Real-Time Access Recorder for Flight Data Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders require physical recovery after an incident, preventing real-time access to critical data that could aid in understanding ongoing aircraft conditions or incidents, especially in challenging environments like deep ocean crashes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a real-time streaming system that allows flight data and cockpit audio data to be transmitted wirelessly to a ground station via satellite or cellular networks, using a Real-Time Access Recorder (RTAR) that processes and transmits data based on predefined rules, ensuring continuous monitoring and analysis without the need for physical recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If flight data is recorded using traditional FDR/CVR systems, then data is preserved for post-incident analysis, but real-time access to flight data is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously streaming flight data to ground servers before incidents occur. The Real-Time Access Recorder continuously transmits flight parameters, cockpit audio, and video feeds to ground-based servers during normal operations, ensuring data is already available and processed before any incident happens, eliminating post-incident data recovery delays
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces ground-based servers and communication systems as intermediaries between the aircraft and investigators. These intermediary systems receive, store, and pre-analyze flight data in real-time, acting as a bridge that provides immediate access to flight information without requiring physical recovery of the black box, thus resolving the time delay in data accessibility
2Loss of information
If real-time data transmission is implemented, then immediate access to flight data is achieved, but data transmission reliability during incidents is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by implementing different data transmission strategies based on flight conditions. During normal operations, continuous streaming provides real-time access. When incidents are detected through anomaly detection algorithms or pilot declarations, the system switches to enhanced reliability modes including increased transmission frequency, redundant communication paths, and prioritized data buffering to ensure data survives the incident
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation of transmission reliability based on flight conditions. The system continuously monitors flight parameters and automatically adjusts transmission protocols, data compression levels, and redundancy measures in real-time. During turbulent conditions or detected anomalies, the system dynamically increases data protection measures while maintaining real-time streaming capability
3Loss of information
If continuous streaming of all flight data is performed, then complete real-time monitoring is achieved, but processing power and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and transmits only the most critical flight data parameters in real-time, such as altitude, speed, heading, and engine parameters, while less critical data is processed locally or transmitted at reduced frequency. This selective extraction approach maintains real-time monitoring capability for essential parameters while significantly reducing the overall data transmission volume and associated energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by implementing tiered data streaming where core safety-critical parameters are streamed continuously at full resolution, while secondary parameters are streamed at lower frequencies or with compression. This partial streaming approach provides sufficient real-time monitoring for safety purposes while reducing total energy consumption compared to streaming all available data at maximum fidelity
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method for real-time streaming of flight data includes receiving flight data from one or more aircraft data sensors, evaluating the received flight data according to data evaluation rules, and upon determining that the received flight data matches one or more conditions specified in the data evaluation rules, starting or stopping a transmission of the received flight data to a ground station.