Systems and methods for enhanced awareness of obstacle proximity during taxi operations

• US 10,140,876 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Khatwa, Ratan, Mannon, Pamela
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/961,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20160133139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/42 Arrangement or adaptation of brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/66 Radar-tracking systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/934 on airport surfaces, e.g. while taxiing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9329 cooperating with reflectors or transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

Systems and methods for predicting and displaying targets based on height in relation to the wing, wingtip or other elements of the aircraft, such as engine nacelles. The location of ground obstacles is based on radar returns (from sensors deployed on the ownship), aircraft surveillance data, and/or an airport moving map database.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be positioned on an aircraft and generate sensed obstacle information;

a processor configured to;

receive the sensed obstacle information from the one or more sensors,

determine locations of a first obstacle and a second obstacle within a predefined field of view of the one or more sensors based on at least one of the sensed obstacle information, previously received surveillance data, or previously stored ground obstacle data,

determine height information of the first obstacle;

generate a numerical value based on the height information;

generate an image comprising;

an ownship icon indicating a location of the aircraft on a ground relative to the locations of the first obstacle and the second obstacle;

a first icon associated with the first obstacle, the first obstacle being located within a first zone of the predefined field of view;

a second icon associated with the second obstacle, the second obstacle being located within a second zone of the predefined field of view, wherein the first and second icons are visually different; and

the numerical value; and

a display device configured to present the generated image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the numerical value comprises a height of the first obstacle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the numerical value comprises a vertical distance of the first obstacle relative to a structure of the aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a vertical situation display comprising:

a vertical scale that represents at least one of height above the ground or distance from a predefined structure of the aircraft; and

a horizontal scale that represents distance from the predefined structure of the aircraft,

wherein the ownship icon is presented adjacent the vertical scale at a location on the scale equal to a predefined height of the associated predefined structure of the aircraft.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the image comprises a line that connects one of the first or second icons to the horizontal scale.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first obstacle is located to the left or right of the aircraft, wherein the image comprises an indicator presented adjacent the first icon that indicates the left or right determination of the first obstacle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the image comprises the numerical value adjacent the first icon.

8. The system of claim 1,

wherein the image comprises a first sensed coverage area adjacent at least one feature associated with a left wing of the aircraft and a second sensed coverage area adjacent at least one feature associated with a right wing of the aircraft,

wherein, when the processor determines that an obstacle is beyond a range of the first zone or the second zone but is within a lateral extent of the respective one of the first zone or the second zone, the processor generates the image to include at least a partial icon at a limit of a respective one of the first zone or the second zone.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first obstacle vertically clears a predefined vertical distance from a structure of the aircraft, and

wherein the processor is configured to select a visual characteristic of the first icon based on whether the first obstacle is determined to vertically clear the structure of the aircraft.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the second zone is associated with second areas outside the aircraft, the second areas being those where, if an obstacle was detected therein, the aircraft would avoid contact based on current heading of the aircraft,

wherein the first zone is associated with a first area outside the aircraft, the first area being one where, if an obstacle was detected therein, the aircraft would be likely to collide with the obstacle based on current heading of the aircraft.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, sensed obstacle information from one or more sensors;

determining, by the processor, locations of a first obstacle and a second obstacle within a predefined field of view of the one or more sensors based on at least one of the sensed obstacle information, previously received surveillance data, or previously stored ground obstacle data;

determining, by the processor, height information of the first obstacle;

generating, by the processor, a numerical value based on the height information;

generating an image comprising;

an ownship icon indicating a location of an aircraft on a ground relative to the locations of the first obstacle and the second obstacle;

a first icon associated with the first obstacle, the first obstacle being located within a first zone of the predefined field of view;

a second icon associated with the second obstacle, the second obstacle being located within a second zone of the predefined field of view, wherein the first and second icons are visually different; and

the numerical value; and

at a display device, presenting the generated image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the numerical value comprises a height of the first obstacle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the numerical value comprises a vertical distance of the first obstacle relative to a structure of the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the image comprises a vertical situation display comprising:

a vertical scale that represents at least one of height above the ground or distance from a predefined structure of the aircraft; and

a horizontal scale that represents distance from the predefined structure of the aircraft,

wherein the ownship icon is presented adjacent the vertical scale at a location on the scale equal to a predefined height of the associated predefined structure of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the generated image comprises a line that connects one of the first or second icons to the horizontal scale.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the first obstacle is located to the left or right of the aircraft, wherein the image comprises an indicator presented adjacent the first icon that indicates the left or right determination of the first obstacle.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the image comprises the numerical value adjacent the first icon.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the image comprises a first sensed coverage area adjacent at least one feature associated with a left wing of the aircraft and a second sensed coverage area adjacent at least one feature associated with a right wing of the aircraft, the method further comprising:

determining a third obstacle is beyond a range of the first zone or the second zone but is within a lateral extent of the respective one of the first zone or the second zone, wherein the image further comprises a third icon associated with the third obstacle, the third icon being a partial icon presented at a limit of the respective one of the first zone or the second zone.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether the first obstacle vertically clears a predefined vertical distance from a structure of the aircraft; and

selecting, by the processor, a visual characteristic of the first icon based on whether the first obstacle is determined to vertically clear the structure of the aircraft.

20. A system comprising:

means for sensing one or more obstacles within a field of view;

means for determining locations of a first obstacle and a second obstacle within a predefined field of view of the one or more sensors based on at least one of the sensed obstacle information, previously received surveillance data, or previously stored ground obstacle data;

means for determining height information of the first obstacle;

means for generating a numerical value based on the height information;

means for generating an image comprising;

an ownship icon indicating a location of an aircraft on a ground relative to the locations of the first obstacle and the second obstacle;

a first icon associated with the first obstacle, the first obstacle being located within a first zone of the predefined field of view;

a second icon associated with the second obstacle, the second obstacle being located within a second zone of the predefined field of view, wherein the first and second icons are visually different; and

the numerical value; and

means for presenting the generated image.