Methods and systems for airport runway lighting and communications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for illuminating a runway to communicate with an airplane comprising:
- illuminating said runway with light having a first color, said first color indicating that said runway is clear for use;
detecting an incursion to said runway; and
changing, responsive to said detected incursion, said illumination of said runway to illuminate said runway with light having a second color different from said first color, said second color indicating that said runway is no longer clear for use.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods according to the exemplary embodiments provide techniques for illuminating airport travel paths, e.g., runways, taxiways, ground vehicle access paths, etc., and to use the illumination to communicate with pilots, aircraft and ground personnel. Different colors of light, which may be generated by lasers, are used in various combinations and in reaction to various inputs.
20 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for illuminating a runway to communicate with an airplane comprising:
-
illuminating said runway with light having a first color, said first color indicating that said runway is clear for use; detecting an incursion to said runway; and changing, responsive to said detected incursion, said illumination of said runway to illuminate said runway with light having a second color different from said first color, said second color indicating that said runway is no longer clear for use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
12. A method for communication between a control tower and an airplane when voice communications have been lost comprising:
-
illuminating a runway, on which the airplane has been assigned to land, using a light of a first color to communicate that landing on said runway for said airplane is cleared by said control tower; illuminating said runway using lights which flash said first color to communicate that landing on said runway is currently cleared, but clearance may be withdrawn by said control tower; illuminating said runway using lights which flash a second color, different than said first color, to communicate to said airplane that it should stop its approach and try again; and illuminating said runway using lights of said second color, if said control tower wants to instruct said airplane to halt its approach. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for illuminating runways of an airport comprising the steps of:
-
illuminating a first runway with a first color light; illuminating a second runway with a second color light different than said first color light; and illuminating a third runway with a third color light different than said first color and said second color. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A method for controlling airport ground lighting from an airplane comprising:
-
sending a signal from said airplane; receiving said signal by a device in communication with said airport ground lighting; and turning on a runway'"'"'s lights in a first color based upon said signal. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. A device for detecting runway incursions comprising:
-
a sensing device for detecting said incursions to a travel path in an airport; and a monitoring device in communications with said sensing device for monitoring said sensing device and sending out an alert if said sensing device is triggered. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method for uniquely identifying aircraft control towers within a predetermined geographical area comprising:
-
assigning a first plurality of identifying colored lights to an aircraft control tower, wherein said light is laser light; and assigning a different plurality of identifying colored lights to each aircraft control tower within said predetermined geographical area, wherein said light is laser light.
-
-
29. A runway illumination system comprising:
-
a laser illumination unit placed proximate an edge of a runway for generating at least one beam of laser light which travels in a path which is substantially parallel to said edge of said runway; at least one reflector placed proximate said edge of said runway for receiving and redirecting said beam of laser light along another edge of said runway; and a termination device of receiving and terminating said beam of laser light. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification