# US 6,294,985 B1 · Remotely triggered collision avoidance strobe system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,294,985 B1 - Document ID: US6294985B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/368,655 - Filed: 1999-08-05 - Granted: 2001-09-25 - Earliest claimed: 1998-09-28 - Inventors: Jeffery M. Simon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6294985B1 ## CPC - B64F 1/002: {Taxiing aids} - B60Q 1/525: {automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data} - B60Q 5/006: {indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians} - B60Q 9/008: {for anti-collision purposes} - G01S 13/93: for anti-collision purposes - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - 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 Disclosed is an aircraft collision avoidance system having remote triggering means, multicolored lamp display, audible alarm, and a stroboscopic light for providing adequate early warning to an aircraft tug operator and other surrounding individuals that a possible emergency situation may exist. The system comprises four assemblies: (1.) a portable unit; (2.) a tug unit; (3.) a station unit; and, (4.) one or more hand wand transmitters. The station unit comprises a strobe light mounted to a building or gate and is positioned so as to be visible by a tug operator and flightcrew. The tug unit comprises an audible alarm mounted within the tug vehicle which is audible to the tug operator when triggered and a highly visible strobe light. The portable unit comprises an audible alarm that sounds when triggered and a highly visible strobe light. The portable unit may be utilized in place of the tug unit or may be utilized in conjunction with the tug unit at other positions, depending on the degree of warning needed. Each watch person carries a hand wand transmitter which he manually activates in case of impending collision or other emergency. The hand wand transmitter generates a radio frequency signal that is detected by a receiving circuitry contained within the portable unit, the tug unit and the station unit, thereby activating the respective alarming systems of each unit to warn the tug operator and others that an emergency situation exists and that all movement should cease. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A remotely triggered collision avoidance system for ground-based aircraft traffic control operations, comprising: (a.) a hand unit comprising an aircraft marshalling hand wand for carrying by an operator proximate to the traffic control operations, said hand unit being additionally capable of generating and broadcasting a signal in response to an emergency situation upon activation by the operator, said hand unit further comprising an elongated casing, a power source, a signal transmitter circuit, an antenna, and, a means for activating said signal transmitter circuit; (b.) means for detecting said signal; and, (c.) means cooperatively associated with said detection means for warning individuals near said warning means of a possible collision, wherein said warning means is responsive to said detection means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein said signal comprises a radio frequency signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein said warning means comprises an audible alarm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein said warning means comprises a stroboscopic light. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein said warning means comprises an audible alarm and a stroboscopic light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein said signal generating means generates an encoded radio frequency signal and broadcasts said encoded radio frequency signal a distance over the airwaves surrounding said signal generating means. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 6, wherein said signal detection means receives said encoded radio frequency signal and generates a second signal in response to said detection, and wherein said warning means is responsive to said second signal. ### Claim 8 A remotely triggered collision avoidance system for ground-based aircraft traffic control operations, comprising; (a.) a hand unit comprising an aircraft marshalling hand wand for carrying by an operator proximate to the traffic control operations, said hand unit being additionally capable of generating and broadcasting a signal in response to an emergency situation upon activation by the operator, said hand unit further comprising an elongated casing, a power source, a signal transmitter circuit, an antenna, and, a means for activating said signal transmitter circuit; (b.) means for detecting said signal; (c.) an alarm cooperatively associated with said detection means; and, (d.) an optional means for producing a stroboscopic light cooperatively associated with said detection means; wherein said alarm and said optional stroboscopic light means are responsive to said signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 8, wherein said signal comprises a radio frequency signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 9, wherein said signal generating means generates an encoded radio frequency signal and broadcasts said encoded radio frequency signal a distance over the airwaves surrounding said signal generating means. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 10, wherein said signal detection means receives said encoded radio frequency signal and generates a second signal in response to said detection, and wherein said alarm and said optional stroboscopic light means are responsive to said second signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 8, wherein said stroboscopic light means comprises an amplifying circuit, an oscillating circuit and a flash tube connected together, wherein said signal is amplified via said amplifying circuit and said amplified signal is pulsed via said oscillating circuit thereby rapidly charging and discharging said flash tube. ### Claim 13 A remotely triggered collision avoidance system for providing warning to flight crew within ground -based aircraft traffic control operations, comprising: (a.) a hand unit comprising an aircraft marshalling hand wand for carrying by an operator proximate to the traffic control operations, said hand unit being additionally capable of generating and broadcasting a signal in response to an emergency situation upon activation by the operator, said hand unit further comprising an elongated casing, a power source, a signal transmitter circuit, an antenna, and, a means for activating said signal transmitter circuit; and, (b.) a station unit, said station unit comprising means for receiving said signal and means for warning the flight crew in response to said signal that an impending collision is possible and that all movement should cease. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 13, wherein said signal comprises a radio frequency signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 14, wherein said radio frequency signal generating and broadcasting means encodes said signal and randomly selects from a plurality of codes on each transmission. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 13, wherein said signal generating means generates an encoded radio frequency signal and broadcasts said encoded radio frequency signal a distance over the airwaves surrounding said signal generating means. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 16, wherein said signal receiving means receives said encoded radio frequency signal and generates a second signal in response to said receipt, and wherein said warning means is responsive to said second signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 13, wherein said warning means of said station unit comprises a red light and an optional stroboscopic lighting means. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 18, wherein said warning means of said station unit further comprises a manually activated yellow and green light, wherein if all is clear, said green light is activated and if caution is needed, said yellow light is activated. ### Claim 20 A remotely triggered collision avoidance system for providing warning to a tug operator within ground-based aircraft traffic control operations, comprising: (a.) a hand unit comprising an aircraft marshalling hand wand for carrying by an operator proximate to the traffic control operations, said hand unit being additionally capable of generating and broadcasting a signal in response to an emergency situation upon activation by the operator, said hand unit further comprising an elongated casing, a power source, a signal transmitter circuit, an antenna, and, a means for activating said signal transmitter circuit; and, (b.) a tug unit, said tug unit comprising means for receiving said signal and means for warning the tug operator in response to said signal that an impending collision is possible and that all movement should cease. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 20, wherein said signal comprises a radio frequency signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 21, wherein said radio frequency signal generating and broadcasting means encodes said signal and randomly selects from a plurality of codes on each transmission. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 21, wherein said signal generating means generates an encoded radio frequency signal and broadcasts said encoded radio frequency signal a distance over the airwaves surrounding said signal generating means. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 23, wherein said signal receiving means receives said encoded radio frequency signal and generates a second signal in response to said receipt, and wherein said warning means is responsive to said second signal. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 20, wherein said warning means of said tug unit comprises an alarm and an optional stroboscopic lighting means. ### Claim 26 A remotely triggered collision avoidance system for providing warning to a Lug operator within ground-based aircraft traffic control operations, comprising: (a.) a hand unit comprising an aircraft marshalling hand wand for carrying by an operator proximate to the traffic control operations, said hand unit being additionally capable of generating and broadcasting a signal in response to an emergency situation upon activation by the operator, said hand unit further comprising an elongated casing, a power source, a signal transmitter circuit, an antenna, and, a means for activating said signal transmitter circuit; and, (b.) a portable unit, said portable unit comprising means for receiving said signal and means for warning a tug operator in response to said signal that an impending collision is possible and that all movement should cease. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 26, wherein said signal comprises a radio frequency signal. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 27, wherein said radio frequency signal generating and broadcasting means encodes said signal and randomly selects from a plurality of codes on each transmission. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 27, wherein said signal generating means generates an encoded radio frequency signal and broadcasts said encoded radio frequency signal a distance over the airwaves surrounding said signal generating means. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 29, wherein said signal receiving means receives said encoded radio frequency signal and generates a second signal in response to said receipt, and wherein said warning means is responsive to said second signal. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The remotely triggered collision avoidance system of claim 26, wherein said warning means of said portable unit comprises an alarm and an optional stroboscopic lighting means.