GPS-based anti-collision warning system

An anti-collision warning apparatus for use by an aircraft, comprising:

• an inertial navigation system;
• a global positioning system receiver;
• a radio transceiver;
• a central processor connected to he inertial navigation system, connected to the global positioning system receiver and connected to the radio transceiver, and operable for receiving global positioning data from the global positioning system receiver, receiving inertial navigation data from the inertial navigation system, for calculating position data of the aircraft, for transmitting the position data of the aircraft through the radio transceiver, for receiving position data of other aircraft through the radio transceiver, for calculating a first trajectory for the aircraft, for calculating other trajectories of the other aircraft, and for generating a warning if the first trajectory and any of he other trajectories indicate a potential collision.

An anti-collision warning apparatus for use by an aircraft equipped with an inertial navigation system, comprising:

• an interface for connection to an aircraft bus of the aircraft and for communicating with the inertial navigation system (INS) of the aircraft;
• a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;
• a radio transceiver;
• a central processor connected to the INS through the interface, connected to the GPS receiver and connected to the radio transceiver, and operable for receiving GPS data from the GPS receiver, receiving INS data through the interface, for calculating position data of the aircraft, for transmitting the position data of the aircraft through the radio transceiver, for receiving position data of other aircraft through the radio transceiver, for calculating a first trajectory for the aircraft, for calculating other trajectories of the other aircraft, and for sending a warning through the interface if the first trajectory and any of the other trajectories indicate a potential collision.

A method of warning of imminent air collisions between a first moving object and other moving objects, comprising the steps of:

• receiving Global Positioning System satellite data;
• receiving inertial navigation information;
• calculating the location and acceleration of the first moving object in three axes and for producing therefrom position data;
• transmitting the position data of the first moving object to all the other moving objects;
• receiving other position data of the other moving objects;
• calculating a first trajectory for the first moving object;
• calculating other trajectories of the other moving objects;
• and
• generating a warning if the first trajectory and any of the other trajectories indicate a potential collision.