GB2543103A - Smart electronic location flare - Google Patents
Smart electronic location flare Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2543103A GB2543103A GB1517943.5A GB201517943A GB2543103A GB 2543103 A GB2543103 A GB 2543103A GB 201517943 A GB201517943 A GB 201517943A GB 2543103 A GB2543103 A GB 2543103A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- flare
- aircraft
- activated
- smart electronic
- electronic location
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 12
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 235000014676 Phragmites communis Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013535 sea water Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S19/00—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
- G01S19/01—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
- G01S19/13—Receivers
- G01S19/35—Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S19/00—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
- G01S19/01—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
- G01S19/13—Receivers
- G01S19/14—Receivers specially adapted for specific applications
- G01S19/17—Emergency applications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S19/00—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
- G01S19/38—Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
- G01S19/39—Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
- G01S19/42—Determining position
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64D45/00—Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for
- B64D2045/0065—Black boxes, devices automatically broadcasting distress signals
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S5/00—Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
- G01S5/02—Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
- G01S5/0205—Details
- G01S5/0226—Transmitters
- G01S5/0231—Emergency, distress or locator beacons
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
- Remote Sensing (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)
Abstract
A location flare 1 for communicating location data once activated. The flare has a power source 2, activation switch 3, computer processor 4 and a satellite communication device 5 that are housed inside a floating double skinned, thermally insulated, impact resistant and sealed container. Preferably the device is activated by an accelerometer, a reed switch, insertion in water, the removal of a physical obstruction such as a pin, or via electronic signals such as a local area network (LAN) of an aircraft system. Upon activation communication data is obtained from a satellite communication sequence that is then emailed directly to the emergency service and aircraft owners. Preferably the device is for use on aircraft an positioned in multiple locations inside or outside the pressure hull of an aircraft.
Description
Smart Electronic Location Flare
Description
This invention relates to a condition-activated device for communicating location data.
When an aircraft catastrophically breaks up over or into the sea, the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder is usually located and recovered to evaluate the details relating to the accident event The Flight Data Recorder has its own location beacon that transmits a frequency signal, acting as an electronic flare to assistthe searchers.
However, the Flight Data Recorder is usually attached to the inside the aircraft and often sinks to the sea floor. The attenuation of radio signals from the Flight Data Recorder transmitter through water is poor and often the signal is not heard or the battery power for the signal becomes exhausted before a location fix has been obtained. Research has shown that one in ten flight data recorders fail to operate or are lost
Current flight data recorders are necessarily connected to the aircraft data and instrument systems such that they can continually record the flight data and sound recordings. The value and extent of the data also means that the flight data recorder has to be protected from the effects of a catastrophic event such as a fuel fire, or a high-speed impact leading to very high deceleration forces upon the structure. As they are connected to aircraft systems, they are vulnerable to being tampered with during their operation, sometimes leading to failure.
However, the present invention overcomes these limiting requirements by concentrating on providing smart location data within in an electronic flare function. This data is obtained from a satellite communication sequence that is then emailed directly to the emergency service and the aircraft owners. With location data provided this way, the smart electronic location flare does not have to be attached to the aircraft's systems, hence it can be positioned in multiple locations inside or outside the pressure hull of the aircraft and be condition activated based on the nature of aircraft failures.
Necessarily, the present invention has to provide thermal, pressure, water and impact protection to the electronics. This is accomplished by means of a double skin insulation and protection container that is sealed and flexible enough to allow for impact absorption. The container is coloured and printed to describe its function. The container has a buoyancy lid enough to provide an extended time floating in seawater with line of sight to a satellite.
Activation of the invention may be accomplished by means of one or several of the following methods; an accelerometer switch, magnetic reed switch, remote electronic signals, removal of a physical pin, or by insertion into water. Activation may take place because of separation from the aircraft structure or due to an impact that is characteristic of a catastrophic aircraft failure that would require the attention of the emergency services.
Figure 1 shows the smart electronic location flare, unit 1, being formed of an assembly of a power source 2, activation switch 3, computer processor 4 and a satellite communication device 5.
Figure 2 shows the unit components being housed inside a double-skinned, thermally insulated, sealed container 6 with closure buoyancy lid 7.
Claims (6)
1. A smart electronic location flare unit comprising of an assembly of power source, activation switch, computer processor and satellite communication device, is housed inside a floating, double-skinned, thermally insulated, impact resistant, sealed container.
2. A smart electronic location flare according to claim 1, in which the communications device is activated by an accelerometer.
3. A smart electronic location flare according to claim 1, in which the communications device is activated by a reed switch.
4. A smart electronic location flare according to claim 1, in which the communications device is activated by insertion in water.
5. A smart electronic location flare according to claim 1, in which the communications device is activated by Local Area Network (LAN] communications from the aircraft system.
6. A smart electronic location flare according to claim 1, in which the communications device is activated by removal of a physical obstruction.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1517943.5A GB2543103A (en) | 2015-10-10 | 2015-10-10 | Smart electronic location flare |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1517943.5A GB2543103A (en) | 2015-10-10 | 2015-10-10 | Smart electronic location flare |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201517943D0 GB201517943D0 (en) | 2015-11-25 |
| GB2543103A true GB2543103A (en) | 2017-04-12 |
Family
ID=55130860
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1517943.5A Withdrawn GB2543103A (en) | 2015-10-10 | 2015-10-10 | Smart electronic location flare |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2543103A (en) |
Citations (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3906370A (en) * | 1974-08-28 | 1975-09-16 | Itt | Radio beacon enclosure |
| US5367306A (en) * | 1993-06-04 | 1994-11-22 | Hollon Blake D | GPS integrated ELT system |
| WO2004111964A1 (en) * | 2003-06-13 | 2004-12-23 | Signature Industries Limited | Activation mechanism for a personal locator beacon |
| US7693512B1 (en) * | 2005-01-24 | 2010-04-06 | Nextel Communications Inc. | Systems and methods for location-based forwarding of communication services |
| WO2011010942A1 (en) * | 2009-07-22 | 2011-01-27 | Uy Rafael Q | An automated distress locator transmission assembly |
| WO2012166663A1 (en) * | 2011-06-02 | 2012-12-06 | Trueposition, Inc. | Remotely activatable locator with backchannel |
| CN103065372A (en) * | 2012-12-07 | 2013-04-24 | 陕西千山航空电子有限责任公司 | Aviation recorder and automatic positioning method |
| WO2014053762A1 (en) * | 2012-10-02 | 2014-04-10 | Elta | Distress beacon system for an aircraft or another vehicle |
| US20140203932A1 (en) * | 2013-01-22 | 2014-07-24 | Cecil W. Turner | Electronic self-protection and emergency beacon device for wilderness use |
-
2015
- 2015-10-10 GB GB1517943.5A patent/GB2543103A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3906370A (en) * | 1974-08-28 | 1975-09-16 | Itt | Radio beacon enclosure |
| US5367306A (en) * | 1993-06-04 | 1994-11-22 | Hollon Blake D | GPS integrated ELT system |
| WO2004111964A1 (en) * | 2003-06-13 | 2004-12-23 | Signature Industries Limited | Activation mechanism for a personal locator beacon |
| US7693512B1 (en) * | 2005-01-24 | 2010-04-06 | Nextel Communications Inc. | Systems and methods for location-based forwarding of communication services |
| WO2011010942A1 (en) * | 2009-07-22 | 2011-01-27 | Uy Rafael Q | An automated distress locator transmission assembly |
| WO2012166663A1 (en) * | 2011-06-02 | 2012-12-06 | Trueposition, Inc. | Remotely activatable locator with backchannel |
| WO2014053762A1 (en) * | 2012-10-02 | 2014-04-10 | Elta | Distress beacon system for an aircraft or another vehicle |
| CN103065372A (en) * | 2012-12-07 | 2013-04-24 | 陕西千山航空电子有限责任公司 | Aviation recorder and automatic positioning method |
| US20140203932A1 (en) * | 2013-01-22 | 2014-07-24 | Cecil W. Turner | Electronic self-protection and emergency beacon device for wilderness use |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201517943D0 (en) | 2015-11-25 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US9781248B2 (en) | Telecommunications emergency device | |
| US7640083B2 (en) | Record and playback system for aircraft | |
| US7634334B2 (en) | Record and playback system for aircraft | |
| CN104044748B (en) | Aircraft black box position reporting and course line tracking | |
| US9102388B2 (en) | Emergency position indicating radio beacon terminal and apparatus and method for monitoring operating state thereof | |
| US5319376A (en) | Arctic submarine buoy and application methods | |
| US9193478B2 (en) | Flight recorder, aircraft with flight recorder and method for reading out flight data from a flight recorder | |
| US20160260264A1 (en) | Real-time flight information backup system and method thereof | |
| US20160318616A1 (en) | Flight recorder with redundant ejectable flight data memory modules | |
| US10524094B2 (en) | Communication system, aircraft/spacecraft and communication method | |
| US5404339A (en) | Retriever for a seismic streamer cable | |
| CN103950545B (en) | Airplane black box position apprizing and route tracking system | |
| US8289694B2 (en) | Disaster-proof storage unit having transmission capabilities | |
| CN112154102A (en) | Deployable flight data recorder with data recovery and method | |
| US10183760B2 (en) | Aircraft comprising at least one emergency beacon, and such an emergency beacon | |
| Francis et al. | The flying laboratory for the observation of ADS‐B signals | |
| CN204197305U (en) | Aircraft black box position reporting and course line track channel | |
| EP3704024B1 (en) | Distributed aircraft recorder system | |
| US20160325846A1 (en) | Greenbox: moving alarm apparatus with gps and method of use, designed for aircraft, ships, trains, buses and other forms of transportation | |
| US20170101192A1 (en) | Smart Electronic Location Flare | |
| GB2543103A (en) | Smart electronic location flare | |
| CN105891806B (en) | A kind of flight recorder Underwater Navigation sender unit | |
| US3893061A (en) | Underwater acoustic detection system | |
| CN101923738A (en) | Black box of airplane capable of remotely controlling wireless data transmission by long waves and satellite phones | |
| US20190270523A1 (en) | Airbag deployable data recorder for aircraft |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |