Surface detection system for airports
First Claim
1. A surface detection system for monitoring the positions of pilot operated aircraft while moving on the surface of an airport facility having a control tower, two runways having thresholds and taxiways accessing said thresholds and crossing taxiways extending between said runways, comprising:
- a machine readable code positioned upon and uniquely identifying said aircraft;
a threshold scanner assemblage positioned for scanning the threshold of each said runway to derive first scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code and the location of a scanned aircraft;
a taxiway scanner assemblage positioned for scanning select locations of said taxiways to derive second scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code and the location of a said scanned aircraft;
transmission means for conveying said first and second scan signals;
a display at said control tower responsive to input signals for displaying the location of said scanned aircraft;
a memory retaining accessible aircraft identifying data corresponding with each said code; and
control means responsive to said first and second scan signals for accessing said aircraft identifying data and generating said display input signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surface detection system for airport facilities is described wherein a plurality of infrared (IR) scanners as well as presence/absence detectors are located with respect to taxiways and runways of an airport complex. These devices are arranged to perform in conjunction with local processors to generate data from aircraft and ground based vehicles available from a bar coding identification of both forms of vehicles. These data are utilized to compute alert conditions as well as to develop a real time map of the airport which may be provided at a tower installation for air traffic control utilization as well as at an aircraft flight deck during the course of ground maneuvering. Through the utilization of aircraft tail numbers as an index, a master host memory may be developed which includes flight numbers, aircraft characteristics and the like which may be employed for evolving alert conditions and the like.
56 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A surface detection system for monitoring the positions of pilot operated aircraft while moving on the surface of an airport facility having a control tower, two runways having thresholds and taxiways accessing said thresholds and crossing taxiways extending between said runways, comprising:
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a machine readable code positioned upon and uniquely identifying said aircraft; a threshold scanner assemblage positioned for scanning the threshold of each said runway to derive first scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code and the location of a scanned aircraft; a taxiway scanner assemblage positioned for scanning select locations of said taxiways to derive second scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code and the location of a said scanned aircraft; transmission means for conveying said first and second scan signals; a display at said control tower responsive to input signals for displaying the location of said scanned aircraft; a memory retaining accessible aircraft identifying data corresponding with each said code; and control means responsive to said first and second scan signals for accessing said aircraft identifying data and generating said display input signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for monitoring the position of pilot operated aircraft while moving on the surface of an airport facility having a control tower, a runway with a threshold and a turn-off location and taxiway surfaces accessing said threshold and turn-off location, comprising the steps of:
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providing a machine readable code at a predetermined location on and uniquely identifying said aircraft; accessing said aircraft bar code by carrying out the scanning of said airport surface at said threshold and turn-off location to derive scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code; providing a memory for retaining aircraft identifying data corresponding with each said code; accessing said memory in response to said scan signals to identify said aircraft and its position on said airport surface; and providing a visually perceptible indication of said aircraft identity and position at said control tower. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A surface detection system for monitoring the position of pilot operated aircraft while moving on the surface of an airport facility having a control tower, a runway, a runway turn-off and a taxiway for accessing said runway and runway turn-off, comprising:
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a machine readable code positioned upon and uniquely identifying said aircraft; a runway turn-off scanner assemblage positioned for scanning said runway at said turn-off to derive first scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code and the location of a scanned aircraft; a taxiway scanner assemblage positioned for scanning select locations of said taxiway to derive second scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code and the location of said scanned aircraft; transmission means for conveying said first and second scan signals; a display at said control tower responsive to input signals for displaying the location of said scanned aircraft; a memory retaining accessible aircraft identifying data corresponding with each said code; and control means responsive to said first and second scan signals for accessing said aircraft identifying data and generating said display input signals. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A detection system for monitoring the positions of pilot operated aircraft having a lower disposed surface while airborne over and adjacent to the approach portion of a runway during a landing at an airport facility having a control towering procedure, comprising:
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a machine readable code positioned upon said lower disposed surface and uniquely identifying said aircraft; a scanner assemblage positioned adjacent said runway in the vicinity of said approach portion for scanning generally vertically over said runway to derive scan signals corresponding with said machine readable code and the location of a scanned aircraft over said runway; transmission means for conveying said scan signals; a display at said control tower responsive to input signals for displaying the location and identification of said scanned aircraft; a memory retaining accessible aircraft identifying data corresponding with each said code; and control means responsive to said scan signals for accessing stud aircraft identifying data and generating said display input signals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification