Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a system for autonomously tracking distress events on an aircraft in real-time while in flight. The method involves maintaining a multi-logic classifier configured for identifying distress events, receiving aircraft state data from at least one MAU (main avionics unit), transforming the aircraft state data using the multi-logic classifier to produce transformed state data, producing a trigger event if the transformed state data indicates a distress event, and generating an alert of the trigger event. In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, the multi-valued logic classifier is configured for identifying distress events using more than two possible truth values, for example by implementing a fuzzy logic algorithm or an artificial neural network. This is an improvement over conventional methods in which fixed thresholds are used to determine a Boolean true/false value to represent if an aircraft is in distress.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for encoding and compressing real-time GPS location data collected by a transceiver unit mounted in an aircraft, for transmitting the data and for receiving the data at a ground station configured for decoding the data. Data can be sampled at one-second intervals, then encoded and transmitted in data packets at longer timed intervals. The encoding method can utilize information about the operating characteristics of the aircraft to reduce the number of bits required for the data packets. Multiple encoding schemes can be used to compare in real-time to select the most efficient method of encoding on a packet-by-packet basis.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for encoding and compressing real-time GPS location data collected by a transceiver unit mounted in an aircraft, for transmitting the data and for receiving the data at a ground station configured for decoding the data. Data can be sampled at one-second intervals, then encoded and transmitted in data packets at longer timed intervals. The encoding method can utilize information about the operating characteristics of the aircraft to reduce the number of bits required for the data packets. Multiple encoding schemes can be used to compare in real-time to select the most efficient method of encoding on a packet-by-packet basis.