US 10,096,256 B2Granted

Method and system for aircraft taxi strike alerting

AssigneeRosemount Aerospace Inc.

InventorsRobert Rutkiewicz, Todd Anthony Ell, Joseph T. Pesik

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods relate to calculating position and/or range data of object(s) in a scene external to an aircraft. A light projector is configured to project, from an aircraft projector location, a collimated beam of light in a controllable direction onto the scene. The light projector is further configured to control the intensity of the projected light, based on the controlled direction of the collimated beam of light. The reflected beam is detected by a camera located apart from the light projector. An image processor is configured to use triangulation, to calculate position values and/or range data of the object(s) in the scene. The image processor can be further configured to identify the object(s) in the scene and to produce, based in object(s) in the scene, one or more maps of the scene. The intensity of the collimated beam can be controlled based on the produced maps.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for calculating position values and/or range data of object(s) in a scene external to an aircraft, the system comprising:

a light projector mounted at a projector location on the aircraft and configured to project a collimated beam of light in a controllable direction onto the scene external to the aircraft, the light projector further configured to control an intensity of the projected collimated beam of light, based on the controllable direction of the collimated beam of light;
a camera mounted at a camera location on the aircraft and configured to receive a portion of the collimated beam reflected by the scene, and further configured to focus the received portion onto a focal plane array comprising a plurality of light-sensitive pixels, thereby forming an image of the scene, the image comprising pixel data generated by the plurality of light-sensitive pixels;
and
an image processor configured to identify pixel coordinates corresponding to a subset of the plurality of light-sensitive pixels upon which the received portion of the collimated beam reflected by the scene is focused, the image processor further configured to use triangulation, based on the projector location, the camera location, and the identified pixel coordinates, to calculate the position values and/or range data of object(s) in the scene by which the collimated beam of light is reflected.

1 more element

A method for generating an alert signal of a potential aircraft collision for a taxiing aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

projecting a beam of collimated light in a controllable direction onto a scene;
controlling an intensity of the projected beam of collimated light, based on the controlled direction of the projected beam of collimated light;
receiving a portion of the beam of collimated light reflected by the scene;
focusing the received portion of the beam of collimated light onto a focal plane array comprising a plurality of light-sensitive pixels, thereby forming an image of the scene, the image comprising pixel data generated by the plurality of light-sensitive pixels;
identifying pixel coordinates corresponding to a subset of the plurality of light-sensitive pixels upon which the received portion of the collimated beam reflected by the scene is focused;
calculating, based on a projector location, a camera location, and the identified pixel coordinates, position values and/or range data of object(s) in the scene by which the collimated beam of light is reflected;
and
generating an alert signal if the calculated position values and range data of the object(s) indicate that one or more of the object(s) are within a collision zone or on a collision trajectory.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/451,969Filed 7 Mar 2017
Published: US 2018/0261111 A113 Sep 2018
Granted: 9 Oct 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

G08G 5/51
Navigation or guidance aids: for control when on the ground, e.g. taxiing or rolling
B64D 47/02
Equipment not otherwise provided for: arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices
B64D 47/08
Equipment not otherwise provided for: arrangements of cameras
G01S 7/4802
Of systems according to group G01S17/00: using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section