MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING GROUND MOVEMENT SAFETY IN AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH NON-ENGINE DRIVE MEANS

• US 20150142214A1
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Borealis Technical Limited (Borealis Exploration Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Borealis Technical Limited (Borealis Exploration Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cox, Isaiah W., Cox, Rodney T., Vana, Jan, Goldman, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,958,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/405 Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0083 to help an aircraft pilot in the rolling phase
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

An improved monitoring and control system capable of providing automatic control of ground movement in an aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement to enhance airport ground safety and efficient ground travel is provided. The monitoring and control system is installed on aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means controllable to move the aircraft autonomously on the ground and includes monitoring means positioned in locations on the aircraft selected to obtain a maximum amount of information relating to an aircraft'"'"'s ground position and operation, processor means, data transmission means, and manual or automatic control means to control and direct operation of an aircraft'"'"'s non-engine drive means to move the aircraft autonomously, safely and efficiently on the ground. The improved monitoring and control system can be employed with one or a number of aircraft simultaneously to increase safety and efficiency of airport ground operations.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling independent ground travel of one or more aircraft equipped with a non-engine drive means controllable to move the aircraft on the ground in a ground environment, said system comprising:

a. non-engine drive means onboard one or more aircraft traveling on the ground in a ground environment mounted in driving relationship with one or more aircraft wheels to drive said aircraft autonomously on the ground;

b. monitoring means for obtaining information about selected parameters or conditions relating to operation of said non-engine drive means to move an aircraft on the ground and said aircraft'"'"'s external ground environment;

c. processor means for receiving, storing, and processing the information obtained by said monitoring means;

d. data transmission means in communication with said non-engine drive means, said monitoring means, and said processor means capable of transmitting information about said selected parameters or conditions and said aircraft'"'"'s external ground environment among and between said non-engine drive means, said monitoring means, and said processor means; and

e. manual or automatic control means in communication with said non-engine drive means, said monitoring means, said processor means, and said data transmission means, wherein said control means is operable manually or automatically to control operation of said non-engine drive means to move said aircraft as required in response to transmitted information about said selected parameters or conditions and said aircraft'"'"'s external ground environment.

2. The system of claim 1, said control means comprises intelligent software means for automatically controlling operation of said non-engine drive means to move said aircraft in response to said transmitted information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said monitoring means comprises one or more sensor means located in or on said aircraft for optimally obtaining said information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said sensor means comprises camera means for obtaining visual information relating to said selected parameters or conditions and providing a visual display with said visual information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said sensor means comprises a plurality of camera means located in positions on said aircraft selected to obtain maximum visual information relating to said parameters or conditions.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said sensor means is designed and located to obtain information relating to operating parameters and conditions of said non-engine drive means.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said sensor means is designed and located to obtain information relating to parameters and conditions of said aircraft'"'"'s external environment.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said sensor means comprise proximity sensors and said information comprises positional information relating to location of objects external to said aircraft.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said data transmission means comprises a wireless communication network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said wireless network comprises the aircraft'"'"'s existing wireless network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said wireless network further comprises an airport wireless network in communication with said aircraft'"'"'s existing wireless network.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising warning indicator means in communication with said processor means designed to generate a warning signal in response to a signal from said processor indicating that information relating to a selected parameter or condition requires that autonomous ground movement of said aircraft by said non-engine drive means should be altered, stopped, or should not be started.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said warning indicator means comprise a visual or an audio warning signal.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said warning indicator means is configured to communicate said warning signal to a selected location inside or outside the aircraft.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein said data transmission means comprises a wireless network.

16. The system of claim 2, wherein said monitoring means comprises a plurality of cameras and a plurality of sensors positioned on said aircraft to obtain maximum information about said parameters or conditions relating to operation of said non-engine drive means and said aircraft external environment and said control means automatically controls said non-engine drive means to move said aircraft autonomously on the ground in response to said information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said plurality of cameras are positioned at least on each wing tip of an aircraft wing and on a tail end of said aircraft.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said sensors comprise proximity sensors mounted in communication with said non-engine drive means to obtain and communicate to said processor information relating to a location of the aircraft relative to another object external to said aircraft, and said control means automatically operates, stops operation, or changes operation of said non-engine drive means in response to continue, to start, to stop, or to change autonomous ground movement of the aircraft.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said system monitors autonomous ground travel of all aircraft in an airport ground environment.

20. A method for monitoring and controlling autonomous ground travel of one or more aircraft equipped with a non-engine drive means controllable to move the aircraft safely and efficiently on the ground in an airport ground environment, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a. providing a non-engine drive means onboard one or more aircraft in an airport ground environment mounted in driving relationship with one or more aircraft wheels to drive said aircraft autonomously on the ground and controlling said non-engine drive means to drive said aircraft on the ground in said airport environment;

b. providing monitoring means designed to obtain information about selected parameters or conditions relating to operation of said non-engine drive means and the aircraft'"'"'s external environment and monitoring said selected parameters and conditions during operation of said non-engine drive means to move said aircraft autonomously on the ground to obtain said information;

c. providing processor means designed to receive, store, and process the information obtained by said monitoring means and processing said information;

d. providing data transmission means in communication with said non-engine drive means, said monitoring means, and said processor means and transmitting information about said selected parameters or conditions among and between said non-engine drive means, said monitoring means, and said processor means; and

e. providing manual or automatic control means in communication with said non-engine drive means, said monitoring means, said processor means, and said data transmission means, and controlling said control means to operate said non-engine drive means, thereby moving said aircraft autonomously on the ground in the airport ground environment as required in response to information transmitted to said control means about said selected parameters or conditions.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing intelligent software means capable of automatically controlling the control means and automatically controlling aircraft ground movement through automatic operation of said non-engine drive means in response to said selected parameters or conditions.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said monitoring means comprise cameras and operation or environmental condition sensors mounted in selected locations on said aircraft and said non-engine drive means;

said data transmission means are wireless;

visual information from said cameras and operational or environmental information from said sensors is transmitted wirelessly to said control means; and

said control means automatically controls autonomous ground movement of said aircraft through said non-engine drive means in response to the visual information and the operational information.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said information is transmitted wirelessly to a pilot of said aircraft, to ground traffic control, and to air traffic control, and autonomous ground movement of said one or more aircraft by said non-engine drive means is controlled manually by input from the pilot, ground traffic control, or air traffic control or automatically without input from the pilot, ground traffic control, or air traffic control.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein ground movement of all aircraft in an airport ground environment is controlled by ground traffic control or air traffic control from a remote location external to the aircraft.

26. A method for improving the safety of airport ground operations by monitoring and controlling autonomous ground travel of one or more aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means controllable to move said aircraft on the ground in the airport environment, comprising:

a. monitoring operation of a non-engine drive means onboard said one or more aircraft mounted in driving relationship with one or more aircraft wheels to drive said aircraft autonomously on the ground, and monitoring conditions in an airport environment where said autonomously moving aircraft are traveling with a plurality of monitoring means for obtaining information about selected parameters or conditions relating to the operation of the non-engine drive means and the airport environment;

b. processing information obtained by the monitoring of operation and conditions of step a, and transmitting the processed information to a control means operable by a flight crew of said one or more aircraft, to air traffic control, and to ground traffic control; and

c. operating the control means manually or automatically to control operation of said non-engine drive means to autonomously move said aircraft as required in response to the obtained information, thereby moving said one or more aircraft safely and efficiently on the ground in the airport environment.