Integrated precision approach radar display
First Claim
1. A ground based precision approach radar (PAR) system for visually displaying to an air traffic controller the relationships between a runway, an aircraft target within a three dimensional approach space proximate to said runway, a preferred glideslope to a runway touchdown point, and weather systems within said space, said system comprising:
- an azimuth antenna configured to emit a source signal within a prescribed angular window and receive a reflected azimuth signal in response thereto;
an elevation antenna configured to emit a source signal within a prescribed angular window and receive a reflected elevation signal in response thereto;
said azimuth and elevation antennas being positioned proximate to said runway;
receiver means coupled to said azimuth antenna for receiving said reflected azimuth signal and coupled to said elevation antenna for receiving said reflected elevation signal;
a controller for sweeping said azimuth antenna prescribed angular window through a defined horizontal arc and said elevation antenna prescribed angular window through a defined vertical arc;
said controller including means for modulating said azimuth antenna source signal in coordination with said sweeping of said azimuth antenna prescribed angular window and means for modulating said elevation antenna source signal in coordination with said sweeping of said elevation antenna prescribed angular window;
a target filter coupled to said receiver means for producing a digital target signal in response to said reflected azimuth and elevation signals having velocity and/or size properties characteristic of an aircraft;
a weather filter coupled to said receiver means for producing a digital weather signal in response to reflected azimuth and elevation signals having velocity and/or size properties characteristic of weather systems;
a display monitor for visually representing said three dimensional space including said runway; and
a display processor responsive to said target signal and said weather signal for causing said monitor to respectively display a target icon and a weather icon within said three dimensional representation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved precision approach radar (PAR) system using an integrated digital display for displaying the relative position of one or more targets, e.g., aircraft, to a preferred glide path and azimuth course line. A preferred PAR system uses a radar head which emits a pair of scanned radar beams and interprets reflected responses to individually determine aircraft targets, weather patterns and/or obstructions and displays each reflection category as a different pattern, preferably color coded, on an essentially non-flickering monitor.
120 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A ground based precision approach radar (PAR) system for visually displaying to an air traffic controller the relationships between a runway, an aircraft target within a three dimensional approach space proximate to said runway, a preferred glideslope to a runway touchdown point, and weather systems within said space, said system comprising:
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an azimuth antenna configured to emit a source signal within a prescribed angular window and receive a reflected azimuth signal in response thereto; an elevation antenna configured to emit a source signal within a prescribed angular window and receive a reflected elevation signal in response thereto; said azimuth and elevation antennas being positioned proximate to said runway; receiver means coupled to said azimuth antenna for receiving said reflected azimuth signal and coupled to said elevation antenna for receiving said reflected elevation signal; a controller for sweeping said azimuth antenna prescribed angular window through a defined horizontal arc and said elevation antenna prescribed angular window through a defined vertical arc; said controller including means for modulating said azimuth antenna source signal in coordination with said sweeping of said azimuth antenna prescribed angular window and means for modulating said elevation antenna source signal in coordination with said sweeping of said elevation antenna prescribed angular window; a target filter coupled to said receiver means for producing a digital target signal in response to said reflected azimuth and elevation signals having velocity and/or size properties characteristic of an aircraft; a weather filter coupled to said receiver means for producing a digital weather signal in response to reflected azimuth and elevation signals having velocity and/or size properties characteristic of weather systems; a display monitor for visually representing said three dimensional space including said runway; and a display processor responsive to said target signal and said weather signal for causing said monitor to respectively display a target icon and a weather icon within said three dimensional representation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A ground based precision approach radar (PAR) system for visually displaying to an air traffic controller the relationships between a runway, an aircraft target within a three dimensional approach space proximate to said runway, a preferred glideslope to a runway touchdown point, and weather systems within said space, said system comprising:
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an azimuth antenna configured to emit a source signal within a prescribed angular window and receive a reflected azimuth signal in response thereto; an elevation antenna configured to emit a source signal within a prescribed angular window and receive a reflected elevation signal in response thereto; said azimuth and elevation antennas being positioned proximate to said runway; receiver means coupled to said azimuth antenna for receiving said reflected azimuth signal and coupled to said elevation antenna for receiving said reflected elevation signal; a controller for sweeping said azimuth antenna prescribed angular window through a defined horizontal arc and said elevation antenna prescribed angular window through a defined vertical arc; said controller additional includes means for modulating said azimuth and elevation antenna source signals to produce a first modulated signal suitable for detecting an aircraft target and a second modulated signal suitable for detecting a weather system and means for emitting a pattern of said first and second modulated signals in coordination with said sweeping of said azimuth and elevation antennas prescribed angular windows; a target filter coupled to said receiver means for producing a digital target signal in response to said reflected azimuth and elevation signals having velocity and/or size properties characteristic of an aircraft; apparatus for producing a weather signal; a display monitor for visually representing said three dimensional space including said runway; and a display processor responsive to said target signal and said weather signal for causing said monitor to respectively display a target icon and a weather icon within said three dimensional representation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A ground based precision approach radar (PAR) display for visually displaying to an aircraft controller the relationships between a runway, an aircraft target within a three dimensional approach space, a preferred glideslope to a runway touchdown point, and weather systems within said space in response to a pattern of scanned radar beams and common reflected azimuth and elevations signals received in response thereto and used to produce both target and weather signals, said display comprising;
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a target graphic generator for generating a target icon corresponding to said target signal; a weather graphic generator for generating a weather icon corresponding to said weather signal; and a display monitor for visually representing said three dimensional space including said runway; a display processor responsive to said target signal and said weather signal for causing said monitor to respectively display a target icon and a weather icon within said three dimensional representation. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification