Microwave aircraft landing system using narrow bandwidth filtering

A visualization system for use on an aircraft to identify features associated with an aircraft runway, said system comprising:

• a plurality of signal sources located on selected known features associated with an aircraft runway and radiating modulated microwave carrier signals which have modulated frequencies selected so as to identify said known features;
• receiver means located on an aircraft and including an array of receiver elements arranged in a focal plane for sensing said microwave carrier signals within a selected field of view, each of said receiver elements receiving microwave carrier signals from separate portions of said field of view;
• filtering means coupled to each of said receiver elements for identifying the modulated frequency associated with each received microwave carrier signal as one of said predetermined modulated frequencies and providing an output signal to identify each detected known feature;
• and
• imaging means including a plurality of pixels operatively connected to said receiver means for creating a visual perspective image of the detected known features in response to the output signals and which identifies and distinguishes between said detected known features, wherein each of said pixels receives output signals generated by one of said receiver means and the filtering means coupled thereto.

A method for locating selected known features and producing a visual image thereof, comprising:

• placing power sources on selected known features for producing microwave carrier signals having modulating frequencies;
• selecting said modulating frequencies in accordance with the selected known features so that different features have different modulating frequencies;
• sensing said microwave carrier signals within a field of view via an array of receivers at a location remote from said power sources so that each receiver senses microwave signals from a separate portion of said field of view;
• filtering said sensed microwave carrier signals to identify said modulating frequencies associated therewith so as to identify said known features;
• providing an output signal for each sensed microwave carrier signal which indicates location and identity of said known feature associated therewith;
• and
• generating a visual perspective image of detected known features with a plurality of pixels in response to said output signals, wherein each of said pixels receives output signals generated by one of said receivers.