Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02290179 1999-11-16
Patent Application : VIDE;O SURVE?ILLANCE INSIDE AIRPLANE
Inventor : BIBHUTI BIIUSAN BARDI~.AN
Page-2 (of4)
Background of Invention
The "Black Boxes", such as tt~e cockpit voice recorder, in an airplane after a
crash (with destruction of the
aircraft and the people therein) do not always provide a complete, or even
sufficient, information of what in
fact was happening inside the airplane, such as during a hijacking, or
accident inside the airplane. A video
recording of certain strategic s~reas, such as the cockpit, may provide
greater and more authentic information
on the actual goings on during an emergency.
Moreover, retrieval of such recording, ss~y from the ocean floor, is often a
very difficult and painstaking task
(possibly at the peril of it being totally lost). For this purpose, a balloon
may be attached to the recording
instrument which (the balloon) will automatically inflate (like an automobile
air-bag) after a certain period,
say 48 hours, during which period the searching officials would be expected to
be on or around the scene. In
addition, for the ease of spotting, once on the surface of the water, the
floating instrument may emit lights,
sounds, smoke, electronic or ~~uch other signals automatically.
CA 02290179 1999-11-16
Patent Application : VIDE,O SURVEILLANCE INSIDE AIRPLANE
Inventor : BIBHUTI BHUSAN BARDI-IAN
Page-3 of4)
Description of Invention
A video surveillance camera is placed stt-ategically at certain spots inside
an airplane to record on a
continuous "loop" recording tape the lata;st period of a certain duration,
say, last 30 minutes-the latest
recording over-recording the recordings of any earlier period (say, previous
to last 30 minutes, as in the
present instance).
This or these recordings are stored and saved in a secure container, similar
to the so-called "Black Box" of
an aircraft.
Let me term this present invention a "Video Black Box".
For ease of retrieval of this "Video Blaclc Box", say from the bottom of a sea
or ocean or such other water
beds, it is fitted with a device comprising a balloon that will automatically
inflate after a certain (pre-
determined) period, and some signalling system that will be turned on
automatically once the "Video Black
Box" is on the surface of the water.
Construction of such devices ;as the said balloon and the signalling system
are of common knowledge (say,
for example, an automobile air-bag). The delay in triggering the said devices
may be achieved by, say, an
ordinary timing device.
lfiis recording device in the present invc;ntion is for strict forensic use
only, all recording being
appropriately confidential, an~3 to be used under strict rules and regulations
as legally permitted. If not used
for the purpose, all such recordings are to be erased after a certain period
of time, say, 366 days. For
ensuring their sense of personal confidentiality, the passengers, crew, etc.
may be reassured that the
recordings will never be viewed or listened to unless there was some specified
necessity, such as an
accident, and that, even in the latter case:, these will be used by strictly
authorized personnel only. The
courts, if involved, may be re~auested or expected to use strict discretion in
using the information collected
in the said device.
