US 11,885,897 B2
Systems and methods for activating a radio beacon for global aircraft tracking
Christopher Polynin, Phoenix, AZ (US); Jarett Alan Malone, El Mirage, AZ (US); and Christophe Hamel, Maricopa, AZ (US)
Assigned to AVIATION COMMUNICATION & SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS, LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed by AVIATION COMMUNICATION & SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS, LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/568,295.
Application 17/568,295 is a division of application No. 16/812,725, filed on Mar. 9, 2020, granted, now 11,215,689.
Application 16/812,725 is a continuation of application No. 15/956,486, filed on Apr. 18, 2018, granted, now 10,585,160.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/658,414, filed on Apr. 16, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/486,892, filed on Apr. 18, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0128644 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 5/02 (2010.01); G01S 19/17 (2010.01); B64D 45/00 (2006.01); G08G 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 5/0231 (2013.01) [B64D 45/00 (2013.01); G01S 19/17 (2013.01); G08G 5/0013 (2013.01); G08G 5/0021 (2013.01); G08G 5/0056 (2013.01); B64D 2045/0065 (2013.01); G01S 2205/006 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
3. A system for activating a radio beacon on an aircraft, comprising:
a transponder with trigger logic located in a first location of the aircraft;
a first antenna coupled to the transponder and configured to communicate with a first satellite;
an RF detector installed in the aircraft at a second location, the RF detector coupled to an Emergency Locator Transmitter-Distress Tracking (ELT-DT) unit and a second antenna for communicating with a second satellite; and
wherein the system is configured to execute functions comprising:
detecting aircraft operations for an aircraft;
identifying an abnormal event has occurred based on the aircraft operations;
determining if the abnormal event was intentional; and
activating a locator beacon if the abnormal event was not intentional;
determining if at least one transponder is in an ON state;
activating the locator beacon if no transponder is in the ON state;
determining if the at least one transponder was properly operating as it exited the ON state; and
activating the locator beacon if the at least one transponder was properly operating as it exited the ON state.