Controlling aircraft from collisions with off limits facilities

• US 20040054472A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lawrence J Koncelik Jr (Lawrence J. Koncelik)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence J Koncelik Jr (Lawrence J. Koncelik)
• Inventors: Koncelik, Lawrence J. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/245,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

A signal is received from an off limits facility and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of the off limits facility. The course and/or flight of the aircraft is changed if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility. A signal is received from an airport and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport. The aircraft is prevented from taking off if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off. A signal is received from a satellite and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility. The course and/or flight of the aircraft if the aircraft is changed if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver; and

a processor connected by a communications link to the receiver;

wherein the receiver receives a signal from an off limits facility and provides the signal to the processor;

wherein the processor determines from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of the off limits facility;

and wherein the processor changes a course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

The off limits facility is a building.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

The off limits facility is a military installation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

a pilot input device;

wherein the pilot input device allows a pilot on the aircraft to change the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility;

and wherein the processor disables the pilot input device, so that the pilot on the aircraft cannot control the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the pilot input device includes a device for manually controlling flight of the aircraft and a device for automatically controlling flight of the aircraft by setting a course for an automatic pilot to follow.

6. An apparatus comprising

a receiver;

and

a processor connected by a communications link to the receiver;

wherein the receiver receives a signal from an airport and provides the signal to the processor;

wherein the processor determines from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport;

and wherein the processor prevents the aircraft from taking off, if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising

a transmitter;

and

wherein the transmitter sends a signal from the aircraft indicating that the aircraft has an operational device for altering the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein

the processor prevents the aircraft from taking off, at least in part, by disabling a pilot input device so that a pilot on the aircraft cannot control the flight of the aircraft.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver located on an aircraft; and

a processor connected by a communications link to the receiver;

wherein the global positioning satellite receiver receives a signal from a satellite, wherein the signal indicates the position of the aircraft, and the global positioning satellite receiver provides the signal to the processor;

wherein the processor determines from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility;

and wherein the processor changes a course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein

the off limits facility is a building.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein

the processor prevents a pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal from an off limits facility;

determining from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of the off limits facility;

and changing the course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein

the off limits facility is a building.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein

the off limits facility is a military installation.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

preventing a pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft when the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein

the pilot is prevented from controlling the flight of the aircraft by disabling a pilot input device which when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility allows the pilot to control the flight of the aircraft.

17. The method of claim 16

wherein the pilot input device allows the pilot to control the flight of the aircraft either manually or by setting a course for an automatic pilot to follow when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility.

18. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal from an airport;

determining from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport;

preventing the aircraft from taking off, if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising

sending a signal from the aircraft indicating that the aircraft has an operational device for altering the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility.

20. A method comprising the steps of

receives a signal from a satellite, wherein the signal can be used to determine a position of an aircraft;

determining from the signal whether the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility;

and changing the course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising

preventing a pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein

the step of preventing the pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft included disabling a flight control device which allows a pilot to control the flight of the aircraft when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility.