Satellite based collision avoidance system

• US 20020133294A1
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Farmakis Tom, Russell Routsong
• Original Assignee: Farmakis Tom, Russell Routsong
• Inventors: Farmakis, Tom, Routsong, Russell
• Application Number:
  US09/993,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/07 providing data for correcting measured positioning data, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS] or ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/23 Testing, monitoring, correcting or calibrating of receiver elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/005 for aircraft positioning relative to other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• 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 9/00 Traffic control systems for craft where the kind of craft is irrelevant or unspecified

Abstract

This invention provides a method and apparatus to provide coordinated evasive maneuver commands to aircraft to avoid collisions. More specifically, the invention comprises a GPS system to determined the location of aircraft, control logic to calculate evasive maneuvers, display aircraft tracking information, coordinate the evasive maneuver with the intruding aircraft, and give a synthetic voice warning and command to the pilots.

Claims

1. A method of vehicle collision avoidance using satellite navigational signals and direct radio communication comprising the steps of:

determining a first vehicle position with a plurality of satellite navigation signals;

determining a second vehicle position with a plurality of satellite navigation signals;

encoding and transmitting a direct radio messages that includes said first vehicle identification and position;

receiving and decoding a direct radio message that includes said second vehicle identification and position;

determining by relative vehicle positions and headings an evasive maneuver to keep said vehicles separated a predetermined distance.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

encoding and transmitting a direct radio message that includes said first vehicle evasive maneuver;

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

receiving and decoding a direct radio message that includes said second vehicle evasive maneuver.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

displaying the relative position of said vehicles as a graphic representation showing the relative bearing and distance on a display unit.

synthesizing an audio alert that informs the pilot of said evasive maneuver.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said vehicle is an aircraft;

said satellite navigation signals are from earth based pseudo-satellites;

said evasive maneuver is a directive to change the altitude of said vehicles.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said vehicle is a sea going vessel;

said satellite navigation signals are from earth based pseudo-satellites

said evasive is a directive to change the course of said vehicle.

7. A method of vehicle collision avoidance using navigational satellite signals and direct radio wave communication comprising the steps of:

determining a fixed position with a plurality of navigational signals;

encoding and transmitting a direct radio message that includes said fixed position;

receiving and decoding said direct radio message;

determining by vehicle position and heading an evasive maneuver to direct said vehicle away from said fixed position.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

displaying the relative bearing and distance of said fixed position on a display unit wherein;

said fixed position marks a navigation obstacle and navigation marker.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

encoding and transmitting said evasive maneuver;

receiving and decoding an evasive maneuver confirmation signal.

9. The method of claim wherein:

said encoding and transmitting direct radio message that includes said fixed position includes a unique identification code and code representing the type of navigational hazard;

said vehicle position is determined from a plurality of satellite navigation signals.

11. An apparatus for vehicle collision avoidance with other like equipped vehicles using satellite navigation signals and a direct radio wave message comprising:

a satellite receiver for receiving satellite navigation signals;

a control program to format the direct radio wave message and determine an evasive maneuver;

a computer electrically connected to said satellite receiver for processing signals from said satellite receiver and executing said control program;

a modem electrically connected to said computer for transmitting and receiving the direct radio wave message from the other like equipped vehicles;

a transceiver electrically connected to said modem to transmit and receive data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:

said direct radio message is a time division multiple access protocol message;

said modem is synchronized to said satellite receiver clock.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

said direct radio message is a time division multiple access protocol message;

said modem is synchronized to said satellite receiver clock.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

said computer comprises;

a first microprocessor for satellite signal processing electrically connected to a second microprocessor or for executing the control program.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a third microprocessor electrically connected between said second microprocessor and said modem for executing the direct radio wave communication protocol.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

said direct radio wave is a skywave; and

said satellite navigation signals are from ground based pseudo-satellites.

12. The apparatus of claim further comprising:

a display unit electrically connected to said computer to display the relative bearing and distance of the equipped vehicles;

an audio interface electrically connected to said computer to synthesize audio alarms;

a control unit electrically connected to said computer to program and control the collision avoidance apparatus.