WO2002031709A1

WO2002031709A1 - Method and apparatus for personnel transportable data recording

Info

Publication number: WO2002031709A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/031965
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronald J. Mathis; Linda Tweedy Till; Martin B. Treuhaft
Original assignee: Southwest Research Institute
Priority date: 2000-10-12
Filing date: 2001-10-11
Publication date: 2002-04-18
Also published as: AU2002211692A1

Abstract

A method of recording and recovering data corresponding to a vehicle (10) such that the recorded data is transportable by the operator (20) if the operator (20) separates from the aircraft (10) during a crash. One or more vehicle sensors are placed in appropriate locations on the vehicle (10). A PTDR having a data recorder unit (90) and a data storage (80) unit is attached to the operator (20). The sensor(s) and the PTDR are electrically connected in a manner that permits the sensors to deliver electrical signals to the PTDR and permits the PTDR to be powered by the vehicle, but yet permits the connection to be spontaneously broken without damage to the PTDR. The electrical connection may be hard-wired, using a breakaway connector (50,60), or it may be embodied by elements which transmit data via electromagnetic energy.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERSONNEL TRANSPORTABLE DATA RECORDING

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to data acquisition, recording, and recovery. More particularly, the invention relates to data recording systems for vehicular operations, such as aircraft.

HISTORY OF RELATED ART

The safety record of modern aircraft is enviable. However, certain internal or external circumstances may be imposed upon an aircraft in flight which produce malfunctions. When an aircraft crashes, the event may lead to the loss of life and property. The event may also be indicative of malfunctions inherent in the design of the aircraft itself. In order to determine the cause of crash, flight data recorders have been developed to record the positions of controls, airspeed, height, and attitude of an aircraft, as well as other data, during flight operations. Thus, it is often desirable to monitor flight information leading up to, during, and after the malfunction. However, such flight data recorders may be destroyed along with the aircraft that carries them. Even if the recorder- survives intact, it may be very difficult to locate.

Early recorders used an endless tape loop as the data recording medium. The recorders were constructed using a crash-proof containment designed to withstand buffeting and shock, as well as fire temperatures, for a reasonable period. Typically, flight data recorders are hard-mounted within an aircraft . Some recorders use bulk solid-state memory or disk drives to store data, where the memory is overwritten when the end of the memory is reached. Other recorders provide sufficient memory to store data from multiple flights, where the record data is periodically transferred, thereby restoring recorded memory. However, such conventional digital flight recorders are still ruggedly built, bulky, and heavy. These recorders must possess high reliability, resistance to vibration, pressure, and heat. Such recorders are not suitable for use in medium and small aircraft, including most military trainer and fighter aircraft, due to their expense, space limitations, and weight. Further, installation of flight recorder systems and sensors is complicated and expensive. Currently, Aviation Regulations for recording flight information have not been developed for such aircraft .

After a crash event, the recorder and recording medium is sometimes recovered for playback and analysis . The data shows the operating condition of various aircraft controls and equipment prior to the time of the event causing the crash until the recorder ceases to function. From the recovered data, it may be possible to determine the exact cause of the crash, and as a corollary, to take steps to prevent crashes from similar causes in the future. Flight data recorders may also be used as a training aid, to monitor aircraft operations by students and other personnel to verify flight operations and performance.

Therefore, it would be useful to provide a data recording apparatus and method for recording vehicular operation data (e.g., in-flight data) which could be more practically applied to a variety of vehicles, such as medium and small aircraft. Such a recorder should be relatively small, lightweight. and inexpensive. Further, such a recorder should be easily interfaced to modern avionics systems and communication busses within an aircraft for minimum expense and difficulty during installation in an aircraft . Finally, providing acquisition of flight data that is designed to be attached to the pilot of the aircraft would provide a measure of secure data recovery in the event the pilot is recovered and the aircraft is not. Thus, the flight data would be available without requiring access to the aircraft. This is particularly applicable in ejection or bail-out scenarios, where the pilot is able to separate from the plane before the crash occurs .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes a Personnel Transportable Data Recorder (PTDR) for recording and recovery of data corresponding to a vehicle, such as an aircraft, and/or operator parameters, such that the recorded data is transportable by the operator. The PTDR comprises a data recorder unit attached to the aircraft, a data storage unit, including a data memory attached to the operator (e.g., pilot) , and a data transport means for sending the data from the data recorder unit to the data storage unit. Optionally, a data encryption means may be placed in electrical communication with the data memory to encrypt data stored therein. The data recorder unit may also be attached to the operator, and not to the vehicle. Thus, a complete PTDR may comprise two separate pieces (i.e., the data recorder unit and the data storage unit) , or a single integrated unit. In either case, the data storage unit must be attached to the operator.

The data transport means can be electromagnetic energy, such as radio frequency waves or infra-red energy. The data transport means may also be a series of hard-wired cables using a breakaway connector to couple the PTDR to the vehicle .

The invention includes a method of recording and recovery of data corresponding to a vehicle, such as an aircraft, where the recorded data is transportable by the operator, such as a pilot. The method makes use of a PTDR, and includes the steps of coupling the PTDR to the vehicle using a data transport means, acquiring the data from the vehicle using a data recorder unit, sending the data from the data recording unit to the data storage unit using the data transport means, recording the data in the data memory, decoupling the PTDR from the vehicle, and recovering the data from the data storage unit . The data may be encrypted during or after storage. Additional data may be stored in the data memory following decoupling of the PTDR from the vehicle. This additional data may also be encrypted, and is not necessarily exclusive to the vehicle (e.g. pilot physical monitoring data such as heartbeat, and breathing rate, air temperature, etc.) .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the structure and operation of the present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates operation of the present invention after a pilot has ejected from an aircraft, showing the attachment of the data recorder unit to the aircraft, and attachment of the data storage unit to the pilot; FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the method of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Turning now to Fig. 1, the present invention operating in conjunction with an aircraft and pilot can be seen. In this case, the aircraft 10 has malfunctioned, and a pilot 20 has ejected from the cockpit. The data storage unit 80, PTDR cable 70, and PTDR connector 60 are shown attached to the pilot. Similarly, the data recorder unit 30, aircraft cable 40, and aircraft connector 50 are shown attached to the aircraft 10. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the connectors 50, 60 are__typically in electrical communication with each other and function as a unitary break-away connector 65 during operation of the PTDR 100. While this example is directed specifically toward a pilot of an aircraft, it should be noted that use of the PTDR 100 is equally applicable to any number of vehicles, equipment, or devices (such as an aircraft, a military battle tank, an automobile, or even such apparatus as a bicycle, a walker, or a wheelchair) . The PTDR 100 may also be used by any number of "operators," such as the pilot of an aircraft, the driver of a car or other mobile vehicle, such as a bicycle, or even the operator of a wheelchair or walker. Turning now to Fig. 2, a schematic block diagram of the PTDR 100 can be seen. In this embodiment of the invention, the data storage unit 80 and the data recorder unit 30, comprising the PTDR 100, are physically separate, and communicate using a data transport means 145, such as the cables 40, 70 and breakaway connector 65, to send and receive data (in the form of electricity or electromagnetic energy) 140.

As shown in Fig. 2, an alternative data transport means 145 may include a data receiver 120 located at the data storage unit 80 for receiving data 140 from the data recorder unit 30. In this implementation, a data transmitter 130 is included in the data recorder unit 30 to send the data 140 to the data storage 80. Alternatively, a pair of data transceivers 125 can be included, one in the data recorder unit 30, and the other in the data storage unit 80 for exchanging data 140 and for other uses, as will be described below. The data receiver 120, data transmitter 130, and data transceivers 125 may be Radio-Frequency (RF) devices, such as coils or antennas; infra-red LEDs; or other components well known to those skilled in the art for transmitting and receiving data/energy from one location to another without using wires, or any other physical connection.

In the illustrated embodiment, the PTDR 100 is connected to various data sources 90, such as sensors,

Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, vehicle control inputs, operator physical parameters, etc. The data 140 is brought into the data recorder unit 30 using a data cable 240. However, electromagnetic energy can also be used for wireless data transport into the recorder unit 30, as has been described with regard to the data transceivers 125. If hard-wired data acquisition is used, the data 140 may be brought into the data recorder unit 30 using a hard-wired data port 230. Alternatively, using electromagnetic energy, the data recorder unit 30 may also receive sensor 90 data via a data transceiver 125, which may serve the dual purpose of communicating data to the data storage unit 80, and receiving data from the data sources 90.

After the PTDR 100 is coupled to the vehicle 10 using the data transport means 145, the data 140 can be acquired from the sensors 90 as discussed above. Typically, the data 140 is then sent from the data recorder unit 30 to the data storage unit 80 using the data transport means 145, and the data 140 is recorded in the memory 160 of the data storage unit 80. A processor 170 may be used to organize receipt and recording of the data 140 in the memory 160. A source of power 180 may be used to supply power to the memory 160 and processor 170, as needed. Alternatively, power for the data storage unit 80 may be received using the PTDR cable, or as electromagnetic energy which is stored using a data receiver 120 which receives data 140, along with electromagnetic energy stored within the data storage unit 80, or used immediately as a source of power for the unit 80.

During vehicle operations, it is expected that the data link between the PTDR 100 and the vehicle 10 will be severed (i.e., decoupled) at some point in time. This may occur in any number of ways: in this example, a pilot may eject from an aircraft, the pilot may disconnect the breakaway connector 65, or the pilot may move beyond the range at which the data receiver 120 and data transmitter 130 (or data transceivers 125) can effectively transfer data 140 across the link between the data recorder unit 30 and the data storage unit 80. At this time, the data may be encrypted in the memory 160. The data may also be encrypted as it is stored in the memory 160. As is the case with conventional flight data recorders, it is expected that the memory 160 will be repeatedly overwritten as vehicle operations progress. A data encryption means 135 may be included in the data storage unit 80 as a separate entity, or exist as a part of the functionality of the processor 170 and memory 160 (e.g. a data encrypted program module). Further, the operation of the memory 160 itself may comprise encryption of the data 140 before storage. Alternatively, an encryption means 135 may be included in the data recorder unit 30. Various encryption methods are well known to those skilled in the art.

Similarly, the PTDR 100 may also operate in conjunction with other scenarios, such as an elderly person (operator) using a walker (vehicle) . Thus, if the elderly person falls and becomes separated from their walker, the breakaway connector 65 may disconnect, and recording operations will commence .

When the data link between the units 30, 80 is severed, some additional data may be written into the memory 160, such as the time of separation between the units, or other desired data. Severing the data link may also initiate an automatic and planned alert signal to an appropriate receiver, which can be sent using the transmitter 410.

After the data link is severed, it is expected that the data 140 will be recovered from the data storage unit 80 using a recovery port 150. This typically would occur when a hard-wired data connection is used to recover the data 140. Alternatively, if a data transceiver 125 is included in the data storage unit 80, the transceiver 125 may be used to download data from the memory 160 into any convenient computer or storage media for further analysis.

In the embodiment illustrated by Fig. 2, the PTDR 100 is comprised of physically separate units: the data storage unit 80 and the data recorder unit 30. As can be seen in the figure, the data recorder unit 30 may have its own memory 190, processor 200, and power 220. Alternatively, the memory 190, processor 200 and power 220 can be supplied in any combination from similar or identical elements located within the vehicle. As noted above, the power 220 may be received via hard-wiring to the vehicle 10, using the data cable 240, for example. Alternatively, if a data transceiver 125 is included in the data recorder unit 30, power may be supplied using electromagnetic energy. A timer 210 may be used to acquire data 140 from the sources 90 on a periodic basis. Thus, data 140 may be acquired continuously, or at intervals. Acquisition may be initiated upon the application of power to the data recorder unit 30, the application of power to the data storage unit 80, using a switching mechanism manipulated by the operator, or any time a data link is established using the data transport means 145 (i.e., also known as "coupling" the PTDR 100 to the vehicle 10) . Turning now to Fig. 3, a flow chart diagram illustrating the method of the invention can be seen. The method begins at step 300, and continues with coupling the PTDR 100 to the vehicle 10 using a data transport means 145 in step 310. The method continues with acquiring the data from the vehicle 10 using the data recorder unit 30 in step 320. Then, the method continues with sending the data from the data recorder unit 30 to the data storage unit 80 using the data transport means 145 in step 330. The method continues with recording the data in the data memory 160 in step 340. Optionally, the method may include the step of encrypting the data recorded in the data memory 160 in step 350. The method then continues with decoupling the PTDR 100 from the vehicle 10 in step 360. Optionally, the decoupling step 360 may be followed by the step of recording additional data memory in the data memory 160 in step 370. The additional recorded data may also be encrypted in step 370. Further, the decoupling event, as occurs when the data link between the units 30, 80 is severed, may be followed by initiation of an automatic and planned alert signal to an appropriate receiver, typically sent by the transmitter 410 in step 380. The method includes the step of recovering the data from the data storage unit 80 in step 390, and ends with step 400. Turning now to Fig. 4, an alternative embodiment of the invention can be seen. In this case, the PTDR 100 is an integral unit, including the data recorder unit 30 and data storage unit 80, which are both attached to the operator 20. Thus, the integrated PTDR 100 unit shown in Fig. 3 allows both the data recorder unit 30 and data storage unit 80 to be attached to the vehicle/operator. In this case, the data transport means 145 operates to conduct data 140 across the data link 145 between the PTDR 100 and the vehicle chassis 110. As described above, a data receiver 120, a data transmitter 130, or data transceivers 125 can be used to transfer data 140 across the data link 145 between the PTDR 100 and the vehicle chassis 110. Alternatively, data 140 can be transferred using the data transport means embodied in a vehicle cable 40, a vehicle connector 50, a PTDR connector 60, and a PTDR cable 70. Typically, the vehicle connector 50 and PTDR connector 60 form a breakaway connector 65 which separates as needed, for example, when a pilot 20 ejects from an aircraft 10.

In the case of the integrated PTDR 100, the memory 160, processor 170, and power 180 can be maintained separately from the memory 190, processor 200, and power 220. Alternatively, each component may serve double-duty so that data 140 can be recorded, and any necessary housekeeping operations can also be accomplished using the same operational elements. That is, the use of memory 160, processor 170, and power 180 can obviate the need for memory 190, processor 200, and power 220 in such an integrated PTDR 100 unit.

The sensors 90 may be attached to the vehicle chassis 110 using a data cable 240, as noted above. Alternatively, sensors 90 may transmit data 140 directly to the data receiver 120 or data transceiver 125 included in the PTDR 100, as shown in Fig. 4. There may also be one or more environmental sensors 95 hard-wired directly to the PTDR 100 using a data cable 240. The environmental sensors 95 may also transmit data 140 using electromagnetic energy. It should be noted that the data 140, acquired from the sensors 90, 95 may be stored directly in the memory 160, 190, or processed prior to storage in the memory 160, 190. Further, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the data may be acquired using environmental sensor 95 (e.g., operator heartbeat, air temperature, etc.), transmitted to the data storage unit 80, then sent across as data 140 to the data recorder unit 30 (or vehicle chassis 110) for processing, and then returned as processed data 140 to the data storage 80 for retention in memory 160, 190 of the PTDR 100. Thus, minimal processing in this embodiment is required by the PTDR 100. Finally, the memory 160, 190 may be partitioned into various types of memory, such as non-volatile memory, random access memory, and other types of memory well known to those of ordinary skill in the art for use in storing programmed instruction sets, recorded data, etc.

The power units 180, 220 may be comprised of capacitors, batteries, or other energy storage elements, such that recording by the PTDR 100 may occur for some time after the PTDR 100 is decoupled from the vehicle.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. The various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention, or their equivalents.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of recovery of data corresponding to vehicular operations after the operator has spontaneously separated from the vehicle, comprising the steps of: locating a data recording unit having at least an interface to at least one sensor remotely from a data storage unit, such that the data recording unit and the data storage unit are separate components; providing a wired breakaway communications link between the data recording unit and the data storage unit; attaching the data storage unit to the operator; acquiring data from the vehicle using the data recorder unit; sending the data from the data recorder unit to the data storage unit using the communications link; recording the data in the data storage unit, and; recovering the data from the data storage unit independent of operation of the data recording unit and after the breakaway communications link is spontaneously broken.

2. The method of Claim 1, including the step of encrypting the data recorded in the data memory.

3. The method of Claim 1, wherein the communications link is a first cable in electrical communication with the data recording unit, a second cable in electrical communication with the data storage unit, and a breakaway connector in electrical communication with the first cable and the second cable.

4. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of recording additional data in the data storage unit after the breakaway communications link has been spontaneously broken .

5. The method of Claim 4, wherein the additional data is encrypted.

6. The method of Claim 1/ wherein the data corresponds to the vehicle.

7. The method of Claim 1, wherein the data corresponds to the operator.

8. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating an alert signal in response to spontaneous breaking of the communications link.

9. A Personnel Transportable Data Recorder (PTDR) for recording and recovery of data corresponding to a vehicle such that the recorded data is transportable by the vehicle operator, comprising: a data recorder unit for receiving signals from at least one sensor attached to the vehicle; a data storage unit having at least a data memory attached to the operator; and a wired breakaway communications link for sending the data from the data recorder unit to the data storage unit_^ wherein the data storage unit is transportable and operable independently of the data recorder unit and permits access of data regardless of destruction of the data recorder unit .

10. The PTDR of Claim 9, including a data encryption means in electrical communication with the data storage unit .

11. The PTDR of Claim 9, wherein the communications link is a first cable in electrical communication with the data recording unit, a second cable in electrical communication with the vehicle, and a breakaway connector in electrical communication with the first cable and the second cable.

12. The PTDR of Claim 9, wherein the data storage unit is further operable to store data in response to spontaneous breaking of the communications link.

13. A method of recovery of data corresponding to an aircraft after the pilot has spontaneously separated from the aircraft comprising the steps of : locating a data recording unit having at least an interface to at ' least one sensor remotely from a data storage unit, such that the data recording unit and the data storage unit are separate components; providing a wired breakaway communications link between the data recording unit and the data storage unit; attaching the data storage unit to the operator; acquiring data from the vehicle using the data recorder unit ; sending the data from the data recorder unit to the data storage unit using the communications link; recording the data in the data storage unit, and; recovering the data from the data storage unit independent of operation of the data recording unit and after the breakaway communications link is spontaneously broken .

14. The method of Claim 13, wherein the data transport means is a first cable in electrical communication with the data storage unit, a second cable in electrical communication with the data recording unit, and a breakaway connector in electrical communication with the first cable and the second cable .

15. The method of Claim 13, further comprising the step of recording additional data in the data storage unit after the breakaway communications link has been spontaneously broken.

16. The method of Claim 13, wherein the data corresponds to the aircraft .

17. The method of Claim 13, further comprising the step of initiating an alert signal in response to spontaneous breaking of the communications link.

18. A Personnel Transportable Flight Data Recorder (PTDR) for recording and recovery of data corresponding to an aircraft such that the recorded data is transportable by a pilot, comprising: a data recorder unit for receiving signals from at least one sensor attached to the aircraft; a data storage unit including a data memory attached to the pilot; and a wired breakaway communications link for sending the data from the data recorder unit to the data storage unit_ wherein the data storage unit is transportable and operable independently of the data recorder unit and is permits access of data regardless of destruction of the data recorder unit .

19. The PTDR of Claim 18, wherein the data transport means is a first cable in electrical communication with the data recording unit, a second cable in electrical communication with the data storage unit, and a breakaway connector in electrical communication with the first cable and the second cable.

20. The PTDR of Claim 18, wherein the data storage unit is further operable to store data in response to spontaneous breaking of the communications link.

21. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a wired breakaway power connection between the datastorage unit and the vehicle power supply.

22. The method of Claim 1, wherein the data recording unit further has a processor.

23. The method of Claim 1, wherein the data storage unit further has a processor.

24. The PTDR of Claim 9, further comprising a wired breakaway power connection between the data storage unit and the vehicle power supply.

25. The PTDR of Claim 9, wherein the data recording unit further has a processor.

26. The PTDR of Claim 9, wherein the data storage unit further has a processor.

27. A method of recovery of data corresponding to vehicular operations after the operator has spontaneously separated from the vehicle, comprising the steps of: locating a data recording unit having at least an interface to at least one sensor remotely from a data storage unit, such that the data recording unit and the data storage unit are separate components; providing a short range radio telemetry communications link between the data recording unit and the data storage unit; attaching the data storage unit to the operator; acquiring data from the vehicle using the data recorder unit; sending the data from the data recorder unit to the data storage unit using the communications link; recording the data in the data storage unit, and; recovering the data from the data storage unit independent of operation of the data recording unit.

28. A Personnel Transportable Data Recorder (PTDR) for recording and recovery of data corresponding to a vehicle such that the recorded data is transportable by the vehicle operator, comprising: a data recorder unit for receiving signals from at least one sensor attached to the vehicle; a data storage unit having at least a data memory attached to the operator; and a short range radio telemetry communications link for sending the data from the data recorder unit to the data storage unit; wherein the data storage unit is transportable and operable independently of the data recorder unit and permits access of data regardless of destruction of the data recorder unit; and wherein the data storage unit further has a transmitter for transmitting a signal after the communications link between the data recorder unit and the data storage unit is broken .