Airborne obstacle collision avoidance apparatus
First Claim
1. Airborne obstacle collision avoidance apparatus, comprising:
- (a) object sensor means for sensing objects within a field of view of the aircraft;
(b) an aircraft navigation system for navigating the aircraft through space;
(c) signal processing means for receiving data from both the object sensor means and the aircraft navigation system, for generating map data of the objects within the field of view of the aircraft, for dynamically changing said map data as the aircraft moves through space, and for determining a probability that the aircraft is on a collision course with respect to each sensed object, said signal processing means further including a straight line filter to extract straight line features from said map data in order to facilitate identification of straight line obstacles, including electric cables and electric poles, said extraction of straight line features being based on the following straight line extraction criteria;
(1) slope of said straight line obstacle relative to ground;
(2) height of said straight line obstacle above ground;
(3) length of said straight line obstacle;
(4) number of said straight line obstacles sensed within said field of view of the aircraft; and
(5) continuity of said straight line obstacle; and
(d) alarm means for producing an alarm when said signal processing means determines there is a high probability that a current aircraft flight direction is on said collision course with respect to a sensed object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airborne obstacle collision avoidance apparatus which includes an object sensor for sensing objects within a field of view of the aircraft and an aircraft navigation system for navigating the aircraft through space. The apparatus also includes a signal processor for receiving data from both the object sensor and the aircraft navigation system, for generating map data of the objects within the field of view of the aircraft, for dynamically changing the map data as the aircraft moves through space and for determining the probability that the aircraft is on a collision course with respect to each sensed object. The apparatus further includes an alarm which is activated when the signal processor determines that there is a high probability that the current aircraft flight direction is on a collision course with respect to a sensed object.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Airborne obstacle collision avoidance apparatus, comprising:
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(a) object sensor means for sensing objects within a field of view of the aircraft; (b) an aircraft navigation system for navigating the aircraft through space; (c) signal processing means for receiving data from both the object sensor means and the aircraft navigation system, for generating map data of the objects within the field of view of the aircraft, for dynamically changing said map data as the aircraft moves through space, and for determining a probability that the aircraft is on a collision course with respect to each sensed object, said signal processing means further including a straight line filter to extract straight line features from said map data in order to facilitate identification of straight line obstacles, including electric cables and electric poles, said extraction of straight line features being based on the following straight line extraction criteria;
(1) slope of said straight line obstacle relative to ground;
(2) height of said straight line obstacle above ground;
(3) length of said straight line obstacle;
(4) number of said straight line obstacles sensed within said field of view of the aircraft; and
(5) continuity of said straight line obstacle; and(d) alarm means for producing an alarm when said signal processing means determines there is a high probability that a current aircraft flight direction is on said collision course with respect to a sensed object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification