Aircraft surface navigation system
First Claim
1. A ground guidance system for guiding an aircraft equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) along a defined path comprising:
- a pair of inductive loops, the first loop disposed around the right side half of the path and the second loop disposed around the left side half of the path;
a first audio amplifier for driving the first loop at a first audio frequency;
a second audio amplifier for driving the second loop at a second audio frequency;
an inductive sensor mounted on the aircraft for receiving the composite magnetic field induced by the pair of inductive loops;
signal processing means connected to said inductive sensor for converting the signal received by said inductive loop to an RF signal compatible with the aircraft ILS; and
,indicator means in the ILS display responsive to the radio frequency signal from said signal processing means for providing an indication of deviation of the aircraft from the center line of the path for providing both lateral position guidance to the pilot of a taxiing aircraft.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surface guidance system for guiding aircraft equipped with Instrument Landing Systems along taxiways which utilizes two inductive loops (14,16) installed around the right half and the left half of the taxiways. Audio amplifiers (18,20) drive one loop (14) with an 90 Hz signal and the other loop (16) at 150 Hz. A sensor (22) mounted on the aircraft detects the composite magnetic field induced by the surface loops (14,16). The detected signal is conditioned and supplied to the ILS system to provide left/right lateral guidance to the pilot. Longitudinal aircraft position is determined by using dipole marker antennas (52) embedded near the taxiway center line. Each marker antenna (52) has a unique code identifier. Existing ILS equipped aircraft can sense the marker signal and transmit the aircraft position to the ATC facility. Additional pairs of loops (14,16) and marker antennas (52) are used for different taxiway or runway sections.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A ground guidance system for guiding an aircraft equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) along a defined path comprising:
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a pair of inductive loops, the first loop disposed around the right side half of the path and the second loop disposed around the left side half of the path; a first audio amplifier for driving the first loop at a first audio frequency; a second audio amplifier for driving the second loop at a second audio frequency; an inductive sensor mounted on the aircraft for receiving the composite magnetic field induced by the pair of inductive loops; signal processing means connected to said inductive sensor for converting the signal received by said inductive loop to an RF signal compatible with the aircraft ILS; and
,indicator means in the ILS display responsive to the radio frequency signal from said signal processing means for providing an indication of deviation of the aircraft from the center line of the path for providing both lateral position guidance to the pilot of a taxiing aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A surface navigation system for navigating aircraft equipped with ILS on runways and taxiways comprising:
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(a) first and second loop conductors capable of transmitting an audio frequency magnetic field and situated so that the equipotential interface between said conductors define the lateral centerline of said runway or taxiway; (b) means for exciting said first and second loop conductors with an alternating current; (c) aircraft receiver means for detecting said magnetic field signal of said first and second loop conductors; (d) signal processing means for accepting the output of said aircraft receiving means and converting said output to an input signal compatible with said ILS; and (e) indicator means responsive to said ILS signal;
wherein said indicator means indicates the position of said aircraft with respect to the lateral centerline. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification