SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COLLISION AVOIDANCE

• US 20160163208A1
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Zhou, Zhi, Joshi, Narendra Digamber, Zhou, Rui, Hoover, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 9,836,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/228 remotely controlled; operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

A method implemented using at least one processor includes receiving a plurality of images acquired from a plurality of image sensors disposed on a vehicle configured to engage an aircraft for ground operations. The method further includes determining at least one parameter about a potential obstacle based on the plurality of images and a machine vision algorithm. The method also includes generating an alert signal based on the at least one parameter, useful for avoiding collision of the aircraft.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance system comprising:

at least one processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor via a communications link;

a plurality of sensors disposed at a plurality of locations on a vehicle taxiing the aircraft, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a plurality of image sensors and the vehicle is configured to engage an aircraft for ground operations;

a data acquisition module communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors that receives a plurality of images from the plurality of image sensors; and

a collision avoidance module communicatively coupled to the data acquisition module and that;

determines at least one parameter about an obstacle based on the plurality of images and a machine vision algorithm; and

generates an alert signal based on the at least one parameter, wherein the alert signal is indicative of the collision condition, and wherein the alert signal is useful for avoiding collision of the aircraft with the obstacle near the vehicle;

wherein, at least one of the data acquisition module and the collision avoidance module is stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one of proximity sensor and a radio frequency sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition module acquires a real time video at a plurality of frame rates.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the collision avoidance module determines a distance value, a velocity value, an acceleration value and a direction parameter as the at least one parameter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the collision avoidance module identifies at least one of a gate, a service vehicle, and another aircraft as the obstacle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the collision avoidance module performs at least one of registration, segmentation, motion analysis, edge detection, and pattern recognition operation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the collision avoidance module determines a signal indicative of a collision condition.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the collision avoidance module identifies a blocking condition.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the alert signal comprises at least one of an audible signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, an electrical signal indicative of the collision condition.

10. A method for collision avoidance comprising:

receiving a plurality of images acquired from a plurality of sensors disposed on a vehicle taxiing the aircraft, wherein the vehicle is configured to engage an aircraft for ground operations;

determining at least one parameter about an obstacle by a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of image sensors, based on the plurality of images and a machine vision algorithm; and

generating an alert signal based on the at least one parameter by the processor, wherein the alert signal is indicative of the collision condition, and wherein the alert signal is useful for avoiding collision of the aircraft with the obstacle near the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of proximity sensor and a radio frequency sensor.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving comprises acquiring a video in real time with a plurality frame rates.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining comprises computing at least one of a distance value, a velocity value, an acceleration value, a direction parameter.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining comprises computing the at least one parameter corresponding to at least one of a gate, a service vehicle, and another aircraft.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining comprises performing at least one of registration, segmentation, motion analysis, edge detection, and pattern recognition operations.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein determining comprises identifying a collision condition of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the collision condition comprises blocking condition.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein generating comprises determining at least one of an audible signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal and an electrical signal indicative of the collision condition.