Aircraft ice detecting system
First Claim
1. A method of detecting ice on surfaces of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:
- generating a continuous wattage laser beam from a laser positioned remotely from the aircraft, the laser beam having a first wavelength absorbed by deicing fluid and a second wavelength absorbed by water and ice;
scanning a surface of the aircraft with the laser beam in a manner whereby said surface scatters said laser beam;
detecting laser light in the first and second wavelengths scattered by said surface with a detector positioned remotely from the aircraft; and
processing the detected scattered laser light to reconstruct images of said surface, thereby indicating areas of deicing fluid, ice and water on said surface.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a method of detecting ice on surfaces of an aircraft, a surface of an aircraft is scanned with laser light operating at different wavelength regions in a manner whereby the surface scatters the laser light. Laser light scattered from the surface is detected. Radiation outside the wavelength bands of interest is removed prior to detection. The detected, filtered, scattered laser light is processed to reconstruct images of the surface, thereby indicating areas of ice and water on the surface. The processing takes into account the directions of scanned continuous wattage laser beams relative to the surface, laser beam geometry factors due to changing distance between the laser beams and the surface while scanning, relative signal levels, normalizations and returns from other detectors. The material of the windows of the aircraft blocks the laser beam and any stray laser light. Also, the windows of the aircraft could be treated to block the laser beam and the laser light. Areas of ice and water on the surface indicated by the processing are visually displayed.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of detecting ice on surfaces of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:
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generating a continuous wattage laser beam from a laser positioned remotely from the aircraft, the laser beam having a first wavelength absorbed by deicing fluid and a second wavelength absorbed by water and ice; scanning a surface of the aircraft with the laser beam in a manner whereby said surface scatters said laser beam; detecting laser light in the first and second wavelengths scattered by said surface with a detector positioned remotely from the aircraft; and processing the detected scattered laser light to reconstruct images of said surface, thereby indicating areas of deicing fluid, ice and water on said surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of detecting ice on surfaces of an aircraft having windows, said method comprising the steps of
generating a continuous wattage laser beam from a laser positioned remotely from the aircraft, the laser beam having a first wavelength absorbed by deicing fluid and a second wavelength absorbed by water and ice, the deicing fluid being selected from a group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol; -
scanning a surface of the aircraft with the laser light in a manner whereby said surface scatters said laser light; removing radiation outside the wavelength bands of interest; detecting laser light in said first and second wavelengths scattered from said surface with a detector positioned remotely from the aircraft; processing the detected scattered laser light to reconstruct images of said surface, thereby indicating areas of deicing fluid, ice and water on said surface, said processing taking into consideration the directions of scanned laser beams relative to said surface, laser beam geometry factors due to changing distance between the laser beams and said surface while scanning, relative signal levels, normalizations and returns from other detector means; and visually displaying areas of deicing fluid on said surface based on the detected first wavelength; and visually displaying areas of ice and water on said surface based on the detected second wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An aircraft ice detecting system for detecting ice on surfaces of an aircraft, said aircraft ice detecting system comprising:
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a continuous wattage laser positioned remotely from the aircraft for directing laser light to a surface of an aircraft in a manner whereby said surface scatters said laser light, said laser light having a first wavelength absorbed by deicing fluid and a second wavelength absorbed by ice and water; a detector positioned remotely from the aircraft for detecting laser light in the first and second wavelengths scattered by said surface; and processing means electrically connected to said detector means for reconstructing images of said surface, thereby indicating areas of deicing fluid, ice and water on said surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification