digital video monitoring system of claim 12 and further comprising:

the wireless transmitter being adapted to transmit to the wireless receiver at least one of;

a location of the transport;

a speed of the transport.

14. The digital video monitoring system of claim 13 and further comprising:

a display operable to display video, the displayed video being rendered from the compressed digital video data, the display being operable to display with the displayed video the at least one of the following;

a location of the transport;

a speed of the transport.

15. The digital video monitoring system of claim 13 and further comprising:

the multiplexed output including the at least one of;

a location of the transport;

a speed of the transport.