Foreign object detection system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces comprising:
- a plurality of foreign object detector modules mounted on a corresponding plurality of existing aircraft travel surface lighting supports, said plurality of foreign object detector modules providing a corresponding plurality of detection outputs; and
a high speed detection output analyzer operative to receive at least one of said plurality of detection outputs and to provide a high speed output indication of foreign object presence.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces including a plurality of foreign object detector modules mounted on a corresponding plurality of existing aircraft travel surface lighting supports, the plurality of foreign object detector modules providing a corresponding plurality of detection outputs and a high speed detection output analyzer operative to receive at least one of the plurality of detection outputs and to provide a high speed output indication of foreign object presence.
-
Citations
126 Claims
-
1. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces comprising:
-
a plurality of foreign object detector modules mounted on a corresponding plurality of existing aircraft travel surface lighting supports, said plurality of foreign object detector modules providing a corresponding plurality of detection outputs; and
a high speed detection output analyzer operative to receive at least one of said plurality of detection outputs and to provide a high speed output indication of foreign object presence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
2. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway and said system employs at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
3. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules communicate with a computer system comprising an operator console operative to provide a foreign object presence alarm and an image of the foreign object to an operator.
-
4. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 3 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is located in the vicinity of said operator console.
-
5. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and also including a laser pointer associated with at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules to assist in on-site inspections.
-
6. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module and a local processing module which receives an output from said at least one foreign object sensor module and provides said detection output including at least an initial determination of whether a foreign object is present.
-
7. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 6 and wherein said local processing module comprises multiple sensor correlation software providing an output based on the correlation between said output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in said detector module.
-
8. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module which provides said detection output to said high speed detection output analyzer which is remotely located with respect thereto.
-
9. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 8 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer comprises multiple sensor correlation software providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in individual ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
10. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 8 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer comprises multiple detector correlation software providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
11. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprises a foreign object sensor module comprising at least one camera and at least one illuminator.
-
12. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 11 and wherein said at least one illuminator comprises a fixed field illuminator.
-
13. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 11 and wherein said at least one illuminator comprises a scanning illuminator.
-
14. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 11 and wherein said at least one camera comprises a fixed field camera.
-
15. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 11 and wherein said at least one camera comprises a scanning camera.
-
16. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 11 and wherein said at least one camera includes a zoom functionality.
-
17. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of foreign object detector modules also has associated therewith at least one of a light level sensor, a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor.
-
18. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and also comprising controlling software which comprises:
-
a communication module which handles communications with said plurality of detector modules via a communications network; and
management software which interfaces with said communications module.
-
-
19. A system according to claim 18 and wherein said management software interfaces with existing airport control systems, and with a database, a graphical user interface having image manipulation capability and an alarm indicator.
-
20. A system according to claim 18 and wherein said management software also interfaces with multiple detector correlation software, which provides information based on outputs from multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
21. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 1 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer provides at least first and second modes of operation, said first mode of operation being employed under conditions of normal visibility and said second mode of operation being employed under conditions of impaired visibility.
-
22. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 21 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer provides differing levels of signal/noise filtering for operation in said first and second modes of operation.
-
23. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 1 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer employs at least one of frame segmentation, gray level histogram comparison and edge detection.
-
24. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 23 and wherein said frame segmentation and gray level histogram comparison are employed to generate gray scale difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
-
25. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 23 and wherein said edge detection is employed to generate edge extraction difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
-
26. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is operative to provide said high speed output indication of foreign object presence within less than 1 minute.
-
27. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 18 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is operative to provide said high speed output indication of foreign object presence within less than 1 minute.
-
28. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and also comprising a storage unit, for storing said detection outputs in a time sequence.
-
29. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 28 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is operative to compare said detection outputs to said stored detection outputs.
-
30. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 18 and also comprising a storage unit, for storing said detection outputs in a time sequence.
-
31. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 30 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is operative to compare said detection outputs to said stored detection outputs.
-
32. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
33. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprise a plurality of cameras, and wherein said cameras have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
2. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 1 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway and said system employs at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
-
34. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces comprising:
-
a plurality of foreign object detector modules located along aircraft travel surfaces and providing a corresponding plurality of detection outputs; and
a high speed detection output analyzer operative to receive said plurality of detection outputs and to provide a high speed output indication of foreign object presence within less than 1 minute. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
-
35. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway and said system employs at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
36. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules communicate with a computer system comprising an operator console operative to provide a foreign object presence alarm and an image of the foreign object to an operator.
-
37. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 36 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is located in the vicinity of said operator console.
-
38. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and also including a laser pointer associated with at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules to assist in on-site inspections.
-
39. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module and a local processing module which receives an output from said at least one foreign object sensor module and provides said detection output including at least an initial determination of whether a foreign object is present.
-
40. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 39 and wherein said local processing module comprises multiple sensor correlation software providing an output based on the correlation between said output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in said detector module.
-
41. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module which provides said detection output to said high speed detection output analyzer which is remotely located with respect thereto.
-
42. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 41 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer comprises multiple sensor correlation software providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in individual ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
43. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 41 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer comprises multiple detector correlation software providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
44. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 wherein each of said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprises a foreign object sensor module comprising at least one camera and at least one illuminator.
-
45. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 44 and wherein said at least one illuminator comprises a fixed field illuminator.
-
46. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 44 and wherein said at least one illuminator comprises a scanning illuminator.
-
47. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 44 and wherein said at least one camera comprises a fixed field camera.
-
48. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 44 and wherein said at least one camera comprises a scanning camera.
-
49. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 44 and wherein said at least one camera includes a zoom functionality.
-
50. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 44 wherein each of said plurality of foreign object detector modules also has associated therewith at least one of a light level sensor, a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor.
-
51. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and also comprising controlling software which comprises:
-
a communication module which handles communications with said plurality of detector modules via a communications network, and management software which interfaces with said communications module.
-
-
52. A system according to claim 51 and wherein said management software interfaces with existing airport control systems, and with a database, a graphical user interlace having image manipulation capability and an alarm indicator.
-
53. A system according to claim 51 and wherein said management software also interfaces with multiple detector correlation software, which provides information based on outputs from multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
54. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 34 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer provides at least first and second modes of operation, said first mode of operation being employed under conditions of normal visibility and said second mode of operation being employed under conditions of impaired visibility.
-
55. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 54 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer provides differing levels of signal/noise filtering for operation in said first and second modes of operation.
-
56. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 34 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer employs at least one of frame segmentation, gray level histogram comparison and edge detection.
-
57. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 56 and wherein said frame segmentation and gray level histogram comparison are employed to generate gray scale difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
-
58. A system for detection of foreign objects according to claim 56 and wherein said edge detection is employed to generate edge extraction difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
-
59. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and also comprising a storage unit, for storing said detection outputs in a time sequence.
-
60. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 59 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is operative to compare said detection outputs to said stored detection outputs.
-
61. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 51 and also comprising a storage unit, for storing said detection outputs in a tune sequence.
-
62. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 61 and wherein said high speed detection output analyzer is operative to compare said detection outputs to said stored detection outputs.
-
63. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
64. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprise a plurality of cameras, and wherein said cameras have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
35. A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 34 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway and said system employs at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
-
65. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces comprising:
-
mounting a plurality of foreign object detector modules on a corresponding plurality of existing aircraft travel surface lighting supports;
operating said plurality of foreign object detector modules providing a corresponding plurality of detection outputs; and
analyzing said detection outputs at high speed to provide a high speed output indication of foreign object presence. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
-
66. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway, and the method comprises employing at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
67. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and also comprising:
-
communicating with an operator console; and
providing a foreign object presence alarm and an image of the foreign object to an operator.
-
-
68. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 67 and wherein analyzing said detection outputs takes place in the vicinity of said operator console.
-
69. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and also including operating a laser pointer associated with at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules to assist in on-site inspections.
-
70. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module which views a portion of an aircraft travel surface and a local processing module which receives an output from said at least one foreign object sensor module and provides said detection output including at least an initial determination of whether a foreign object is present.
-
71. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 70 and also comprising providing an output based on the correlation between said output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in said detector module.
-
72. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module which views a portion of an aircraft travel surface and provides said detection output to said high speed detection output analyzer which is remotely located with respect thereto.
-
73. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 72 and also comprising providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in individual ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
74. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 72 and also comprising providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
75. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 wherein said operating said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprises capturing an image of a portion of said aircraft travel surface, with at least one camera.
-
76. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 75 and also comprising illuminating a portion of an aircraft travel surface with at least one illuminator.
-
77. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 76 and wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating using a fixed field illuminator.
-
78. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 76 and wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating using a scanning illuminator.
-
79. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 75 and wherein said capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a fixed field camera.
-
80. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 75 and wherein said capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a scanning camera.
-
81. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 75 and wherein said capturing an image comprises capturing an image using a camera with a zoom functionality.
-
82. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 75 wherein each of said plurality of foreign object detector modules also has associated therewith at least one of a light level sensor, a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor which provide inputs useful in said analyzing step.
-
83. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and wherein said analyzing said detection outputs at high speed comprises:
-
communicating with said plurality of detector modules, via a communications network, interfacing said communications network with management software.
-
-
84. A method according to claim 83 and also comprising interfacing said management software with existing airport control systems, a database, a graphical user interface having image manipulation capability and an alarm indicator.
-
85. A method according to claim 83 and also comprising interfacing said management software with multiple detector correlation software, which provides corroborated information based on outputs from multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
86. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 65 and wherein said analyzing said detection outputs at high speed comprises operating in at least first and second modes of operation, said first mode of operation being employed under conditions of normal visibility and said second mode of operation being employed under conditions of impaired visibility.
-
87. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 86 and also comprising providing differing levels of signal/noise filtering for operation in said first and second nodes of operation.
-
88. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 65 and wherein said analyzing said detection outputs at high speed employs at least one of frame segmentation, gray level histogram comparison and edge detection.
-
89. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 88 and comprising:
-
employing said frame segmentation and gray level histogram comparison; and
generating gray scale difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
-
-
90. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 88 and comprising:
-
employing said edge detection; and
generating edge extraction difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
-
-
91. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 86 and also comprising providing said high speed output indication of foreign object presence within less than 1 minute.
-
92. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 83 and also comprising providing said high speed output indication of foreign object presence within less than 1 minute.
-
93. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and also comprising:
-
storing said detection outputs in a time sequence; and
subsequently comparing said detection outputs to previously stored detection outputs.
-
-
94. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 83 and also comprising:
-
storing said detection outputs in a time sequence; and
subsequently comparing said detection outputs to previously stored detection outputs.
-
-
95. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
96. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprise a plurality of cameras, and wherein said cameras have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
66. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 65 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway, and the method comprises employing at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
-
97. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces comprising:
-
locating a plurality of foreign object detector modules along airport travel surfaces;
operating said plurality of foreign object detector modules providing a corresponding plurality of detection outputs; and
analyzing said detection outputs at high speed to provide a high speed output indication of foreign object presence within less than 1 minute. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126)
-
98. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway and the method comprises employing at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
99. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and also comprising:
-
communicating with an operator console; and
providing a foreign object presence alarm and an image of the foreign object to an operator.
-
-
100. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 99 and wherein analyzing said detection outputs takes place in the vicinity of said operator console.
-
101. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and also including operating a laser pointer associated with at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules to assist in on-site inspections.
-
102. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module which views a portion of an aircraft travel surface and a local processing module which receives an output from said at least one foreign object sensor module and provides said detection output including at least an initial determination of whether a foreign object is present.
-
103. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 102 and also comprising providing an output based on the correlation between said output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in said detector module.
-
104. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and wherein at least one of said plurality of foreign object detector modules incorporates at least one foreign object sensor module which views a portion of an aircraft travel surface and provides said detection output to said high speed detection output analyzer which is remotely located with respect thereto.
-
105. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 104 and also comprising providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in individual ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
106. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 104 and also comprising providing an output based on the correlation between said detection output from multiple ones of said at least one foreign object sensor module in multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
107. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 wherein said operating said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprises capturing an image of a portion of said aircraft travel surface, with at least one camera.
-
108. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 107 and also comprising illuminating a portion of an aircraft travel surface, with at least one illuminator.
-
109. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 108 and wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating using a fixed field illuminator.
-
110. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 108 and wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating using a scanning illuminator.
-
111. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 107 and wherein said capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a fixed field camera.
-
112. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 107 and wherein said capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a scanning camera.
-
113. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 107 and wherein said capturing an image comprises capturing an image using a camera with a zoom functionality.
-
114. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 107 wherein each of said plurality of foreign object detector modules also has associated therewith at least one of a light level sensor, a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor which provide inputs useful in said analyzing step.
-
115. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and wherein said analyzing said detection outputs at high speed comprises:
-
communicating with said plurality of detector modules, via a communications network;
interfacing said communications network with management software.
-
-
116. A method according to claim 115 and also comprising interfacing existing airport control systems, a database, a graphical user interface having image manipulation capability and an alarm indicator with said management software.
-
117. A method according to claim 115 and also comprising interfacing said management software with multiple detector correlation software, which provides corroborated information based on outputs from multiple ones of said plurality of detector modules.
-
118. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 97 and wherein said analyzing said detection outputs at high speed comprises operating in at least first and second modes of operation, said first mode of operation being employed under conditions of normal visibility and said second mode of operation being employed under conditions of impaired visibility.
-
119. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 118 and also comprising providing differing levels of signal/noise filtering for operation in said first and second modes of operation.
-
120. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 97 and wherein said analyzing said detection outputs at high speed employs at least one of frame segmentation, gray level histogram comparison and edge detection.
-
121. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 120 and
employing said frame segmentation and gray level histogram comparison; - and
generating gray scale difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
- and
-
122. A method for detection of foreign objects according to claim 120 and comprising:
-
employing said edge detection, and generating edge extraction difference maps highlighting suspected foreign objects.
-
-
123. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and also comprising:
-
storing said detection outputs in a time sequence; and
subsequently comparing said detection outputs to previously stored detection outputs.
-
-
124. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 115 and also comprising:
-
storing said detection outputs in a time sequence; and
subsequently comparing said detection outputs to previously stored detection outputs.
-
-
125. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
126. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 and wherein said plurality of foreign object detector modules comprise a plurality of cameras, and wherein said cameras have at least partially overlapping fields of view.
-
98. A method for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces according to claim 97 wherein said airport travel surfaces include at least one taxiway and at least one runway and the method comprises employing at least some existing electrical power infrastructure associated with existing runway and taxiway lighting fixtures.
-
Specification
- Resources
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
-
Current AssigneeX - Sight Systems Limited
-
Original AssigneeIntegritech System Engineering Limited
-
InventorsGoner, Aviv, Fisher, Moshe, Golan, Aviram, Nitzan, Alon
-
Granted Patent
-
Time in Patent OfficeDays
-
Field of Search
-
US Class Current340/945
-
CPC Class CodesB64F 1/18 Visual or acoustic landing ...G06T 2207/30108 Industrial image inspectionG06T 2207/30236 Traffic on road, railway or...G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. ...G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspectionG06T 7/254 involving subtraction of im...G06T 7/292 Multi-camera trackingG08G 5/0026 located on the groundG08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from...G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids...G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids...H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a...