ON-BOARD EMERGENCY REMOTE ASSISTANCE AND DATA RETRIEVABLE SYSTEM FOR AN AERIAL VEHICLE

Abstract

The present invention relates to an on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system configured to download and retrieve image, audio and video information from the inside and outside of a manned aerial vehicle (MAV) using an on-board unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), while the MAV is either in the air or crashed. The UAV system comprising at least one drone in coordination with a remote station to automatically locate a distressed MAV while in operation, to track it and provide assistance when possible, wherein the drone being integrated into the MAV. The system of the present invention conclusively prevents the lost or disappearance, and crash of the manned aerial vehicle without a trace.

Claims

1. An on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system for a manned aerial vehicle (MAV), comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a physical connection and a wireless connection with the MAV, and also having a wireless communication connection to a remote command center, wherein the UAV is configured to download and retrieve the flight data of the MAV inside-out while the MAV is either in the air or crashed, and all other tasks usually assigned and/or provided to or by a flight data recorder commonly known as black box, a manual and an automatic launch trigger connected to a plurality of sensors enabled to detect an emergency situation in the MAV, wherein upon detection of the emergency situation by one of a plurality of occupants of the MAV, the manual launch trigger is configured to be initiated manually by the occupant; and upon detection of the emergency situation by at least one of the sensors, the automatic launch trigger is configured to be initiated automatically, characterized in that, a 3 way communication initiates between the MAV, the UAV, and the remote command center once the UAV is launched, wherein the UAV communicates the downloaded and retrieved flight data with the remote command center on the ground, and the remote command center sends respective command to the UAV based on the situation.

2. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flight data comprising a plurality of audios, videos, and images of the MAV inside-out.

3. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flight data comprising a cockpit voice recording transcript.

4. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flight data comprising a mechanical and electrical flight performance.

5. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UAV is automatically launched from the MAV if a weapon is fired on board the MAV.

6. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UAV is automatically launched from the MAV if a smoke is detected within or on the MAV.

7. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UAV is automatically launched in the event when the MAV becomes undetectable on a tracking or radar at an air traffic control center during flight.

8. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the emergency situation is remotely diagnosed and fixed, when possible, by the remote command center via the UAV using artificial intelligence and machine learning technology.

9. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UAV is configured to reattach itself with the MAV if the emergency situation is resolved.

10. The on-board emergency remote assistance and data retrievable system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UAV is automatically or manually ejected, then roved over the flying or distressed MAV while providing its current location and at the same time preserving the important flight data if a crash does occur.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiment to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

[0037] With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates a drone activation control system from a MAV according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates a 3D view of a drone.

[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates a MAV with drone housing.

[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates a MAV with an open drone housing showing the drone itself.

[0042] FIG. 5 illustrates a MAV showing a drone being ejected from the MAV.

[0043] FIG. 5A illustrates a MAV with a drone being ejected from the lower back of the MAV, all the way to the top of MAV.

[0044] FIG. 6 illustrates multiple positions where a drone can be automatically ejected from the MAV.

[0045] FIG. 7 illustrates a 3-way communication between a MAV, a drone, and a command center.

[0046] FIG. 7A illustrates a 3-way communication between a MAV, a drone, and a command center, having remote access of a video images inside the MAV from the ground command center showing a hijacking in progress.

[0047] FIG. 7B illustrates a 3-way communication between a MAV, a drone, and a command center, having remote access of the Cockpit Voice Recording (CVR) transcript.

[0048] FIG. 8 illustrates a view of a cockpit of a MAV.

[0049] FIG. 9 illustrates a view of a passenger's area of a MAV.

[0050] FIG. 10 illustrates a drone roving over a MAV crashed on water.

[0051] FIG. 11 illustrates a drone roving over a MAV crashed on land.

[0052] FIG. 12 illustrates a drone providing lightning over a water crash site at nighttime.

[0053] FIG. 13 illustrates a drone providing lightning over a land crash site at nighttime.

[0054] FIG. 14 illustrates a view showing images sent from the drone to the control command center with radar indicating the exact location of the crash.

[0055] FIG. 15 illustrates a view of the drone's solar power capability.

[0056] FIG. 15A illustrates view detailing the drone's thin solar cells.

[0057] FIG. 16 illustrates a view of the drone landing on water because of lack of power.

[0058] FIG. 17 illustrates a view of the drone landing on land because of lack of power.

[0059] FIG. 18 illustrates a view where the water's search and rescue team arrive at the scene.

[0060] FIG. 19 illustrates a view where a reconnaissance airplane from the land's search rescue team arrives at the scene.

[0061] FIG. 20 shows a crashed MAV being retrieved from the water by a heavy lifting helicopter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0062] The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0063] Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments, as depicted in different figures as described above and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

[0064] It is to be also understood that the term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also contain one or more other components.

[0065] It is to be understood that the term “MAV” hereinafter refers to a manned aerial vehicle which includes, but not limited to an airplane, an aero plane, an aircraft, a helicopter, a chopper, and a copter thereof.

[0066] It is to be understood that the term “UAV” hereinafter refers to an unmanned aerial vehicle which includes, but not limited to a drone thereof.

[0067] It is to be understood that the terms “a pilot”, “an on-board operator”, and “a vehicle operator”, are interchangeable.

[0068] An on-board emergency system of the present invention applies to any type of vehicle comprising, but not limited to a manned aerial vehicle, a boat, a ship, a train, a tractor trailer, a bus or the like. The embodiments described below, however, are directed toward specific embodiments of the system to help locate and assist a distressed airplane. However, the methods and systems of the present invention apply equally to any other type of vehicle.

[0069] The present invention will now be described by referencing the appended figures representing preferred embodiments. The embodiment of a system 10 for assisting and locate a distressed MAV includes at least one engagement element 12 and at least one processing element 14, as shown in the embodiments of FIG. 1. An engagement element 12 can be any type of element that initiates the launch of the location system of an UAV, such as a drone. For example, an engagement element 12 can transmit a signal to the processing element 14 directing engagement of launching the drone. As such, the engagement element can be, but is not limited to, a button, switch, lever, or the like, or any other device capable of transmitting a command to the processing element 14, such as a keyboard, a voice signal receiver, a touch screen, or a selection device such as a mouse in conjunction with a display. For instance, the location control system 10 can be activated automatically, as represented by box 16 of FIGS. 1. In one embodiment, the engagement element 12 can be a sensor or the like that automatically transmits an engagement signal to the processing element 14 upon sensing a particular event. One such event can be the case where the MAV or aircraft is in an awkward or abnormal position during the flight as shown in FIG. 6. Such sensors can also be located anywhere in the MAV 40 where a type of threat to the security of the MAV or its passengers or other contents can be sensed. For instance, in an aircraft, an engagement sensor can be located proximate to the door of the cockpit, and the sensor can be programmed to transmit an engagement signal to the processing element when there is an attempt to cockpit door tampering or breach i.e. forcibly open the door, repeated poundings on the door, and or when an aircraft is in an upside-down position or vice versa. In the case of a cockpit door, the sensor(s) can have a minimum force threshold, such that force applied to the door must exceed the threshold before the automatic drone launch system can be automatically activated. Therefore, at least most inadvertent applications of force on the door by people or objects will not cause the system to automatically engage. In addition to or instead of the automatic engagement element(s) 16, the system 10 can include manual engagement element(s) 18, such as buttons, switches or the like, that authorized personnel, such as the pilots of an aircraft can actuate if a threat is detected. Thus, one or more manual and/or automatic engagement elements can be located onboard MAV 40, such as within and/or proximate the cockpit of an aircraft as represented by boxes 16 and 18 of FIGS. 1.

[0070] Furthermore, one or more locations outside MAV 40, i.e., one or more remote international locations from the Coast Guard, the Air Force, or the Navy, on a global scale, but in communication with MAV 40, as shown in FIG. 7, can include an engagement element, such that if a signal or other communication is received at the remote location that indicates a distress situation, or the security of MAV 40 can be in jeopardy, the engagement element can activate or launch drone 14, as shown in FIG. 5, from the remote location, as represented by box 20 of FIG. 1 so as to help in correcting any errors if possible, or in determining the gravity of the situation onboard MAV 40.

[0071] Referring further to FIG. 5A, where the pilot of MAV 40 having difficulty flying within clouds 41 is shown. Instead of climbing over clouds 41 which is riskier, the pilot ejects drone 14 from lower back of the MAV 40 all the way over the MAV 40 and the clouds 41 while being assisted by said drone 14 throughout the route. The pilot ejects the drone 14 by actuating manual engagement element 18.

[0072] A personnel and/or an equipment at the remote location can monitor the aircraft and can be capable of detecting certain events using onboard Wi-Fi security cameras as represented by box 28, 30, and 32 of FIG. 1, and also depicted in FIGS. 8, and 9. If the processing element (drone) 14 is activated because of the MAV malfunctions such as engine failure, fire, smoke, and a catastrophe is therefore imminent, then the drone 14 should be automatically ejected from the MAV and be able to track the MAV 40 all the way to the end, using a predetermined distance above the MAV 40 as shown in FIG. 5. Also, drone 14 automatically launches in the event the MAV 40 becomes undetectable on a tracking or radar at the air traffic control center during flight.

[0073] Referring to FIGS. 7A & 7B, which shows 3-way communication between the MAV 40, the drone 14, and a remote command center 60. During hijacking 63 or any other similar scenario, a weapon or a firearm can be involved. The drone 14 detects such weapons and can be automatically self-launched in the event, when any of such weapons is fired onboard MAV 40. Also, after launching, the drone 14 can access and retrieve the flight data of the MAV 40 inside-out. The flight data includes audios, videos, images, etc. of the MAV 40 inside-out. The drone 14 then communicates the detected and retrieved flight data with the command center 60 on the ground, and the command center 60 sends respective command to the drone 14 based on the situation. In this way, the command center 60 has remote access of the audios, videos and the images inside-out the MAV 40 by being on the ground. Moreover, with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the drone 14 can also be able to detect if the weapon has been carried undetected onboard MAV 40, even before the flight took off.

[0074] Furthermore, while the drone 40 is in the air, the personnel at the remote location can also access any data related to the flight, including mechanical and electrical flight performance, and cockpit voice recording transcript as shown in FIG. 7B. Currently, such information is available through a BLACK BOX only whenever such device is available. This information however can be permanently lost if the BLACK BOX can never be found. After the drone 40 is launched from MAV 40, the videos and the images showing a glimpse of the condition of MAV 40 from the inside-out, including the cockpit, can be sent through the drone 14 to the special unit team on the ground as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The drone 14 is automatically or manually ejected, then roved over the flying or distressed MAV 40, while at the same time preserving the important flight data if a crash does occur. The flight data can be accessed and retrieved remotely from the remote command center 60; the moment said event is unfolding, and the drone 14 still roving above and tracking distressed MAV 40, getting a head up of what caused the break down with no waiting.

[0075] Since the drone 14 is designed to follow MAV 40 wherever it goes once launched, it might end up floating wherever MAV 40 can be landing, above water or land. If above the water, drone 14 is also equipped with water sensor that would prevent it from chasing MAV 40 deep under the ocean. Instead, it will keep tracking MAV 40 from above at a predetermined distance from the water, as shown in FIG. 10, as the current continues to drag the MAV 40 deeper. If depth limit of sensor is reached and the search team is still not at the scene, drone 40 would stay still, where the depth limit was reached. If crash site is on land, drone 14 is equipped with heat and smoke sensors to keep itself far above the crash site as depicted in FIG. 11.

[0076] Also, drone 14 has the capability to provide light to the crash sites from above, either on water or on land, using its onboard powerful flashlight, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0077] The Wi-Fi cameras of drone 14, as depicted in box 30 of FIG. 1, with night vision capability when needed, can transmit live video images to remote location 20 any time of the day, giving a glimpse of the state of MAV 40 just moment after the crash, as shown in FIG. 14.

[0078] Beside long-lasting batteries, drone 14 is also equipped with mini solar cell 42, power backup in the event more time is needed for the rescue team to arrive, providing that sunlight is available as shown in FIG. 15A. In the event when battery of drone 14 reaches its lowest preset level, it would automatically be switched to a backup solar power 42. The idea is to maintain sufficient power on board for communication purpose.

[0079] In the event when solar power 42 is unavailable, and the crash is on land, then onboard emergency parachute 110 of drone 14 would automatically be deployed. Drone 14 will then be programmed to land itself away from the crash site, as shown in FIG. 18. However, if the crash site is on water, built-in inflatable raft 100 of drone 14 would also automatically be deployed, so drone 14 might float over the water surface without the risk of being submerged, as illustrated in FIG. 16

[0080] Now since the crash site can be easily located, contrary to the conventional system, first response team can be at the scene quicker for a preliminary assessment, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 19. On the other hand, the search and rescue team have a better chance in saving some lives by being on the crash site sooner, as depicted in FIG. 20.

[0081] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

[0082] The invention has been explained in relation to specific embodiment. It is inferred that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present invention and it is not intended that the invention be limited or restrictive thereto. Many other specific embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. All substitution, alterations and modification of the present invention which come within the scope of the following claims are to which the present invention is readily susceptible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention should therefore be determined not with reference to the above description but should be determined with reference to appended claims along with full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.