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US 10,426,393 B2Granted
Systems and methods for monitoring pilot health
AssigneeAurora Flight Sciences Corporation
InventorsWilliam Robert Bosworth, Zarrin Khiang-Huey Chua, Jessica Edmonds Duda, Eugene H. Nahm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Pilot health monitoring systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided. A pilot health monitoring system is configured to collect information regarding the pilot's physiological and/or physical characteristics, and information regarding a state of the aircraft; analyze the information; determine a health condition of the pilot and/or a state of the aircraft; and/or provide warnings and/or commands as a function of the information.
Claims25
A pilot monitoring system for use in an aircraft, the pilot monitoring system comprising:
- a plurality of sensors configured to monitor one or more health parameters of a pilot;
- an aircraft state monitoring system configured to determine flight situation data of the aircraft;
- an analysis system to determine, via one or more processors, an incapacitation level of the pilot as a function of the one or more health parameters;
- a human machine interface operatively coupled with the one or more processors to provide an interface between the pilot and the pilot monitoring system, the human machine interface configured to present a warning to the pilot as a function of the determined incapacitation level;
- and
- an actuation system operatively coupled with the one or more processors to adjust or actuate one or more flight controls of the aircraft as a function of the determined incapacitation level, wherein the actuation system is configured to perform an emergency descent procedure and an auto-landing procedure,
- wherein, during the emergency descent procedure, the pilot monitoring system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, to a predetermined airspeed and a predetermined altitude, and
- wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the pilot monitoring system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, from the predetermined altitude to a touchdown location.
5 more elements
A method for monitoring a pilot in an aircraft using an automation system, the method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring, via a plurality of sensors, one or more health parameters for the pilot;
- determining, via an aircraft state monitoring system, flight situation data of the aircraft;
- determine, via an analysis system, an incapacitation level of the pilot, wherein incapacitation level is determined as a function of the one or more health parameters;
- presenting a warning to the pilot, via a human machine interface, as a function of the determined incapacitation level, wherein the human machine interface is configured to provide an interface between the pilot and the automation system;
- adjusting or actuating, via an actuation system, one or more flight controls of the aircraft as a function of the determined incapacitation level;
- performing an emergency descent procedure as a function of the determined incapacitation level, wherein, during the emergency descent procedure, the automation system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, to a predetermined airspeed and a predetermined altitude;
- and
- performing an auto-landing procedure, wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the automation system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, from the predetermined altitude to a touchdown location.
5 more elements
A pilot monitoring system for use in an aircraft, the pilot monitoring system comprising:
- a plurality of sensors configured to monitor one or more health parameters of a pilot;
- an aircraft state monitoring system configured to determine flight situation data of the aircraft;
- an analysis system to determine, via one or more processors, an incapacitation level of the pilot as a function of the one or more health parameters;
- a human machine interface operatively coupled with the one or more processors to provide an interface between the pilot and the pilot monitoring system, the human machine interface configured to present a warning to the pilot as a function of the determined incapacitation level;
- and
- an actuation system operatively coupled with the one or more processors to adjust or actuate one or more flight controls of the aircraft as a function of the determined incapacitation level,
- wherein the actuation system is configured to perform an auto-landing procedure, and
- wherein, during the auto-landing procedure, the pilot monitoring system is configured to navigate the aircraft, via the actuation system, to a touchdown location.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.