Systems and methods for multi-sensor collision avoidance

• US 20090184862A1
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aviaton Communication & Surveillance Systems, LLC, Aviation Communication and Surveillance Systems LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aviation Communication and Surveillance Systems LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stayton, Gregory T., Smith, Mark D., Tremose, Michael F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,864,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/30
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft 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

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a collision avoidance system for a host aircraft comprising a plurality of sensors for providing data about other aircraft that may be employed to determine one or more parameters to calculate future positions of the other aircraft, a processor to determine whether any combinations of the calculated future positions of the other aircraft are correlated or uncorrelated, and a collision avoidance module that uses the correlated or uncorrelated calculated future positions to provide a signal instructing the performance of a collision avoidance maneuver when a collision threat exists between the host aircraft and at least one of the other aircraft.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance system for a host aircraft, comprising:

a plurality of sensors for providing data about other aircraft that may be employed to determine one or more parameters to calculate future positions of the other aircraft;

a processor to determine whether any combinations of the calculated future positions of the other aircraft are correlated or uncorrelated; and

a collision avoidance module that uses the correlated or uncorrelated calculated future positions to provide a signal instructing the performance of a collision avoidance maneuver when a collision threat exists between the host aircraft and at least one of the other aircraft.

2. The collision avoidance system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes a TCAS and an optical sensor.

3. The collision avoidance system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes an audio sensor.

4. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is a TCAS resolution advisory when (a) one or more future positions calculated by a processor for the TCAS predicts a collision and (b) no other future positions have been determined based on data from the optical sensor.

5. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is a TCAS resolution advisory when (a) one or more future positions calculated by a processor for the TCAS predicts a collision and (b) one or more future positions have been determined based on data from the optical sensor but the one or more future positions that have been determined based on data from the optical sensor do not correlate to the one or more future positions calculated by the processor for the TCAS and do not predict a collision.

6. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is a TCAS resolution advisory when (a) one or more future positions calculated by a processor for the TCAS predicts a collision and (b) one or more future positions have been determined based on data from the optical sensor that correlate to the one or more future positions calculated by the processor for the TCAS and predict a collision, while a predefined minimum vertical separation is determined to exist.

7. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is a TCAS resolution advisory and a horizontal maneuver when (a) one or more future positions calculated by a processor for the TCAS predicts a collision and (b) one or more future positions have been determined based on data from the optical sensor that correlate to the one or more future positions calculated by the processor for the TCAS and predict a collision, while a predefined minimum vertical separation is determined not to exist.

8. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is a TCAS resolution advisory when (a) one or more future positions calculated by a processor for the TCAS predicts a collision and (b) one or more future positions have been determined based on data from the optical sensor but do not correlate to the one or more future positions calculated by the processor for the TCAS and do predict a collision, while a predefined minimum vertical separation is determined to exist.

9. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is a TCAS resolution advisory and a horizontal maneuver when (a) one or more future positions calculated by a processor for the TCAS predicts a collision and (b) one or more future positions have been determined based on data from the optical sensor but do not correlate to the one or more future positions calculated by the processor for the TCAS and do predict a collision, while a predefined minimum vertical separation is determined not to exist.

10. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is a horizontal maneuver when (a) one or more future positions calculated by a processor for the TCAS do not predict a collision and (b) one or more future positions have been determined based on data from the optical sensor and do predict a collision.

11. The collision avoidance system of claim 1 wherein the signal instructs a pilot to perform the collision avoidance maneuver.

12. The collision avoidance system of claim 1 wherein the signal prompts automatic performance of the collision avoidance maneuver.

13. A method of operating a collision avoidance system for a host aircraft, comprising:

receiving from a plurality of sensors data about other aircraft;

determining from the received data one or more parameters to calculate future positions of the other aircraft;

determining with a processor whether any combinations of the calculated future positions of the other aircraft are correlated or uncorrelated; and

providing with a collision avoidance module that uses the correlated or uncorrelated calculated future positions a signal instructing the performance of a collision avoidance maneuver when a collision threat exists between the host aircraft and at least one of the other aircraft.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of sensors includes a TCAS and an optical sensor.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of sensors includes an audio sensor.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the signal instructs a pilot to perform the collision avoidance maneuver.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the signal prompts automatic performance of the collision avoidance maneuver.

18. A method for detecting a target comprising:

receiving data pertaining to the target from a plurality of sensors by a Traffic Collision Awareness System (TCAS);

determining, using the TCAS, at least one of a range to the target and a bearing to the target based on the data from each sensor of the plurality of sensors;

presenting, using the TCAS, at least one of the range to the target and the bearing to the target.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

an optical sensor;

an infrared sensor;

an acoustic sensor;

an active radar system;

a passive radar system; and

combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining, using the TCAS, a collision avoidance maneuver for a vehicle based on the data.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining, using the TCAS, a rate of change of the bearing for the target, wherein determining the collision avoidance maneuver is further based on the rate of change of bearing for the target.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the determination of the collision avoidance maneuver is further based on at least one performance capability of the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft, and the at least one performance capability of the aircraft includes at least one of a turn rate and a climb rate.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is further based on at least one of an accuracy level for the determined range for the target and an accuracy level for the determined bearing for the target.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft, and the collision avoidance maneuver includes at least one of a horizontal maneuver and a vertical maneuver.

26. A traffic collision avoidance system comprising:

a user interface;

a plurality of sensors; and

a computer system in communication with the user interface and the plurality of sensors, wherein the computer system comprises;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive data pertaining to the target from the plurality of sensors;

determine at least one of a range to the target and a bearing to the target based on the data from each sensor of the plurality of sensors; and

present at least one of the range to the target and the bearing to the target through the user interface.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

an optical sensor;

an infrared sensor;

an acoustic sensor;

an active radar system;

a passive radar system; and

combinations thereof.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the memory further stores instructions to determine a collision avoidance maneuver for a vehicle based on the data.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the memory further stores instructions to determine a rate of change of the bearing for the target, wherein determining the collision avoidance maneuver is further based on the rate of change of bearing for the target.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the determination of the collision avoidance maneuver is further based on at least one performance capability of the vehicle.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft, and the at least one performance capability of the aircraft includes at least one of a turn rate and a climb rate.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is further based on at least one of an accuracy level for the determined range for the target and an accuracy level for the determined bearing for the target.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft, and the collision avoidance maneuver includes at least one of a horizontal maneuver and a vertical maneuver.