# US 9,038,962 B2 · System and method for aircraft incident mitigation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,962 B2 - Document ID: US9038962B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/106,871 - Filed: 2005-04-15 - Published: 2006-02-16 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2001-09-17 - Applicants: David J. Akers; Carrie Ann Temel - Inventors: David J. Akers; Gregory P. Temel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038962B2 ## CPC - B64D 45/0034: {by ground-control override} - B64D 45/0031: {means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls} - B64D 45/0059: {by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members} - G08B 25/001: {Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation} - G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - G08G 5/58: for emergency situations, e.g. hijacking or bird strikes - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract A system and method for mitigating an aircraft incident is provided. The invention includes an aircraft panic component coupled to a terminal component. The aircraft panic component facilitates identification of a panic situation and communicates information associated with the panic situation to the terminal component. The aircraft panic component is further operative to at least partially disable a navigation system and/or operational system of an aircraft. The aircraft can then be sent to a safe zone, navigated remotely and/or a course of action for the aircraft can be determined. A safe zone component is adapted to facilitate identification of a course of action for the aircraft based at least in part upon aircraft positional information, aircraft condition information and/or aircraft resource(s). Further, aircraft navigational information and/or aircraft operational information can be sent via an aircraft communication component to a remote system having a remote communication component and a remote analyzing component facilitating transfer of information related to navigational and/or operational system(s) of the aircraft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft incident mitigation system comprising: an aircraft panic component and a panic device, located on an aircraft, the aircraft panic component configured to: receive a panic signal notification from the panic device of a panic situation originating within the aircraft; cancel, based on receipt of an override signal activated by a crew member, the panic signal notification; and transfer, based on no override signal being activated by a crew member within a time period, at least partial control of the aircraft to a remotely located aircraft control component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the panic device comprising at least one of an iris scanner or a finger print reader. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the panic device is configured to communicate wireles sly with the aircraft panic component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the panic device is located in at least one of a cockpit, a galley or a cabin of the aircraft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the override signal is to be received within a predetermined time from the panic situation notification. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the remotely located aircraft control component is operable by at least one of an automated system or an air traffic controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft panic component is further configured to receive navigation instructions from the remotely located aircraft control component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein remote control of the aircraft is terminated upon receipt, at the aircraft panic component, of a signal from the remotely located aircraft control component. ### Claim 9 A method of mitigating an aircraft incident comprising: receiving notification of a panic situation occurring on an aircraft, wherein the panic situation notification being received from a panic device located on the aircraft; cancelling, based on receiving an override signal being activated by a crew member within a time period, the panic situation notification; and initiating, based on no override signal being received within the time period, transfer of at least partial control of the aircraft to remotely located operation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising determining that no override signal has been received based on a predefined period of time from the notification of the panic situation occurring. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the initiating the transfer of the at least partial control to the remotely located operation includes initiating the transfer to at least one of an automated system or an air traffic controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving navigation instructions from the remotely located operation. ### Claim 13 A system mitigating an aircraft incident comprising: a computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that, in response to execution by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising: receiving notification of a panic situation occurring on an aircraft, wherein the panic situation notification being received from a panic device located on the aircraft; cancelling, based on receiving an override signal being activated by a crew member, the panic situation notification; and transferring, based on a pre-defined condition of no override signal being received, at least partial control of the aircraft to remotely located operation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13,wherein the transferring includes transferring at least partial control to the remotely located operation based on a predefined period of time from the notification of the panic situation expiring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, an operation further comprising determining that no override signal has been received based on a predefined period of time from the notification of the panic situation occurring. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the panic device is located in at least one of a galley or a cabin of the aircraft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the panic device being located in at least one of a cockpit, a galley or a cabin of the aircraft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the panic device being located in at least one of a cockpit, a galley or a cabin of the aircraft.