COLLISION ALERTING AND AVOIDANCE SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A collision alerting and avoidance system for use in an aerial vehicle comprising:
- at least one low profile antenna array disposed on the aerial vehicle, said at least one low profile antenna array including a plurality of horns, said plurality of horns including at least one polar horn, a plurality of 45-degree horns, and a plurality of equatorial horns;
at least one transmitter/receiver probe coupled to each of said at least one polar horn, said 45-degree horns, and said equatorial horns, each said transmitter/receiver probe configured to operate in a transmit mode to transmit electromagnetic waves and a receive mode to receive an echo signal reflected from an obstacle in the area of the aerial vehicle;
a plurality of transmitter/receiver modules coupled to each of said transmitter/receiver probes, each said transmitter/receiver module configured to operate in a transmit mode to produce electromagnetic waves for transmission and a receive mode to receive said echo signal; and
a processor coupled to said plurality of transmitter/receiver modules, said processor configured to control transmission of said electromagnetic waves from said horns and to process said echo signal to provide an output signal containing information regarding said obstacle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A collision alerting and avoidance system for use in an aerial vehicle is presented herein. The system comprises a one low profile antenna array disposed on the aerial vehicle. The array includes a plurality of horns; a polar horn, 45-degree horns, and equatorial horns. A transmitter/receiver probe is coupled to each horn. The transmitter/receiver probes are configured to transmit electromagnetic waves and to receive an echo signal reflected from a threat obstacle. A plurality of transmitter/receiver modules are coupled to each of the transmitter/receiver probes. The transmitter/receiver modules are configured to produce electromagnetic waves for transmission and to receive the echo signal. A processor coupled to the plurality of transmitter/receiver modules controls the transmission of electromagnetic waves from the horns and processes the echo signal to provide an output signal containing information regarding the obstacle.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A collision alerting and avoidance system for use in an aerial vehicle comprising:
-
at least one low profile antenna array disposed on the aerial vehicle, said at least one low profile antenna array including a plurality of horns, said plurality of horns including at least one polar horn, a plurality of 45-degree horns, and a plurality of equatorial horns;
at least one transmitter/receiver probe coupled to each of said at least one polar horn, said 45-degree horns, and said equatorial horns, each said transmitter/receiver probe configured to operate in a transmit mode to transmit electromagnetic waves and a receive mode to receive an echo signal reflected from an obstacle in the area of the aerial vehicle;
a plurality of transmitter/receiver modules coupled to each of said transmitter/receiver probes, each said transmitter/receiver module configured to operate in a transmit mode to produce electromagnetic waves for transmission and a receive mode to receive said echo signal; and
a processor coupled to said plurality of transmitter/receiver modules, said processor configured to control transmission of said electromagnetic waves from said horns and to process said echo signal to provide an output signal containing information regarding said obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
2. The collision alerting and avoidance system of claim 2, further comprising:
a display coupled to said processor for displaying said information to an operator of the aerial vehicle, said information enables said operator to take appropriate action to avoid said obstacle.
-
13. A method of using a collision alerting and avoidance system on an aerial vehicle comprising:
-
disposing at least one low profile antenna array on the aerial vehicle, said at least one low profile antenna array including a plurality of horns, said plurality of horns including at least one polar horn, a plurality of 45-degree horns, and a plurality of equatorial horns;
coupling at least one transmitter/receiver probe to each of said at least one polar horn, said 45-degree horns, and said equatorial horns, each said transmitter/receiver probe configured to operate in a transmit mode and a receive mode;
coupling at least one transmitter/receiver module to each of said transmitter/receiver probes, said at least one transmitter/receiver module configured to produce at least one electromagnetic wave in a transmit mode and to receive an echo signal in a receive mode;
transmitting said at least one electromagnetic wave from at least one of said transmitter/receiver probes;
detecting said echo signal reflected from an obstacle in the area of the aerial vehicle in said at least one transmitter/receiver probe and said at least one transmitter/receiver module;
transmitting another electromagnetic wave from said at least one transmitter/receiver probe and said at least one transmitter/receiver module upon receipt of said echo signal; and
processing said echo signal in a processor coupled to said plurality of transmitter/receiver modules to provide an output signal containing information regarding said obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification