Granted Patent B2

US 12,371,185 · App. 17/734,710 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Inventors: Christopher L George (Winchester, VA); Arjun Harsha Rao (Marion, IA); Timothy J. Wittkop (Marion, IA); Wade T. Johnson (Cedar Rapids, IA); Peggy Wu (Ellicott City, MD); Michael P. Matessa (Ben Lomond, CA)

Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.

B64D45/00B64D43/00G08G5/21

Abstract

Claims (83)

1. An operator safety system (OSS) for a vehicle, comprising:

one or more presence sensors configured for installation in a control area of a vehicle, the one or more presence sensors configured to determine a presence or non-presence of the operator in the control area;

and

an operator interface comprising:

at least one display surface configured to present information to the operator;

and

at least one input device configured to accept manual control input from the operator, wherein the manual control input includes a command to manually engage and disengage the OSS;

the OSS having an operational state selected from engaged or disengaged, the operator capable of manually transitioning the OSS between the engaged and disengaged states via the input device;

the OSS configured:

when the one or more presence sensors determine the operator is not present in the control area and the OSS state is engaged, to prompt the operator to manually disengage the OSS via the input device;

and

when the one or more presence sensors determine the operator is present in the control area and the OSS state is disengaged, to prompt the operator to manually engage the OSS via the input device.

2. The operator safety system of claim 1 , wherein:

the display surface and the input device are embodied in at least one touch-sensitive display screen;

and wherein

the input device is configured to allow the operator to engage or disengage the OSS via a single touch.

3. The operator safety system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more presence sensors include at least one of a camera or an image sensor.

4. The operator safety system of claim 3 , wherein:

the one or more presence sensors are configured for thermal imaging of one or more of the operator or the control area;

and

wherein the OSS is configured to:

detect a heat level associated with the control area based on the thermal imaging;

and

determine a presence or non-presence of the operator based on the detected heat level.

5. The operator safety system of claim 4 , wherein the OSS is configured to determine, based on the detected heat level:

a non-presence of the operator;

and

a duration associated with the non-presence of the operator.

6. The operator safety system of claim 3 , wherein:

the one or more presence sensors are configured to detect encoded information associated with the control area;

and wherein

the OSS is configured to determine a presence or non-presence of the operator based on the detection of the encoded information.

7. The operator safety system of claim 1 , wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft;

the operator is a pilot or a co-pilot of the aircraft;

the control area includes a pilot seat;

and

the at least one presence sensor is configured to determine whether the operator is seated in a pilot seat.

8. The operator safety system of claim 7 , wherein:

the one or more presence sensors are disposed within the pilot seat;

and wherein

the OSS is configured to determine whether the operator is seated in the pilot seat via at least one of a detected temperature or a detected pressure associated with the pilot seat.

9. The operator safety system of claim 7 , wherein:

the one or more presence sensors are in communication with at least one of a safety belt or a safety harness configured to secure the operator to the pilot seat, the safety belt or safety harness having a fastened state and an unfastened state detectable by the one or more presence sensors;

and wherein

the OSS is configured to determine a presence or non-presence of the operator based on the fastened or unfastened state.

10. The operator safety system of claim 1 , wherein the OSS is configured to prompt the operator via a mobile device wirelessly linked to the OSS, the mobile device carried by the operator.

11. The operator safety system of claim 1 , wherein the OSS is configured to periodically determine the presence or non-presence of the operator in the control area at a predetermined time interval.

12. The operator safety system of claim 1 , wherein:

the OSS is in communication with a vehicle management system;

and

the OSS is configured to determine the presence or non-presence of the operator in response to a triggering event received from the vehicle management system.

13. The operator safety system of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more presence sensors include at least two independent presence sensors, each independent presence sensor configured to register a decision that the operator is present or non-present;

and wherein

the OSS is configured to determine the presence or non-presence of the operator based on a majority of the one or more registered decisions.

14. The operator safety system of claim 13 , wherein the OSS is configured to:

assign a weight to each registered decision;

and

determine the presence of non-presence of the operator based on a weighted majority of the one or more registered decisions.

15. A method for smart monitoring of a vehicle operator, the method comprising:

determining, via a vehicle-based operator safety system (OSS) configured to measure one or more physiological parameters associated with an operator of a vehicle, a current operational state of the OSS, the operational state selected from an engaged state or a disengaged state;

determining, via one or more presence sensors of the OSS, the one or more presence sensors configured for installation within a control area of the vehicle, a presence or non-presence of the operator in the control area;

based on a determined presence of the operator in the control area and a current disengaged operational state of the OSS, prompting the operator to manually engage the OSS via an operator interface;

and

based on a determined non-presence of the operator in the control area and a current engaged operational state of the OSS, prompting the operator to manually disengage the OSS via the operator interface.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining, via one or more presence sensors of the OSS, a presence or non-presence of the operator in a control area of the vehicle includes:

independently assessing, via at least two independent presence sensors of the OSS, a presence or non-presence of the operator;

registering with a controller of the OSS a presence or non-presence of the operator independently assessed by each independent presence sensor;

and

determining, via the controller, the presence or non-presence based on a majority of registered assessments received from the at least two independent presence sensors.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining, via one or more presence sensors of the OSS, a presence or non-presence of the operator in a control area of the vehicle includes:

assigning, via the controller, a weight to each independent presence sensor;

and wherein

determining, via the controller, the presence or non-presence based on a majority of registered assessments received from the at least two independent presence sensors includes determining the presence or non-presence based on a majority of weighted registered assessments.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the control area includes a pilot seat, and wherein determining, via one or more presence sensors of the OSS, the one or more presence sensors configured for installation within a control area of the vehicle, a presence or non-presence of the operator in the control area includes:

determining, via the one or more presence sensors, whether the operator is seated in the pilot seat.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more presence sensors include one or more presence sensors disposed within the pilot seat, and:

wherein determining, via the one or more presence sensors, whether the operator is seated in the pilot seat includes:

determining, via the one or more presence sensors, whether the operator is seated in the pilot seat based on at least one of a detected temperature or a detected pressure associated with the pilot seat.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more presence sensors are in communication with at least one of a safety belt or a safety harness configured to secure the operator to the pilot seat, the safety belt or safety harness having a fastened state and an unfastened state detectable by the one or more presence sensors, and:

wherein determining, via the one or more presence sensors, whether the operator is seated in the pilot seat includes:

determining, via the one or more presence sensors, whether the operator is seated in the pilot seat based on the fastened or unfastened state of the safety belt or safety harness.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (18)