Aircraft visual approach/landing reproducer device and system

• US 3,999,007 A
• Filed: 10/09/1975
• Issued: 12/21/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl Joseph Crane
• Original Assignee: Carl Joseph Crane
• Inventors: Crane, Carl Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Richardson, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coles, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US05/621,064
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 178/DIG. 20, 178/6, 178/6.8, 35/10.2, 35/12, 343/6 TV, 343/6 R, 343/6 A, 343/5 LS, 343/5 GC, 235/150.22
• US Class Current: 348/123
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A cockpit-mounted cathode ray tube presents to the pilot a visual equivalent of the approach/landing during obscure visibility of an aircraft which contains a miniature illuminated runway that is being "approached" by a video camera that reproduces the position and position changes of the aircraft with respect to the real runway. Ground-based instrument landing system elements are used to air derive radio information to secure the operation of the device.

Claims

1. An airborne visual approach/landing reproducer device and system comprising a miniature runway fixed within the aircraft, an endless belt with horizon line and cloudspace depicted thereon positioned beyond the far end of the said miniature runway, a video camera mounted for multiple degrees of freedom in proximity to the said miniature runway, means for positioning the video camera proportionately and in exact scalar value to the position and movements of the said aircraft with respect to its selected ground-based runway, gyro means for tilting the video camera about its three axes that correspond to the tilt of the said aircraft about its axes of roll, pitch and yaw, airborne electronic receivers responsive to ground transmitters that define runway longitudinal axis, glide slope axis, path distance to and along the said ground runway, marker beacon, a radio altimeter, a navigational transceiver, electrical, electronic, and photoelectric circuitry interconnecting the said video camera drive means for positioning the said video camera, a cathode ray tube for presenting to the aircraft pilot the imagery detected by the aid video camera as it approaches the said miniature airborne runway and means for raising or lowering the said horizon line in unison with the raising and lowering of the said video camera, and additional video cameras located within the said aircraft for focusing on installed instruments, and switching means for selecting and/or mixing one or the other of said additional video camera outputs through closed circuitry connecting the said cathode ray tube visible to the pilot of the said aircraft.

2. The approach/landing reproducer device and system defined in claim 1, employing a controlled mobile video camera arranged for movement in pitch and in yaw and having a reticule located substantially at the focal plane of the lens of the video camera, the said reticule arranged for rotational movement, and servomechanism means geared to the said reticule made responsive to the gyro roll axis synchro output of the gyro platform;

for presenting visual roll information on the pilot'"'"'s cathode ray tube.

3. The device of claim 1, incorporating a video camera, the said camera arranged to employ a pinhole lens, and infrared and/or near infrared illumination means to illuminate the objects scanned by the said video camera.

4. The airborne approach/landing reproducer device and system of claim 1 employing marker beacon energy to transfer by relay input the glide slope signal away from the associated converter meter and subsequently insure radio altimeter output to the associated converter meter.

5. The airborne approach/landing reproducer device and system of claim 1 provided with marker beacon relay mechanism for automatically switching off the received energy from the distance measuring transmitter located at the groundbased runway threshold to that emanting from the distance measuring transmitter located at the far end of the said runway, and visual approach slope boxes located adjacent the threshold of the miniature runway for displaying glide slope angle to the pilot'"'"'s cathode ray tube by means of the video camera, and means for manually setting the glide slope angle and the runway length of the miniature runway.