Flight recorder deployment system and method

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provides an automatic deployable flight recorder (ADFR) system that includes a deployable fight recorder, a plurality of crash sensors, and a recorder release unit. The recorder release unit is communicatively coupled to the deployable fight recorder and the plurality of crash sensors, and is configured to initiate deployment of the deployable flight data recorder from an aircraft when a deployment criteria that is adjusted based on a flight condition of the aircraft is satisfied.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A deployable flight recorder comprising:
 a first memory unit including a first communication interface to receive flight data from an aircraft, wherein the first memory unit includes a primary flight data memory partition and a backup cockpit voice data memory partition;   a second memory unit including a second communication interface to receive cockpit voice data from the aircraft, wherein the second memory unit includes a backup flight data memory partition and a primary cockpit voice data memory partition;   an emergency locator transmitter unit housed inside the deployable flight recorder; and   a battery for powering the emergency locator transmitter unit.   
     
     
         2 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 1 , wherein the cockpit voice data is provided from the primary cockpit voice data memory partition in the second memory unit to the backup cockpit voice data memory partition in the first memory unit on a first communication link between the first and second memory units, and the flight data is provided from the primary flight data memory partition in the first memory unit to the backup flight data memory partition in the second memory unit on a second communication link between the first and second memory units. 
     
     
         3 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 1 , wherein the deployable flight recorder is configured to deploy from the aircraft in response to a deployment signal generated by a crash sensor system of the aircraft detecting a deployment criteria corresponding to one of a plurality of sensitivity states, the plurality of sensitivity states including a normal sensitivity state when the aircraft is cruising in flight, and an alert sensitivity state when the aircraft is taking off or landing. 
     
     
         4 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 3 , wherein the emergency locator transmitter unit is configured to automatically commence broadcasting of an emergency locator transmission signal in response to the deployable flight recorder detecting a loss of power being supplied from the aircraft. 
     
     
         5 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 3 , wherein the emergency locator transmitter unit is configured to automatically commence broadcasting of an emergency locator transmission signal upon impact of the deployable flight recorder on ground or at sea after separation from the aircraft. 
     
     
         6 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 3 , wherein the emergency locator transmitter unit is configured to automatically commence broadcasting of an emergency locator transmission signal while in flight upon the crash sensor system of the aircraft detecting the deployment criteria. 
     
     
         7 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 5 , wherein the emergency locator transmitter unit is configured to automatically commence broadcasting of the emergency locator transmission signal before separation from the aircraft. 
     
     
         8 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 3 , wherein the emergency locator transmission signal includes an aircraft identifier. 
     
     
         9 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 8 , wherein the aircraft identifier being transmitted in the emergency locator transmission signal is provisioned by the deployable flight recorder based on aircraft information received by the deployable flight recorder from the aircraft prior to separation from the aircraft. 
     
     
         10 . The deployable flight recorder of  claim 1 , wherein the emergency locator transmission includes a location determination unit to determine a last known location of the aircraft prior to deployment of the deployable flight recorder and to provide location information of the deployable flight recorder after separation from the aircraft. 
     
     
         11 . An automatic deployable flight recorder system comprising:
 a deployable flight recorder including a dual memory subsystem, each memory unit of the dual memory subsystem including at least a primary memory partition and a backup memory partition, wherein the backup memory partition of one memory unit is used for backing up the primary memory partition of the other memory unit; and   a crash sensor system configured to degenerate a deployment signal to deploy the deployable flight recorder in response to detecting a deployment criteria corresponding to one of a plurality of sensitivity states, the plurality of sensitivity states including a normal sensitivity state when the aircraft is cruising in flight, and an alert sensitivity state when the aircraft is taking off or landing.   
     
     
         12 . The automatic deployable flight recorder system of  claim 11 , wherein the deployable flight recorder includes an emergency locator transmitter unit housed inside the deployable flight recorder. 
     
     
         13 . The automatic deployable flight recorder system of  claim 12 , wherein the emergency locator transmitter is configured to automatically commence broadcasting of an emergency locator transmission signal while in flight upon the crash sensor system detecting the deployment criteria. 
     
     
         14 . The automatic deployable flight recorder system of  claim 12 , the emergency locator transmitter is configured to automatically commence broadcasting of an emergency locator transmission signal before the deployable flight recorder is deployed from the aircraft. 
     
     
         15 . A method for initiating transmission of an emergency location transmission signal, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a deployable flight recorder, an aircraft identifier from an aircraft prior to deployment of the deployable flight recorder from the aircraft;   receiving a deployment signal in response to a crash sensor system of the aircraft detecting a deployment criteria while in flight, the deployment criteria corresponding to one of a plurality of sensitivity states, wherein the plurality of sensitivity states include a normal sensitivity state when the aircraft is cruising in flight, and an alert sensitivity state when the aircraft is taking off or landing;   subsequent to receiving the deployment signal, initiating broadcast of an emergency locator transmission signal, the emergency locator transmission signal including the aircraft identifier received from the aircraft.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the broadcast of the emergency locator transmission signal is automatically initiated in response to the deployable flight recorder detecting a loss of power being supplied from the aircraft. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the broadcast of the emergency locator transmission signal is automatically initiated upon impact of the deployable flight recorder on ground or at sea after separation from the aircraft. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the broadcast of the emergency locator transmission signal is automatically initiated while in flight in response to the crash sensor system of the aircraft detecting the deployment criteria. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the broadcast of the emergency locator transmission signal is automatically initiated before the deployable flight recorder is deployed from the aircraft. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the emergency locator transmission signal includes a last known location of the aircraft prior to deployment of the deployable flight recorder and location information of the deployable flight recorder after separation from the aircraft.