Airport integrated hazard response apparatus

• US 5,557,278 A
• Filed: 06/23/1995
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Piccirillo, Bart J., Kruczek, Raymond M., Watnick, Marshall
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US08/494,119
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 342/29, 342/30, 342/32, 342/36, 342/37
• US Class Current: 342/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/726 Multiple target tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/913 for landing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/951 ground based
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring the position of multiple objects in a space including a target supervisor, a location supervisor, and a hazard monitoring supervisor. The tracking supervisor receives target data from a sensor, characterizes and tracks selected objects, and provides a target output having multiple features respective of the selected objects. The location supervisor characterizes and displays multiple features in the space, and provides a location output having the aforementioned features therein. The hazard monitoring supervisor detects and responds to a predetermined hazard condition, and provides a detectable notice of such hazard condition, responsive to the target output and the location output. A data logger for selectively retains the target output, the location output, or both. The position monitoring apparatus has six modes: full operation, non-airport-surveillance-radar, isolation, set-up, adaptation, and simulation. An integrator mode is included wherein the target supervisor receives data from a surface detection radar, an airborne surveillance radar, a secondary surveillance radar, a global positioning-system based sensor, a ground-based sensor, or an auxiliary sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring the position of a plurality of objects in a predefined space comprising:

(a) a target supervisor for characterizing and tracking selected ones of said plurality of objects, said target supervisor receiving target data from at least one sensor, said target supervisor providing a target output having a first plurality of predetermined features respective of said selected ones;

(b) a location supervisor for characterizing and displaying a second plurality of predetermined features respective of said predefined space, said location supervisor providing a location output having said second plurality of predetermined features therein; and

(c) a hazard monitoring supervisor for detecting and responding to at least one predetermined hazard condition and providing a detectable notice thereof, said hazard monitoring supervisor being responsive to said target output and said location output.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a data logger for selectively retaining at least one of said target output and said location output.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target supervisor further comprises a target collector for extracting at least one target track from said target data, said target collector tracking said at least one target track over a predetermined period of time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target supervisor further comprises a target manager for determining said first plurality of predetermined features respective of said selected ones responsive to said target data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said characterizing and tracking selected ones by said target supervisor includes predicting at least one of said first plurality of predetermined features in said target output.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said determining by said target manager includes predicting at least one of said first plurality of predetermined features respective of said selected ones responsive to said target data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said location supervisor includes an adaptation manager for providing selected portions of said second plurality of predetermined features respective of said predefined space.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said location supervisor includes an area definition manager for providing selected milieu information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detecting and responding by hazard monitoring supervisor includes projecting a first position of a first target, projecting a second position of a second target, comparing said first position with said second position, and determining a preselected projection situation from said comparing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said preselected projection situation includes one of a chase situation and a head-on situation and a crossing situation and a no-problem situation.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hazard monitoring supervisor further comprises a hazard avoidance manager, said hazard avoidance manager responding to said at least one predetermined hazard condition according to a predetermined selectable set of hazard avoidance logic rules.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said hazard monitoring supervisor further comprises a hazard avoidance manager, said at least one predetermined hazard condition including said preselected projection situation, said hazard avoidance manager responding to said at least one predetermined hazard condition according to a predetermined selectable set of hazard avoidance logic rules.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hazard monitoring supervisor further comprises an alarm manager for determining a manner of presentation of said detectable notice.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hazard monitoring supervisor further comprises a situation display manager for providing at least one of a visual display and an aural display and a printed display, said providing being responsive to said at least one predetermined hazard condition.

15. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said data logger includes an event logger.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said data logger includes an adaptation logger.

17. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said target collector further comprises a first interface unit between a surface detection radar and said target extractor and an second interface unit for connection between an airport surveillance radar and said target extractor.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 having at least one of a full operation mode and a non-airport-surveillance-radar mode and an isolation mode and a set-up mode and an adaptation mode and a simulation mode.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 having an integrator mode wherein said target supervisor receives said target data from a plurality of sensors, at least one sensor of said plurality of sensors being of a type different from a respective other of said plurality of sensors, said target supervisor integrating said target data to provide said target output thereby.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said at least one sensor is from the group consisting of a surface detection radar and an airborne surveillance radar and a secondary surveillance radar and a global positioning-system based sensor and a ground-based sensor and an auxiliary sensor.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said respective other is from the group consisting of a surface detection radar and an airborne surveillance radar and a secondary surveillance radar and a global positioning-system based sensor and a ground-based sensor and an auxiliary sensor.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a simulator for simulating the presence of a selected number of said plurality of objects in said predefined space, said simulator being connected to said target supervisor, said location supervisor, and said hazard monitoring supervisor.

23. An apparatus for monitoring the position of a plurality of objects in a predefined space comprising:

(a) a target supervisor for characterizing and tracking a selected number of said plurality of objects, said target supervisor receiving target data from at least one sensor, said target supervisor providing a target output having a first plurality of predetermined features respective of said selected ones, said target supervisor having a target collector and a target manager, said target collector for extracting at least one target track from said target data, said target collector tracking said at least one target track over a predetermined period of time, and said target manager for determining said first plurality of predetermined features respective of said selected ones responsive to said target data;

(b) a location supervisor for characterizing and displaying a second plurality of predetermined features respective of said predefined space, said location supervisor providing a location output, said location supervisor having an adaptation manager for providing selected portions of said second plurality to said location output, said location supervisor having an area definition manager for providing selected milieu information, said location supervisor being operably connected to said target supervisor; and

(c) a hazard monitoring supervisor for detecting and responding to at least one predetermined hazard condition and providing a detectable notice thereof, said hazard monitoring supervisor being operably connected to said target supervisor and said location supervisor, said hazard monitoring supervisor being responsive to said target output and said location output, said hazard monitoring supervisor having a hazard avoidance manager and an alarm manager and a situation display manager, said hazard avoidance manager responding to said at least one predetermined hazard condition according to a predetermined selectable set of hazard avoidance logic rules, said alarm manager for determining a manner of presentation of said detectable notice, said situation display manager for providing at least one of a visual display and an aural display and a printed display, said providing being responsive to said at least one predetermined hazard condition.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said characterizing and tracking selected ones by said target supervisor includes predicting at least one of said first plurality of predetermined features in said target output.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a data logger for selectively retaining at least one of said first plurality of said target output and said second plurality of said location output, said data logger having an event logger and an adaptation logger.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 having at least one of a full operation mode and a non-airport-surveillance-radar mode and an isolation mode and a set-up mode and an adaptation mode and a simulation mode.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a simulator for simulating the presence of a selected number of said plurality of objects in said predefined space, said simulator being connected to said target supervisor, said location supervisor, and said hazard monitoring supervisor.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 having an integrator mode wherein said target supervisor receives said target data from a plurality of sensors, at least one sensor of said plurality of sensors being of a type different from a respective other of said plurality of sensors, said target supervisor integrating said target data to provide said target output thereby.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said at least one sensor is from the group consisting of a surface detection radar and an airborne surveillance radar and a secondary surveillance radar and a global positioning-system based sensor and a ground-based sensor and an auxiliary sensor.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said respective other is from the group consisting of a surface detection radar and an airborne surveillance radar and a secondary surveillance radar and a global positioning-system based sensor and a ground-based sensor and an auxiliary sensor.

31. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said detecting and responding by hazard monitoring supervisor includes projecting a first position of a first target, projecting a second position of a second target, comparing said first position with said second position, and determining a preselected projection situation from said comparing.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said preselected projection situation includes one of a chase situation and a head-on situation and a crossing situation and a no-problem situation.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said at least one predetermined hazard condition including said preselected projection situation.