US 6,650,407 B2Granted

Wide field scanning laser obstacle awareness system

AssigneeRosemount Aerospace Inc.

InventorsJames R. Jamieson, Mark D. Ray

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Abstract

A wide field scanning laser obstacle awareness system (LOAS) comprises: a plurality of first optical elements configured to direct a portion of a pulsed laser beam generated by a light source to a light detector, and to direct the pulsed laser beam to a beam expander wherein the pulsed laser beam is expanded; and at least one rotationally operated second optical element for directing the expanded pulsed laser beam from the system with a predetermined pattern scanned azimuthally over a wide field, the at least one rotationally operated second optical element also for receiving reflections of the pulsed laser beam from at least one object along the predetermined pattern and directing them to the laser beam expander wherein the laser beam reflections are focused; the plurality of first optical elements also configured to direct the focused laser beam reflections to the light detector for use in determining the location of the at least one object.

A wide field scanning laser obstacle awareness system (LOAS) for use on-board an aircraft for alerting an operator of obstacles posing a risk of collision with said aircraft, said system comprising:

a light source for generating a pulsed laser beam of light,
a light detector;
a plurality of optical elements for directing said pulsed laser beam from said system with a predetermined pattern scanned azimuthally over a wide field, said plurality of optical elements also for receiving reflections of said pulsed laser beam from at least one object along said predetermined pattern and directing said laser beam reflections to said light detector;
wherein the predetermined pattern includes a variation in elevation of the directed pulsed laser beam in relation to an elevation of the aircraft;
means for determining substantially the azimuth position of the directed pulsed laser beam;
means for determining substantially the elevation of the directed pulsed laser beam;
display apparatus including an image screen for displaying a limited field of view, wherein the wide field of view of the system extends substantially beyond the field of view of the image screen;
processor means coupled to said light detector, display apparatus, azimuth position determining means and elevation determining means for determining the location of the at least one object in range, azimuth and elevation in relation to a flight path of the aircraft, said processor means for driving said display apparatus to display an indication representing the at least one object in range, azimuth and elevation;
and
wherein the indication of the at least one object comprises an image of a bar, said bar image disposed vertically at the far left of the screen of the display apparatus when the object location is azimuthally outside the field of view of the display apparatus to the left, and said bar image disposed vertically at the far right of the screen of the display apparatus when the object location is azimuthally outside the field of view of the display apparatus to the right.

7 more elements

Facts

Application

09/946,058Filed 4 Sep 2001

Published

US 2003/0046025 A16 Mar 2003

Granted

18 Nov 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

G01S 17/04
Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves: systems determining the presence of a target
G01C 23/00
Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value
G01P 5/26
Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft: by measuring the direct…
G01S 7/481
Of systems according to group G01S17/00: constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements

Abstract

Claims22