Collision avoidance apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for assessing maneuvers of a first vehicle (6) so fitted relative to other vehicles (58, 68, 71-74) comprises sensing means for providing signals representative of the positions and velocities of the other vehicles relative to the first vehicle (6), computing means responsive to said signals for computing symbology respectively associated with the other vehicles, and display means coupled to the computing means for displaying the symbology relative to the position of the first vehicle, thereby providing indicia to assess maneuvers of the first vehicle which will avoid collision with the other vehicles, and which will ensure that the first vehicle will not pass closer to the other vehicles than a predetermined distance for all relative positions and velocities thereof, the symbology associated with each of the other vehicles in all encounter circumstances comprises at least a final escape point (FEP) (40) which, if reached by the first vehicle (6), will allow the first vehicle still to avoid the associated other vehicle by said predetermined distance, and two vectors (49, 50), originating at the FEP, for the first vehicle, which will take the latter clear ahead or clear astern of said other vehicle by said predetermined distance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.