Method for calibrating aircraft altitude sensors
First Claim
1. A method for calibrating a pressure-sensing altitude sensor of an aircraft while the aircraft is in flight, comprising the steps of:
- elevating a reference pressure sensor through a selected distance above a fixedly-located base station;
measuring a reference atmospheric pressure using the reference pressure sensor while the reference sensor is being elevated through the selected distance above the base station;
measuring a geometric height of the reference sensor relative to the base station while the reference sensor measures the reference atmospheric pressure;
measuring the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft using the altitude sensor of the aircraft while the aircraft flies above the base station;
determining the geometric height of the aircraft relative to the base station while the altitude sensor of the aircraft measures the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft; and
comparing the pressure measurement of the altitude sensor of the aircraft with the reference pressure measurement of the reference pressure sensor at a geometric height that is substantially the same as the geometric height of the aircraft.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for calibrating a pressure-sensing altitude sensor of an aircraft while the aircraft is in flight. The method includes the steps of obtaining a set of reference atmospheric pressures as a function of height above a base station by affixing a reference pressure sensor to a balloon. As the balloon is released into the atmosphere, the reference sensor continuously measures the atmospheric pressures and transmits the data back to the base station while a ground-based radar disposed adjacent the base station measures the height of the balloon. An aircraft flying in a vicinity of the base station can calibrate its pressure-sensing altitude sensors by measuring the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft and its geometric height relative to the base station and then comparing the pressure measurements with corresponding reference pressure values at a geometric height that is substantially that same as the geometric height of the aircraft.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for calibrating a pressure-sensing altitude sensor of an aircraft while the aircraft is in flight, comprising the steps of:
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elevating a reference pressure sensor through a selected distance above a fixedly-located base station; measuring a reference atmospheric pressure using the reference pressure sensor while the reference sensor is being elevated through the selected distance above the base station; measuring a geometric height of the reference sensor relative to the base station while the reference sensor measures the reference atmospheric pressure; measuring the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft using the altitude sensor of the aircraft while the aircraft flies above the base station; determining the geometric height of the aircraft relative to the base station while the altitude sensor of the aircraft measures the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft; and comparing the pressure measurement of the altitude sensor of the aircraft with the reference pressure measurement of the reference pressure sensor at a geometric height that is substantially the same as the geometric height of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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12. A method for calibrating a pressure-sensing altitude sensor of an aircraft while the aircraft is in flight, comprising the steps of:
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elevating each of a plurality of reference pressure sensors through a selected distance above each of a plurality of fixedly-located base stations; measuring reference atmospheric pressures above each of the base stations using the reference pressure sensors while each of the reference sensors is being elevated through the selected distance above said each of the base stations; storing said reference atmospheric pressures of said each of the reference pressure sensors at said each of the base stations; measuring a geometric height of said each of the reference sensors relative to its corresponding base station while said each of the reference sensors measures the reference atmospheric pressures above said each of the base stations; measuring the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft using the altitude sensor of the aircraft while the aircraft flies above said each of the base stations; determining the geometric height of the aircraft relative to said each of said base stations while the altitude sensor of the aircraft measures the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft; retrieving the reference pressure measurements from said each of the base stations; and comparing the pressure measurements of the altitude sensor of the aircraft with the reference pressure measurements above said each of said base stations at a geometric height that is substantially the same as the geometric height of the aircraft above said each of the base stations.
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Specification