Aircraft identification and docking guidance systems
AssigneeSafegate International AB
InventorLars Millgård
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laser range finder (LRF) is used to identify an aircraft approaching a gate. The LRF is directed at the aircraft, and from the echoes, a profile is derived and compared to known profiles. To distinguish among aircraft with similar profiles, the LRF is directed at a volume in which a feature such as an engine is expected and at another volume in which the engine is not expected. The echoes from the two volumes are used to determine whether the engine is in its expected location. If so, the aircraft is identified as the correct type and is allowed to dock at the gate. Otherwise, the aircraft is stopped. The nose height can be used as yet another identifying criterion.
Claims28
A system for determining whether a detected object is a known object, the known object having a known profile and also having a known feature at a known location, the system comprising:
- projecting means for projecting light pulses onto the detected object;
- collecting means for collecting light pulses reflected off the detected object and for detecting a shape of the detected object in accordance with the light pulses;
- comparing means for comparing the detected shape with a profile corresponding to the known shape and for determining whether the detected shape corresponds to the known shape;
- and
- identifying means for identifying whether the detected object is the known object by determining whether the detected object has the known feature at the known location.
A method for determining whether a detected object is a known object, the known object having a known profile and also having a known feature at a known location, the method comprising:
- (a) projecting light pulses onto the detected object;
- (b) collecting light pulses reflected off the detected object and for detecting a shape of the detected object in accordance with the light pulses;
- (c) comparing the detected shape with a profile corresponding to the known shape and for determining whether the detected shape corresponds to the known shape;
- and
- (d) identifying whether the detected object is the known object by determining whether the detected object has the known feature at the known location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.