US 2006/0041345 A1 · System for safely disabling and re-enabling the manual vehicle control input of aircraft and other vehicles

Abstract

The invention pertains to the field of security for aircraft and other vehicles, and more particularly to systems for preventing the hijacking, commandeering or suicide bombing of aircraft, or other vehicle(s). Aircraft system and vehicle system embodiments of the invention have one or more kinds of automating computers capable of safely controlling either an aircraft or vehicle in one or more types of common, well-proven, or yet-to-be-developed, computer-automated modes. The system provides mechanical control linkage disabling means interfaced with control signal receiving means responsive to wireless, or hard-wired, transmitted security-related control signal(s). Control linkage disabling means are located within a series of physical control linkage components of a vehicle at a point subsequent to where manual control input is initiated and prior to where computer automated control is provided. The disabling means renders ineffectual the mechanical control needed for one or more humans to control or direct a vehicle.

Claims51

Dependent claims

A VSBPS for preventing the suicide-bombing of a transportation vehicle, comprising:

1. at least one onboard computer capable of safely operating the vehicle in at least one automated transportational mode along at least one path, and said computer(s) having a communication link with at least one receiver configured to receive a transmitted security related control signal;
2. at least one manual control input disabling and re-enabling means for adjusting the linkage of at least one vehicle control means within a linkage enabling and linkage disabling range, said manual control input disabling means having a communications link with said computer(s), wherein
a. said computer(s) and said manual control input disabling means are configured to receive and be responsive to a transmission of at least one security related control signal received via said communications link, and
b. said computer(s) has at least one software routine which is implemented when said control signal(s) is received, to
i. provide automated vehicle control data to safely operate the vehicle in at least one automated transportational mode, and
ii. provide at least one control signal to said vehicle control disabling and re-enabling means to disable or re-enable manual vehicle control input of the vehicle.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for safely disabling and re-enabling the manual vehicle control input of aircraft and other vehicles

Life of this patent

System for safely disabling and re-enabling the manual vehicle control input of aircraft and other vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims51