Patent ID: 8589994
Filing Date: 2013-11-19
Classification: G08B,H04B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A surveillance system for monitoring an aircraft while in route to a destination, the system comprising: a. a plurality of sensors mounted on the aircraft and adapted for generating data in response to conditions occurring on the aircraft, the data being generated on a near real-time basis in relation to conditions on the aircraft; b. a remote receiving station, the remote receiving station being remote from the aircraft; c. a wireless transmitter onboard the aircraft vehicle for transmitting data to the remote receiving station; d. an onboard IP network, supported on the aircraft, the onboard IP network being in communication with the plurality of sensors to convey data received from the plurality of sensors; wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a portable wireless panic button device, the portable wireless panic button device being supported for movement in common with a person aboard the aircraft, the portable wireless panic button device being manually operable by a person aboard the aircraft to generate panic button data, the panic button data corresponding to one of a plurality of event conditions potentially existing aboard the aircraft, the panic button data identifying at the remote receiving station one of the plurality of event conditions, the wireless panic button device being in wireless communication with the IP network to provide the panic button data to the IP network, the IP network, being in communication with the wireless transmitter to provide the panic button data to the wireless transmitter; and the wireless transmitter being operable to transmit the panic button data to the remote receiving station.