Aircraft location system for locating aircraft in water environments
First Claim
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1. An aircraft location system comprising:
- an aircraft structure;
a number of acoustic reflectors associated with the aircraft structure, wherein the number of acoustic reflectors is configured to generate first sound signals in response to receiving second sound signals;
a signal generation system activated by a particular acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors and generating signals, the number of acoustic reflectors being a passive signal generator and the signal generation system being an active signal generator, the signal generation system comprising;
a radio frequency signal generator configured to generate a radio frequency signal when activated;
a detector configured to detect the first sound signals from the number of acoustic reflectors;
a controller connected to the radio frequency signal generator and the detector, the controller activating the radio frequency signal generator when the detector detects the first sound signals;
a survivability system associated with the aircraft structure, the number of acoustic reflectors, and the signal generation system, the survivability system configured to lessen a force impacting the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system, wherein the aircraft structure has a cavity in which an acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system are located, and wherein the survivability system comprises a foam positioned in the cavity and configured to substantially surround the acoustic reflector and the signal generation system; and
a moveable structure allowing the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system to move out of the aircraft structure, wherein the cavity and moveable structure are configured such that the acoustic reflector operates after experiencing an encounter of an aircraft with a water environment and the number of acoustic reflectors and the radio frequency signal generator operate under water.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for an aircraft location system comprising an aircraft structure and a number of acoustic reflectors associated with the aircraft structure. The number of acoustic reflectors is configured to generate first sound signals in response to receiving second sound signals.
12 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An aircraft location system comprising:
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an aircraft structure; a number of acoustic reflectors associated with the aircraft structure, wherein the number of acoustic reflectors is configured to generate first sound signals in response to receiving second sound signals; a signal generation system activated by a particular acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors and generating signals, the number of acoustic reflectors being a passive signal generator and the signal generation system being an active signal generator, the signal generation system comprising; a radio frequency signal generator configured to generate a radio frequency signal when activated; a detector configured to detect the first sound signals from the number of acoustic reflectors; a controller connected to the radio frequency signal generator and the detector, the controller activating the radio frequency signal generator when the detector detects the first sound signals; a survivability system associated with the aircraft structure, the number of acoustic reflectors, and the signal generation system, the survivability system configured to lessen a force impacting the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system, wherein the aircraft structure has a cavity in which an acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system are located, and wherein the survivability system comprises a foam positioned in the cavity and configured to substantially surround the acoustic reflector and the signal generation system; and a moveable structure allowing the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system to move out of the aircraft structure, wherein the cavity and moveable structure are configured such that the acoustic reflector operates after experiencing an encounter of an aircraft with a water environment and the number of acoustic reflectors and the radio frequency signal generator operate under water. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An aircraft location system comprising:
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an aircraft structure including a cavity; a number of acoustic reflectors comprising a first acoustic reflector configured to generate the first sound signals having a first frequency; and
a second acoustic reflector configured to generate the first sound signals having a second frequency that is different from the first frequency;a signal generation system activated by a particular acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors and generating signals, the number of acoustic reflectors being a passive signal generator and the signal generation system being an active signal generator, the signal generation system comprising; a radio frequency signal generator configured to generate a radio frequency signal when activated; a detector configured to detect the first sound signals from the number of acoustic reflectors; a controller connected to the radio frequency signal generator and the detector, the controller activating the radio frequency signal generator when the detector detects the first sound signals; a survivability system associated with the aircraft structure and the number of acoustic reflectors, the survivability system configured to lessen a force impacting the number of acoustic reflectors, wherein the aircraft structure has a cavity in which an acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors is located, and wherein the survivability system comprises a foam configured to substantially surround the acoustic reflector, wherein the cavity is configured such that the acoustic reflector operates after an unintended encounter of an aircraft with a water environment, wherein the aircraft structure is associated with the aircraft and the number of acoustic reflectors operate under water; and a sound location system disposed in the aircraft structure, configured to send a first sound signal having a first frequency into a water environment, wherein the first frequency corresponds to a first acoustic reflector associated with a first aircraft structure for an aircraft that has encountered the water environment and sends a second sound signal into the water environment using a second frequency when a response signal is received from the first acoustic reflector, wherein the second sound signal corresponds to the second frequency for a second acoustic reflector associated with a second aircraft structure for the aircraft that has encountered the water environment, the first aircraft structure different from the second aircraft structure, the survivability system configured to lessen a force impacting the first and the second acoustic reflectors. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for locating aircraft structures, the method comprising:
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protecting a number of acoustic reflectors and a signal generation system in a survivability system, the survivability system associated with the aircraft structure, the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system, the survivability system lessening a force impacting the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system with at least a foam positioned in a cavity and surrounding the number of acoustic reflectors, the number of acoustic reflectors located in the cavity, the signal generation system activated by a particular acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors and generating signals, the number of acoustic reflectors being a passive signal generator and the signal generation system being an active signal generator, the signal generation system comprising; a radio frequency signal generator configured to generate a radio frequency signal when activated; a detector configured to detect the first sound signals from the number of acoustic reflectors; a controller connected to the radio frequency signal generator and the detector, the controller activating the radio frequency signal generator when the detector detects the first sound signals; opening a moveable structure associated with an aircraft structure, wherein the cavity is configured such that the acoustic reflector operates after an unintended encounter of an aircraft with a water environment; moving a number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system through the moveable structure out of the aircraft structure; sending a first sound signal into a water environment using a first frequency, wherein the first frequency corresponds to a first selected frequency for a first acoustic reflector associated with a first aircraft structure for an aircraft that has unintentionally encountered the water environment; and sending a second sound signal into the water environment using a second frequency when a response signal is received from the first acoustic reflector, wherein the second sound signal corresponds to a second selected frequency for a second acoustic reflector associated with a second aircraft structure for the aircraft that has unintentionally encountered the water environment, wherein the first frequency of the first acoustic reflector is configured to generate the first sound signal having a first range; and
the second frequency of the second acoustic reflector is configured to generate the first sound signal having a second range, wherein the first range is longer than the second range and the number of acoustic reflectors operate under water, the first aircraft structure different from the second aircraft structure. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for locating an aircraft structure, the method comprising:
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protecting a number of acoustic reflectors and a signal generation system in a survivability system, the survivability system associated with the aircraft structure, the number of acoustic reflectors, and the signal generation system, the survivability system lessening a force impacting the number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system with at least a foam positioned in a cavity and surrounding the number of acoustic reflectors, the number of acoustic reflectors located in the cavity, the signal generation system activated by a particular acoustic reflector in the number of acoustic reflectors and generating signals, the number of acoustic reflectors being a passive signal generator and the signal generation system being an active signal generator, the signal generation system comprising; a radio frequency signal generator configured to generate a radio frequency signal when activated; a detector configured to detect the first sound signals from the number of acoustic reflectors; a controller connected to the radio frequency signal generator and the detector, the controller activating the radio frequency signal generator when the detector detects the first sound signals; opening a moveable structure associated with an aircraft structure; moving a number of acoustic reflectors and the signal generation system through the moveable structure out of the aircraft structure; detecting, by a satellite, a radio frequency signal transmitted from the radio frequency signal generator associated with the aircraft structure for an aircraft that has encountered a water environment, wherein the number of acoustic reflectors operate under water; identifying an approximate location of the aircraft structure from the radio frequency signal; sending a sound signal into the water environment at a location based on the approximate location of the aircraft structure, wherein the sound signal has a frequency that corresponds to a selected frequency for an acoustic reflector associated with the aircraft structure; and identifying a location of the aircraft structure when a response signal is received from the acoustic reflector, wherein the location is identified using the response signal. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification