ARINC INCORPORATED Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160101855 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTEGRATING AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST CAPABILITIES IN SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (sUAS) OPERATIONS - A system and method are provided to support accommodating safe integration of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUASs) into the National Airspace Structure in the United States and to augment previously untracked aircraft positions by opportunistically acquiring their position information and forwarding this information to other systems for display. The disclosed schemes integrate automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities in sUASs by providing an ADS-B receiver on the small unmanned aircraft or in association with a ground-based sUAS control and communication workstation. Processing of the ADS-B information is integrated with processing of acquired information on sUAS aerial platform operations. Processed integrated information is displayed locally on the workstation and transmitted to other facilities to be remotely displayed. Acquired position information for the sUAS aerial platform and manned aerial vehicles in a vicinity of the sUAS aerial platform are converted to formats commonly used by air traffic control systems. | 04-14-2016 |
20150303569 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANIFOLD ANTENNAS FOR MULTIBAND RADIOS - Systems and methods are disclosed to intelligently employ antenna resources in a manner that may reduce interference between communications signals even in instances where multiple separate frequency band communications need to be supported in a vehicle of limited size. A manifold antenna system is proposed that provides a scheme and a physical construct whereby multiple individual radio receiver/transmitter units may share a limited number of transmitting and receiving antennas. The disclosed manifold antenna system is particularly adaptable to aircraft, spacecraft, vessel or vehicle applications where there is limited room for mounting a number of individual antennas as may be needed to support each radio receiver/transmitter unit in an effort to minimize an amount of interference as is conventionally caused by having transmitting antennas located in too close a proximity to receiving antennas. | 10-22-2015 |
20140274176 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACTIVE FREQUENCY TABLE (AFT) GENERATION - A system and method are provided for generating and/or refining an active frequency table (AFT) for High Frequency Data Link (HFDL) communications, particularly those communications managed by a network of HFDL ground stations. Automated analysis is applied to forecast atmospheric conditions to generate an AFT for the HFDL communication network for one or more particular time windows. Historical analysis of measured atmospheric conditions is consulted to provide an approximation of an AFT. The use of the historical data includes determining, in a past time frame, when an atmospheric conditions most closely compares to the measured or forecast conditions. Reference is then be made to stored information regarding one or more AFTs that were effectively employed in the past time frame under the comparable conditions to generate an appropriate AFT according to the measured or forecast conditions. | 09-18-2014 |
20140257692 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (sUAS) TACTICAL TRACKING AND MISSION DATA ACQUISITION - A system and method are provided to support accommodating safe integration of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUASs) into the National Airspace Structure in the United States. A specifically-tailored service is provided to address a change of paradigm from aircraft-based avionics/capabilities to a ground-based solution centered on the sUAS control station that is typically employed to manage an sUAS mission and/or flight. Appropriate software, server and system components are integrated into an interactive, easy-to-use, web-based tool that provides interested parties with real-time, graphical flight-following information to acquire position information regarding an sUAS platform from the control console for the sUAS platform. The acquired position information is forwarded to a separate server that can augment and provide graphical display of the sUAS intended route of flight (flight planned route). The acquired position information for the sUAS is converted to a format commonly used by aviation and air traffic control systems. | 09-11-2014 |
20140022993 | DIGITAL FIXED STATION INTERFACE (DFSI) INTERNET PROTOCOL TO BINARY SERIAL DATA PROTOCOL CONVERTER - A system and method are provided for converting radio communication signals between a Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) Internet Protocol (IP) APCO P25 standard communications format and binary serial data protocol standard communications. Received serial binary data may be evaluated, separated into control information and data payloads, and converted to DFSI IP standard data. Incoming and outgoing data communications are processed by implementing decisions about how to handle the information contained in, or to be contained in, the incoming and outgoing data communications based upon the substance, or overarching format, of the data contained in individual data packets, or serial bit streams. In embodiments, decisions and determinations regarding the information include determining that the information is damaged or corrupted and therefore not available to be converted. The data may be discarded based on such a determination. | 01-23-2014 |
20130124034 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE E-ENABLED AIRCRAFT SOLUTION MANAGEMENT USING AN ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG (EFB) - A method for using an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) located on an aircraft to communicate with a remote aircraft system data communications unit concerning aircraft systems problems and malfunctions, is disclosed. The method may include receiving aircraft systems data from one or more aircraft systems, identifying any problems or malfunctions in the aircraft systems, automatically communicating any identified problems or malfunctions in the aircraft systems to the remote aircraft system data communications unit, receiving information concerning a solution to the identified problems or malfunctions in the aircraft systems from the remote aircraft system data communications unit, and implementing the solution to the identified problems or malfunctions in the aircraft systems. | 05-16-2013 |
20130124018 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG (EFB) TO ENABLE FLIGHT OPERATIONS QUALITY ASSURANCE (FOQA) - A method for using an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) located on an aircraft to communicate Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) data to a remote aircraft flight data collection unit, is disclosed. The method may include receiving FOQA data from one or more aircraft systems while the aircraft is in-flight, and automatically transmitting the received FOQA data to a remote aircraft flight data collection unit for analysis. | 05-16-2013 |
20130111284 | ADAPTIVE, WIRELESS AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM PILOT PORT INTERFACE | 05-02-2013 |
20130070974 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACIAL RECOGNITION BASED QUEUE TIME TRACKING - A method and apparatus for tracking passengers at a travel facility and may include receiving captured facial recognition features of a passenger using a first facial recognition camera at a first known location, determining if the captured facial recognition features of the passenger are stored in a database, wherein if the captured facial recognition features of the passenger are not stored in the database, starting a timer, receiving captured facial recognition features of the passenger using a second facial recognition camera at a second known location, stopping the timer, determining the amount of elapsed time between the received captured facial recognition features of the passenger using the first facial recognition camera at the first known location and the receiving captured facial recognition features of the passenger using the second facial recognition camera at the second known location, outputting the determined amount of elapsed time to at least one or more. | 03-21-2013 |
20120221375 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SMART SAFETY MANAGEMENT - A method and apparatus for smart safety management is disclosed. The method may include receiving a request from a user to complete risk assessment form, retrieving a risk factors database from a memory and providing the risk factors database to the user, receiving risk factor information from the user concerning items in the risk factor database and any new or changed in risk factor information as defined by the user, storing the new or changed risk factor information received from the user in the risk factors database, calculating risk factor values based on the received risk factor information from the user concerning items in the risk factor database and any new or changed risk factor information as defined by the user, and outputting the risk assessment form containing the calculated risk factor values and providing the form to the user. | 08-30-2012 |
20110288768 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUSTOMER/PASSENGER WAYFINDING USING BOARDING PASS BARCODE SCANNING CAPABILITIES ON LOW-COST DISPLAY DEVICES - A low-cost display unit that displays wayfinding information to a traveler in a public travel-related area is disclosed and may include a communication interface that facilitates receiving of travel-related information, a machine-readable marking reader that determines the presence of a travel document having one or more machine readable markings, scans the one or more machine-readable markings, and decodes the scanned one or more machine-readable markings, wherein the one or more machine-readable markings contain encoded traveled-related information pertaining to the traveler; and a display control unit that receives the decoded one or more machine-readable marking, determines the traveler's destination in the public travel-related area from the decoded one or more machine-readable markings, determines the path that the traveler should travel to reach the destination, and displays the determined path to the traveler on the low-cost display unit. | 11-24-2011 |
20110284627 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUSTOMER/PASSENGER SPECIFIC INTERACTIVE FLIGHT INFORMATION DATA NOTIFICATION USING BOARDING PASS BARCODE SCANNING CAPABILITIES ON LOW-COST DISPLAY DEVICES - A low-cost display unit that displays travel-related information to a traveler in a public travel-related area is disclosed and may include a communication interface that facilitates receiving of travel-related information, a machine-readable marking reader that determines the presence of a travel document having one or more machine readable markings, scans the one or more machine-readable markings, and decodes the scanned one or more machine-readable markings, wherein the one or more machine-readable markings contain encoded traveled-related information pertaining to the traveler, and a display control unit that receives the decoded one or more machine-readable marking, and displays the travel-related information contained in the decoded one or more machine-readable markings to the traveler on the low-cost display unit. | 11-24-2011 |
20110207091 | COMPACT MULTI-AIRCRAFT CONFIGURABLE FLIGHT SIMULATOR - A single compact multi-aircraft flight simulator processing unit is disclosed and may include a single chassis, a memory, and a flight simulator control unit housed within the single chassis that operates using a single processor that receives the user's selection of aircraft type, aircraft-type configuration, and start-up parameters to be simulated, retrieves the simulation of the user's selected aircraft type, aircraft-type configuration and start-up parameters from the memory, presents the simulation of the user's selected aircraft type, aircraft-type configuration and start-up parameters to the user, receives a signal from the user to begin the flight simulation experience using the selected aircraft type, aircraft-type configuration and start-up parameters, presents the flight simulation experience to the user, wherein the flight simulation experience displays simulated cockpit window views, displays interactive flight instrument panel views and permits the user to control the flight simulation experience using one or more flight controls. | 08-25-2011 |
20110206269 | METHODS OF EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF TWO-DIMENSIONAL MATRIX DOT-PEENED MARKS ON OBJECTS AND MARK VERIFICATION SYSTEMS - Methods and mark verification systems for evaluating the quality of a two-dimensional matrix dot peen mark on an object are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the methods includes scanning a two-dimensional matrix dot peen mark disposed on a surface of an object with a laser displacement sensor to generate three-dimensional scanned data for the mark, the mark including a plurality of dots disposed in a plurality of rows and columns on the surface; and determining whether the mark passes a verification test based on the scanned data. | 08-25-2011 |
20110151424 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRONIC TRAINING JACKETS - A method and apparatus for generating electronic training jackets is disclosed. The method may include receiving a request from a user to generate an electronic training jacket for an individual, retrieving qualification information for the individual from at least one of one or more remote qualification databases and one or more local qualification databases, generating the electronic training jacket from the retrieved qualification information, and automatically outputting the generated electronic training jacket to the user using an output device. The qualification information may be aviation-related and shipboard-related qualification information and the aviation-related and the shipboard-related qualification information may include at least one of medical qualification information, job training qualification information, and education information. | 06-23-2011 |
20110093558 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE COLLECTION, FORMATTING, DISSEMINATION, AND DISPLAY OF TRAVEL-RELATED INFORMATION ON A LOW-COST DISPLAY BANK - A low-cost display bank that displays travel-related information in a public travel-related area and includes one or more slave low-cost display units, and a master low-cost display unit that includes a communication interface that receives travel-related information, a display bank control unit that sends identification information to a display bank data management unit through the communication interface, receives a display bank unit profile containing display parameters based on the identification information through the communication interface, receives travel-related information from the display bank data management unit in accordance with the received display parameters through the communication interface, sends the received travel-related information intended to be displayed on the one or more slave low-cost display units to the one or more slave low-cost display units, and displays the received travel-related information on the master low-cost display unit and the one or more slave low-cost display units based on the received display parameters. | 04-21-2011 |
20110072076 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE COLLECTION, FORMATTING, DISSEMINATION, AND DISPLAY OF INFORMATION ON LOW-COST DISPLAY DEVICES - A display data management unit that receives and formats data and sends the formatted data to one or more low-cost display units for display to at least one of passengers and customers is disclosed and may include a communication interface that facilitates the sending and receiving of travel data, and a display content management unit that receives travel data through the communication interface that contains travel-related content from one or more data sources, determines which travel-related content is to be displayed on each particular low-cost display unit, determines in what format the travel-related content is to be displayed on each particular low-cost display unit, formats the travel-related content for display, and sends the formatted travel-related content to one or more low-cost display units through the communication interface for display to one of passengers and customers. | 03-24-2011 |
20100332122 | ADVANCE AUTOMATIC FLIGHT PLANNING USING RECEIVER AUTONOMOUS INTEGRITY MONITORING (RAIM) OUTAGE PREDICTION - A method for generating a flight plan for a user's aircraft using Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) outage information is disclosed. The method may include receiving a flight plan request from the user, obtaining RAIM outage information, comparing the requested flight plan against the obtained RAIM outage information, determining if any RAIM outages contained in the RAIM outage information affect the requested flight plan, wherein if it is determined that any RAIM outages affect the requested flight plan, generating one or more flight plan options based on the determined RAIM outages, prompting the user to select at least one of the one or more generated flight plan options, receiving the user's one or more selections, generating a modified flight plan based on the user's one or more selections, and outputting the modified flight plan to the user and storing the modified flight plan in a flight plan database. | 12-30-2010 |
20100189527 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESTRAINING CARGO ITEMS ON AN AIRCRAFT - A method and apparatus for restraining cargo items on an aircraft is disclosed. The apparatus may include a base that attaches to the cargo item, a lever coupled to the base, and a foot coupled to the lever, wherein the foot is placed into a seat track attached to the aircraft, the seat track having a cutout portion and a cavity beneath the cutout portion, and the lever is moved to turn the foot within the cavity to lock down the cargo item to the seat track to restrain its movement. | 07-29-2010 |
20100161153 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DETERMINING STOPOVER AIRPORTS FOR FLIGHT PLANNING - A method and apparatus that automatically selects one or more stopover airports (or “technical stops”) for flight planning is disclosed. The method may include receiving flight origin, destination, aircraft identification information, aircrew identification information, passenger identification information, and user preference information from a user, receiving weather, safety-of flight and meteorological information based on at least the received origin and destination information, retrieving aircraft information, origin and destination airport information, potential stopover airport information, aircrew information, and passenger information from one or more databases based on at least one of the received flight origin, destination, aircraft identification information, aircrew information, passenger information, and user preference information, automatically selecting one or more stopover airports based on the received weather, safety-of flight and meteorological information and the retrieved flight origin, destination, aircraft information, aircrew information, passenger information, and user preference information, and outputting the selected one or more stopover airports to the user. | 06-24-2010 |
20100103022 | AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST (ADS-B) NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE, GROUND STATION AND SITUATION DISPLAY SOFTWARE DEPLOYMENT AND EVALUATION ACTIVITY - A method and system that receives and processes ADS-B data from one or more aircraft is disclosed. The system may include one or more ground stations that receives data from one or more aircraft and converts the received aircraft ADS-B data to XML format, determines the lowest cost communication mode available, and transmits the XML data over TCP/IP to an aircraft data server. The aircraft data server receives the aircraft ADS-B data in XML format from the one or more ground stations, processes the received ADS-B data to extract aircraft data and eliminate duplicate aircraft data; determines aircraft data missing from the processed aircraft data, receives supplemental aircraft data from other sources to provide aircraft data missing from the processed aircraft data, and outputs the processed aircraft data and the received supplemental aircraft data to one or more processing devices for processing and display. | 04-29-2010 |
20100062761 | ACARS MESSAGES OVER IRIDIUM - A system in a method are provided for sending and receiving messages between a point located on the ground and a point located on an aircraft via an Iridium Short Burst Data Service. The messages may conform to Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) Specification 618. The messages may be ground-to-air messages or air-to-ground messages. The messages may be ACARS messages and at least some of the messages may have a length exceeding a maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. ACARS messages, which exceed the maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service may be segmented and each of the segments may be sent in respective Iridium Short Burst Data messages via the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. When the separate Iridium Short Burst Data messages are received, the segments may be combined to reconstruct the ACARS message for delivery to an intended destination. | 03-11-2010 |
20100035607 | SEAMLESS TRANSITIONING OF AIR-TO-GROUND TRAFFIC - An apparatus and a method may be provided by which a user aboard an aircraft may use a processing device to communicate with another device, which is not located aboard the aircraft, via an air-to-ground network connection. A communication satellite may provide connectivity for the air-to-ground network connection. As the aircraft approaches an end of a satellite coverage area, the air-to-ground network connection may seamlessly transition to a second communication satellite or a second communication medium. Some communication satellites may communicate via a first frequency range and other communication satellites may communicate via a second frequency range. In one mode of operation, the air-to-ground network connection may be via a communication satellite communicating via a first frequency range. A transition to a communication medium communicating via a second frequency range may occur automatically only during the one mode of operation. | 02-11-2010 |
20100023191 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESS RUNWAY INCURSION DETECTION - A wireless runway incursion system is disclosed. The wireless runway incursion system method may include a runway traffic management unit that manages aircraft traffic on and around an airport's runways, a plurality of wireless relay devices located between the runway access points and the runway traffic management unit that relay wireless signals to the runway traffic management unit, and a plurality of wireless runway incursion sensors that are located in proximity of at least one airport runway that detect metallic objects. If a metallic object is detected, the wireless runway incursion sensors that detect the metallic object send signals to the runway traffic management unit, the wireless signal being an indication that the metallic object is one of entering the runway and leaving the runway. | 01-28-2010 |
20100005102 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING DOCUMENT/MESSAGE CONTENT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO SUBSCRIBERS - A method for managing the document/message content for distribution to subscribers is disclosed. The method may include receiving documents/messages from sources, downloading the documents/messages to intended subscribers' remote devices, uploading any documents/messages from subscribers remote devices' that have been identified for uploading, and downloading the uploaded documents/messages to intended subscribers' remote devices. | 01-07-2010 |
20090310530 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATING AND COMMUNICATING DATA LINK INFORMATION FROM AN AIRCRAFT TO A GROUND STATION USING A PORTABLE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM - A portable data link integration and communication unit and method that integrates and communicates data link information from an aircraft to a ground station is disclosed. The portable data link integration and communication unit a communication interface that facilitates communications with communication devices, and an integration and communication processing module that receives data link message information from one or more communication devices through the communication interface, integrates the received data link message information, converts integrated data link information into internet protocol information, and transmits the internet protocol information using the communication interface over a satellite network to the ground station for display to a user over a communications network. | 12-17-2009 |
20090261571 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING TRAVEL DOCUMENTS - This disclosure concerns a method and apparatus that prints travel documents. The method may include retrieving a travel document template, wherein the travel document template is in a format dictated by an industry standard, receiving travel document data for an individual's travel, integrating the individual's travel document data with the travel document template to produce a digital image of one or more travel documents that includes the integrating travel document data and the travel document template, and outputting the one or more travel document. | 10-22-2009 |
20090192846 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEIGHT AND BALANCE MANAGEMENT IN AIRCRAFT - A method and apparatus for weight and balance management for aircraft is disclosed. The method may include receiving specific aircraft weight and balance data, the specific aircraft weight and balance data including aircraft identification information, passenger and crew information, aircraft destination information, container and cargo destination information, cargo and container origin information, fuel information, container identification information, container weight information, cargo weight information, cargo storage area identification information, cargo storage area configuration information, and container storage area configuration information, computing weight and balance information based on the received specific aircraft weight and balance data, wherein if the computed weight and balance information does not meet predetermined parameters, sending a signal to alert a user that the computed weight and balance information does not meet predetermined parameters, and sending computed weight and balance information and specific aircraft weight and balance data to a weight and balance management server for at least one of processing and storage. | 07-30-2009 |
20090128284 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATED CONTROL OF A SECURED AREA - A method and apparatus that controls access to a secured area using an automated gate controlled secured environment is disclosed. The method may include receiving an indication that an individual attempting to pass through a clearance area has not been authorized to pass through the clearance area, automatically moving one or more gates to create a channel for the non-authorized individual to be directed to a manual screening area, determining if the non-authorized individual has passed one or more sensor; wherein if the non-authorized individual has been determined to have passed the one or more sensor, then moving a gate located behind the non-authorized individual to enable other authorized individuals to pass through the clearance area while maintaining the channel created to the manual screening area, and preventing the non-authorized individual from gaining access to the automated gate controlled secured environment once the non-authorized individual reaches the manual screening area. | 05-21-2009 |
20090037091 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A FOUR-DIMENSIONAL (4D) FLIGHT PLAN - A method and apparatus that generates a 4D flight plan that takes in account weather, metrological data, and safety of flight information for 360 degree horizontal layer at all relevant altitudes and times is disclosed. The method may include receiving a flight plan request from a user, the flight plan including user preferences, receiving meteorological information and safety-of-flight information based on the user's origin, destination and preferences, generating a 4D flight plan based on the meteorological information, safety-of-flight information, and user preferences, and outputting the 4D flight plan for the user. | 02-05-2009 |
20090005916 | Systems and methods for communication, navigation, surveillance and sensor system integration in a vehicle - A system and method are provided for facilitating substantially seamless interface between individual component systems for sensor fusion, data exchange, and communication across a broad spectrum of component systems in a vehicle without implicating hardware or software upgrade within individual legacy systems and/or sensors. A universal translator is provided to interface between individual system components that exchange data in a seamless manner between legacy data formats and specific data formats advantageously employed by newly-developed, procured and installed individual component systems. One or more of an analog, digital or serial communications gateway network between one or more of vehicle control components and installed communication, navigation, surveillance and/or sensor sub-components and/or systems provides substantially seamless integration between such systems regardless of the individual data format and exchange capabilities to which the individual systems or sub-components may be designed. | 01-01-2009 |
20080235634 | ELECTRONIC PAPER DEVICE FOR USE BY AIRCRAFT PILOTS AND CREW - An electronic paper device is disclosed for use by aircraft pilots and crew. The electronic paper device may include a communication interface that facilitates downloading of aviation-related documents, the aviation-related documents being and available for downloaded prior to each flight, a memory that stores the aviation-related documents, a user interface that facilitates access and use of the aviation-related documents by a user, and an electronic paper display that displays the aviation-related documents to the user in a manner that permits viewing in all lighting conditions. | 09-25-2008 |
20080235626 | ELECTRONIC PAPER DEVICE FOR USE BY AIRCRAFT AND RAILWAY PASSENGERS - An electronic paper device is disclosed for use by aircraft passengers. The electronic paper device may include a communication interface that facilitates downloading of media publications, the media publications being available for download prior to each flight, a memory that stores the media publications, a user interface that facilitates access and use of the media publications by a user, and an electronic paper display that displays the media publications to the user in a manner that permits viewing in lighting conditions similar to that required of paper (including bright light). | 09-25-2008 |
20080233953 | MULTI-MODAL PORTABLE COMMUNICATIONS GATEWAY - A multi-modal portable communications gateway is disclosed. The multi-modal portable communication gateway may include a communication interface, a controller that controls the operation of the multi-modal portable communication gateway, a power supply unit that enables power to be provided to the multi-modal portable communication gateway, wherein the controller signals the power supply to shut down based on one or more safety-of-flight indication, and a communication router that receives data from systems on-board an aircraft through the communication interface, and transmits the data to one or more predetermined location outside the aircraft upon receiving a signal from the controller, wherein the controller signals the communication router to transmit based on one or more safety-of-flight indication. | 09-25-2008 |