Aircraft docking system

An aircraft docking system comprising:

• means for providing a three-dimensional model of an aircraft approaching a dock via a taxiway, a centerline of the taxiway being perpendicular to a centerline of the dock;
• means for sighting the aircraft during travel of the aircraft along the taxiway, and during an approaching of the aircraft to the dock, including a turning of the aircraft from the taxiway into the dock, said sighting means providing an image of the aircraft during said travel of the aircraft along the taxiway,and during the approaching of the aircraft to the dock, including said turning of the aircraft from the taxiway into the dock;
• data processing means for correlating data of the image during said travel along the taxiway and during said approaching with data of the model, by rotation of the model, to determine location and orientation of the aircraft relative to the centerlines of the taxiway and the dock;
• and
• means for generating instructions for correction of said aircraft location and orientation.

An aircraft docking system comprising:

• imaging means for viewing the area of a dock and an aircraft approaching the dock via a taxiway having a centerline perpendicular to a centerline of the dock, the imaging means providing images and locations of the aircraft and of obstacles in the dock area;
• template means for providing three dimensional templates of a plurality of aircraft, said template means including means for rotating and for scaling any one of said templates;
• means for correlating an aircraft image of said imaging means along said taxiway and in said dock to a plurality of templates of said template means to select one of said templates to serve as a three-dimensional model and identity of the aircraft, said correlating means outputting orientation of the aircraft along a curved path of travel of the aircraft from said taxiway into said dock;
• means responsive to said aircraft image and to said model for locating a designated part of the aircraft;
• means for comparing a location of said designated part of the aircraft relative to a predetermined travel path into the dock;
• and
• means for signaling a pilot of the aircraft with guidance data for piloting the aircraft along the predetermined travel path into the dock.