Real-Time Flight Data Transmission System for Crash Investigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight data recording systems face challenges in retrieving data after an accident, as the flight data recorder (black box) can be difficult to locate, leading to delays and potential risks for future flights, and existing methods for real-time data transmission lack a functional and effective communication scheme.
Innovation Solution
A distributed data transmission and storage system for flight data using a network of identifiable plane, data, and control server modules, with algorithms for packetizing and transmitting data to ground servers, incorporating fault tolerance and optional 1-of-N transmission for bandwidth savings, enabling real-time data availability without a physical black box.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flight data is stored in a physical black box, then data can be preserved after an accident, but data retrieval becomes difficult and time-consuming when the black box is lost or damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by transmitting flight data to ground servers in real-time during normal flight operations. This proactive data transmission ensures that flight information is already available on the ground before any accident occurs, eliminating the need for post-accident black box retrieval and analysis delays
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates copies of the flight data by transmitting it from the aircraft to multiple ground-based servers. Instead of relying on a single physical black box, the system distributes data copies across terrestrial infrastructure, making data retrieval possible even if the original black box is lost or damaged
2Loss of time
If a distributed data transmission system is implemented, then real-time data access is enabled, but system complexity increases with multiple servers and communication protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data transmission architecture into distinct functional modules: aircraft-based data collection units, communication interfaces, and distributed ground servers. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall system design and maintenance while enabling real-time data access
Solution Approach 2:
The ground servers are designed with multi-functionality to handle various data processing tasks including receiving flight data, storing information, and providing retrieval capabilities. This universal design reduces the need for specialized hardware for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining real-time data access
3Loss of information
If continuous data transmission is used, then complete flight information is captured, but communication bandwidth is consumed and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively transmitting only the most critical flight data parameters to ground servers in real-time, while less critical data is transmitted periodically or on-demand. This approach ensures that essential flight information is captured without consuming excessive communication bandwidth
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements periodic action by transmitting flight data at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This periodic transmission maintains data completeness for safety-critical parameters while significantly reducing overall communication bandwidth consumption and associated costs
Data Source
AI summary
When flights meet disaster in the mid-air, the cause of the mishap is unknown immediately. Teams are dispatched in difficult conditions to retrieve the flight data recorder (FDR) also known as black box. Until the black box is found, the exact cause of the crash cannot be determined. Sometimes it may take years to find the black box. For example, Air France flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on Jun. 1, 2009. The cause of the accident remained unknown mainly because the black box was missing. It was found after almost two years in May 2011. The delay in finding the flight data creates risks for future flights if the crash occurred due to a manufacturing defect in the model of the plane. The ability to reach the data without the burden and need for a physical black box has obvious benefits. This idea has been discussed in the literature but no one has put forth a functional and effective method for the implementation of this concept, for example no one has determined an appropriate software scheme that would enable a universal system that doesn't need a black box or which can function in parallel with black box. In this project, a set of algorithms for reliable transmission of flight data in real-time to distributed ground servers is developed. The attached description presents an overall structure of the proposed scheme. We also describe the methods of communicating between at least one plane server, several data servers and at least one central server controlling various components of data transmission, and the algorithms that enable the communication of data. In addition, the proposed packet header formats, the packet type codes and fault tolerance features are described.