Aircraft laser collision detection system
AssigneeGulfstream Aerospace Corporation
InventorBrian Toler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aircraft anti-collision systems, anti-collision methods, and aircraft with anti-collision systems and methods are provided. A method including transmitting, by a light emitter, a first light pulse proximate to a wing edge at a first time, detecting, by a light detector, a reflection of the first light pulse at a second time, determining, by a processor, a distance from a first object to the wing edge in response to the first time and the second time, calculating, by the processor, a possible contact occurrence in response to the distance and an aircraft velocity, and controlling a user interface with the processor to generate a user alert in response to the possible contact occurrence.
Claims20
A collision detection system within an aircraft, the collision detection system comprising:
- a first light emitter adapted to be mounted to the aircraft, the first light emitter being configured for transmitting a first light pulse at a first distance to a wing edge and providing a first time indicative of the transmitting of the first light pulse, the first light emitter having a fixed position such that the first light pulse is transmitted at an elevation and an azimuth parallel to the wing edge;
- a first light detector, adapted to be mounted to the aircraft, the first light detector being configured to detect a reflection of the first light pulse and to provide a second time indicative of the detection of the reflection of the light pulse;
- a processor adapted to be mounted to the aircraft and configured to receive the first time and the second time, to determine a possible contact occurrence between a first object and the wing edge based, at least in part, on the first time and the second time, and to generate a first control signal in response to determining the possible contact occurrence;
- and
- a user interface, adapted to be mounted to the aircraft and configured to obtain the first control signal from the processor and to provide a user alert in response to the first control signal.
A method comprising:
- transmitting, by a light emitter, a first light pulse proximate to a wing edge at a first time the light emitter having a fixed position such that the first light pulse is transmitted at an elevation and an azimuth parallel to the wing edge;
- detecting, by a light detector, a reflection of the first light pulse at a second time;
- determining, by a processor, a distance from a first object to the wing edge in response to the first time and the second time;
- calculating, by the processor, a possible contact occurrence in response to the distance and an aircraft velocity;
- and
- controlling a user interface with the processor to generate a user alert in response to the possible contact occurrence.
An anti-collision system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first light emitter, located on an aircraft fuselage, configured for transmitting a first light pulse at a first distance from a wing edge, the first light emitter having a first fixed position such that the first light pulse is transmitted at an elevation and an azimuth parallel to the wing edge;
- a second light emitter, located on the aircraft fuselage, configured for transmitting a second light pulse at a second distance from the wing edge wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance the second light emitter having a second fixed position such that the second light pulse is transmitted at an elevation and an azimuth parallel to the wing edge and the first light pulse;
- a detector for detecting a reflection of the first light pulse and a reflection of the second light pulse;
- and
- a processor configured to generate a first user alert in response to a propagation time of the first light pulse being indicative of a detection of a first object at the first distance to the wing edge and being within a path of the wing edge, the processor being further configured to generate a second user alert in response to a propagation time of the second light pulse being indicative of a detection of the first object at the second distance to the wing edge and being within the path of the wing edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.