Cockpit access security system
OwnerDavid Elias Smithinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cockpit access security system controls changes to a record of personnel authorized to access the cockpit by reference to the state of the aircraft as determined by a plurality of on-board sensors indicating the state of particular aircraft subsystems.
Claims11
A cockpit access security system for an aircraft, the aircraft having a cockpit door lock, unlocking of said lock being controlled by reference to a record of personnel authorized to unlock the lock, said access security system comprising:
- a lock controller;
- at least one on board sensor monitoring a state of a subsystem of said aircraft and providing an input to said controller representing said state;
- and,
- said lock controller configured to authorize changes to said record only if said input is indicative of a predetermined state of said subsystem.
A cockpit access security system for an aircraft, the aircraft having a cockpit door lock, unlocking of said cockpit door lock being controlled by reference to a record of personnel authorized to unlock the lock, and a lock override operable from within a cockpit to override said record and prevent unlocking of said lock from outside the cockpit, said access security system comprising:
- at least one on board sensor monitoring the presence within the cockpit of predetermined cockpit crew members;
- a controller having at least one input associated with said sensor, said input being indicative of whether said predetermined cockpit crew members are present within the cockpit;
- and,
- said controller configured to authorize said override only is said predetermined cockpit crew members are within the cockpit.
A method of controlling access to a cockpit of an aircraft equipped with a cockpit door lock and a record of authorized personnel, comprising:
- enabling changes to said record only in response to a plurality of on board sensor subsystems of said aircraft indicating that said aircraft is in a predetermined state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.