# US 2014/0197982 A1 · System and method for social networking of aircraft for information exchange > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197982 A1 - Document ID: US20140197982A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/742,249 - Filed: 2013-01-15 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-15 - Assignees: Raytheon Canada Limited - Applicants: Raytheon Canada Limited - Inventors: Jian Wang; Yuchoi F. Lok; Anthony M. Ponsford; Oliver H. Hubbard; Eli Brookner; Robert W. Bowne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197982A1 ## CPC - G08G 5/25: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft - H04B 7/18504: {Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform} - G01S 7/003: {Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations} - G01S 2205/002: for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A system and method for exchanging information between aircraft (210). Sensors on a first aircraft (210) provide data about the first aircraft's environment, including hazards such as turbulence, icing, lightning, or birds. The system transmits the data to receiving systems in other aircraft (210), which display the data, to warn the pilots flying the other aircraft of potential hazards. The pilot of the first aircraft may supplement the information with visual observations, about birds or unmanned aerial vehicles, for example. In one embodiment, the information is transmitted from aircraft to aircraft over a data link using ADS-B. In another embodiment, a first aircraft may transmit data to a second aircraft, which may relay, or re-transmit, the data to a third aircraft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for exchanging information between aircraft, comprising an on-board system having: a sensor; a transmitter; a receiver; and a controller; wherein the controller is configured to control the transmitter and the receiver to: automatically transmit sensor data obtained from the sensor; automatically receive data; and display data received by the receiver, and wherein the transmitter, the receiver, and the controller are configured to participate in a self organizing mesh network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit data according to an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) standard, and the receiver is configured to receive data according to an ADS-B standard. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit data according to an ADS-B Universal Access Transceiver (ADS-B UAT) standard and the receiver is configured to receive data according to an ADS-B UAT standard. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit data according to an ADS-B 1090 Extended Squitter (ADS-B 1090ES) standard and the receiver is configured to receive data according to an ADS-B 1090ES standard. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of: icing sensors, wind speed sensors, wind direction sensors, precipitation sensors, lightning sensors, radar sensors, Global Positioning System sensors, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an input device configured to receive data from a pilot regarding local hazards, wherein the controller is configured to control the transmitter to automatically transmit the data received from the pilot by the input device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller, the transmitter, and the receiver are further configured to re-transmit data received by the receiver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A system of connected aircraft, comprising: a first aircraft equipped with a first system of claim 1; and a second aircraft equipped with a second system of claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising a ground station, the ground station comprising: a connection to a source of data; a transmitter; and a controller; wherein the controller is configured to control the transmitter to automatically transmit data obtained from the source of data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising a satellite, the satellite comprising: a sensor; a transmitter; and a controller; wherein the controller is configured to control the transmitter to transmit data obtained from the sensor. ### Claim 11 A method for communicating between aircraft, comprising automatically: obtaining first sensor data from sensors on a first aircraft; transmitting the first sensor data; receiving second data transmitted by a second aircraft; and displaying the second data, wherein the transmitting of the first sensor data and the receiving of the second data transmitted by a second aircraft comprise using a self organizing mesh network to communicate with other aircraft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: the transmitting of the first sensor data comprises transmitting the first sensor data according to an ADS-B standard; and the receiving of the data transmitted by a second aircraft comprises receiving data according to an ADS-B standard. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the transmitting of the first sensor data comprises transmitting the first sensor data according to an ADS-B UAT standard; and the receiving of the data transmitted by a second aircraft comprises receiving data according to an ADS-B UAT standard. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the transmitting of the first sensor data comprises transmitting the first sensor data according to an ADS-B 1090ES standard; and the receiving of the data transmitted by a second aircraft comprises receiving data according to an ADS-B 1090ES standard. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the sensors on the first aircraft include a sensor selected from the group consisting of: icing sensors, wind speed sensors, wind direction sensors, precipitation sensors, lightning sensors, radar sensors, Global Positioning System sensors, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving data regarding local hazards from a pilot and automatically transmitting the data regarding local hazards. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically: obtaining second sensor data from sensors on the second aircraft; and transmitting the second sensor data; wherein the second data comprises the second sensor data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising re-transmitting the second data.