Rescue Operations for Pods that Deploy from a Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021241404-A1
Application number	US-202016778519-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2020
Priority date	Jan 31, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and devices for monitoring transportation of one or more of travelers and cargo containers in pods that are being transported on a vehicle. The methods and devices may determine that the pods have been deployed from the vehicle. After deployment, the landing locations may be determined. Information may be ascertained about the health of the travelers within the pods and/or a condition of the cargo containers within the pods. Recovery personnel may be notified about this information to facilitate rescue.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of monitoring transportation of one or more of travelers and cargo containers in pods that are being transported on a vehicle, the method comprising:
determining that the pods have been deployed from the vehicle; determining a location of the pods after landing; determining information about the pods that comprises at least one of a health of the travelers within the pods and a condition of the cargo containers within the pods; and transmitting to rescue personnel the location of the pods and the information about the pods.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising prioritizing an order of rescue of the pods based on the location of the pods and the information about the pods.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising prioritizing the order of rescue of the pods based on geographic information about the location of the pods accessed from a source through a wireless communication network in combination with the information about the pods.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving signals from one or more sensors in the pods and determining the health of the travelers in the pods.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein one of the signals from the one or more sensors comprises health information received through fitness equipment that is worn by one of the travelers.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising contacting a power company through a wireless communication network and causing power to be disabled at the location prior to the pods landing at the location.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a location of the pods to the other pods after the pods have landed.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising continuously monitoring the health of the travelers within the pods after the pods have landed.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the one or more of the cargo containers contain hazardous materials and creating a rescue priority for the cargo containers with the one or more cargo containers having the hazardous materials being higher on the rescue priority than cargo containers without the hazardous materials.

10 . A system to monitor transportation of one or more of travelers and cargo containers in pods ( 20 ) that are being transported on a vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of pods that each comprise an interior space to house one or more of the travelers and the cargo containers, the pods configured to attach to and be carried by the vehicle; and a server located remotely from the pods and configured to monitor the pods, the server comprising a communication circuit and a processing circuit, the server configured to:
receive signals from the pods through a wireless communication network after the pods have been deployed from the vehicle during transportation;
determine information about the pods comprising at least one of a health of the travelers in the pods and a condition of cargo containers in the pods;
determine a location of the pods after landing; and
transmit the information and the location of the pods to remote third parties to facilitate a rescue operation.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising one or more canopies attached to each of the pods, the canopies comprising an undeployed orientation when the pods are attached to the vehicle and a deployed orientation when the pods have been deployed from the vehicle.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the server is further configured to contact a power company that supplies a utility to prevent the utility from being supplied to the location while the pods are descending from the vehicle to the location.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the server if further configured to prioritize an order of rescue for the pods based on the health of the travelers.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the server is further configured to access information through a wireless communication network to determine one or more aspects about the location of the pods.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the pods comprise one or more sensors to detect conditions within the interior space, the server configured to determine the health of the travelers within the interior space of the pods based on the conditions.

16 . A system to monitor transportation of one or more travelers and cargo containers, the system comprising:
a plurality of pods that each comprise an enclosed interior space to house one or more travelers and cargo containers, the pods configured to attach to and be carried by a vehicle; and a server located remotely from the pods, the server configured to:
receive signals from the pods through a wireless communication network after the pods have been deployed from the vehicle;
determine a status of the pods after the pods reach a landing location, the status of the pods comprising a geographic location of the pods, a number of travelers in the pods, and a health of the travelers in the pods; and
determine a rescue priority order for the pods based on the status of the pods.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the server is configured to be accessed by emergency personnel to access the status of the pods.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the status of the pods further comprises an expected amount of time for emergency personnel to reach the pods.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the server is communicatively coupled to the pods through the wireless communication network.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the pods comprise one or more sensors that detect one or more conditions within the pods and the server configured to determine the health of the travelers in the pods based on the one or more of the conditions detected by the one or more sensors.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Laughlin Brian Dale
• Glatfelter John William

Classifications

• B64D1/08

  the articles being load-carrying devices · CPC title

• B64D1/00

  Dropping, ejecting, releasing or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight (refuelling during flight B64D39/00; launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles F41F1/00, F41F7/00; rocket or torpedo launchers F41F3/00; weapon sights or aiming F41G) · CPC title

• H04W4/90

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title