Airport control/management system

• US 5,200,902 A
• Filed: 10/09/1990
• Issued: 04/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Intellectual Properties Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harold R. Pilley
• Inventors: Pilley, Harold R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/593,214
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 364/427, 364/428, 364/439, 364/449, 342/36, 342/38, 342/454, 342/455, 342/456, 340/947, 340/951, 340/953, 340/954, 340/955, 340/990, 340/991, 340/992, 340/995, 73/178 R, 73/178 T
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/047 Displays or indicators G01S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

Image on a computer screen of a 3-dimensional vehicle path is superimposed on a 3-dimensional map of a local space envelope. The 3-dimensional image is then used to control/manage the traffic in an airport.

Claims

1. Airport control/management system, comprising:

(a) means establishing a precise 3-dimensional digital map of a selected airport space envelope, the map containing GNSS positioning system reference points,

(b) a computer with a monitor screen for receiving and displaying the 3-dimensional map,

(c) means located on at least one vehicle in the airport space envelope to generate and transmit condinuous GNSS-based location reports,

(d) a receiver associated with the computer to receive the said reports from the vehicle,

(e) means associated with the computer and using the said reports to superimpose 3-dimensional image corresponding to the vehicle path onto the 3-dimensional map, and

(f) means associated with the 3-dimensional map for generating airport control and management signals as a function of the vehicle path to control the traffic in an airport.

2. Airport control/management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the GNSS includes space satellites.

3. Airport control/management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer contains a program for 3-dimensional manipulation of the image of the vehicle path and the map to a desired apparent line of observation.

4. Airport control/management method, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a 3-dimensional digital map of an airport space envelope,

(b) displaying the digital map to the monitor screen of a computer,

(c) generating and receiving GNSS positioning signals indicative of the position of a vehicle and using the signals to calculate position, velocity, and heading information about the vehicle, then transmitting said information to a computer,

(d) applying said information to the digital map on the screen to generate a 3-dimensional image on the screen of the said information on the map, and

(e) using the said image in the control/management of the traffic in an airport.

5. Airport control/management method as recited in claim 4, including providing the computer with a computer-aided drawing program which permits an operator to select the apparent direction that the image is viewed.

6. Airport control/management method as recited in claim 4, including transmitting the GNSS positioning signals from the aircraft, and determining the aircraft position from an accurately-located space satellite.

7. Airport control/management method as recited in claim 4, including generating the said map by using aerial photogrammetry and stereoscopic digitalization techniques.

8. Airport control/management method as recited in claim 4 wherein the GNSS positioning signals include position, speed, and heading information.

9. Airport control/management method as recited in claim 4, including receiving the said information and displaying it on the 3-dimensional map as a symbol representing the vehicle position.

10. Vehicle traffic control/management system, comprising:

(a) means establishing a precise 3-dimensional digital map of a selected space envelope, the map containing global positioning system reference points,

(b) a computer with a monitor screen for receiving and displaying the 3-dimensional map,

(c) means located on at least one vehicle in the space envelope continuously to transmit GNSS-based location signals,

(d) a receiver associated with the computer and using the said signals to superimpose a 3-dimensional image corresponding to the vehicle path on the 3-dimensional map, and

(e) means for using the image to control/manage the traffic in an airport.

11. Vehicle traffic control/management system as recited in claim 10, wherein the GNSS includes space satellites.

12. Vehicle traffic control/management system as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer contains a program for manipulating the image of the vehicle path and the map to a desired apparent position of observation.