Method and a system for guiding an aircraft to a docking station
First Claim
1. A method for guiding an airplane to a docking station in an airport, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a two-dimensional thermal IR image of a station approach zone from a determined point close to said docking station;
(b) detecting entrance of an airplane into said approach zone and locations of characteristic features of an infrared signature of the landing gear of said airplane which characteristic features exhibit thermal contrast and which appear as hot spots in said IR image on arrival of said airplane into said approach zone;
(c) computing a distance between the airplane and the station from stored characteristics of the landing gear of the airplane expected at said station and from said locations and computing a difference between a current path followed by the airplane and a set path for the airplane to arrive at the docking station in a predetermined orientation; and
(d) communicating indications to the pilot of the airplane concerning the difference between the actual position of the airplane and a set trajectory for reaching the docking station instructions on taxiing to said station, derived from a result of the calculation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
For guiding an airplane to a docking station in an airport, a two-dimensional thermal IR image of a station approach zone is formed from a determined point close to said docking station, Entrance of an airplane into the approach zone and locations of IR features of the landing gear of the airplane are detected on arrival of an airplane. The distance between the airplane and the station is computed from stored characteristics of the landing gear of the airplane expected at the station and from the locations as well as any difference between a current path followed by the airplane and a set path for the airplane to arrive at the docking station in a determined orientation. A system for implementing the method and displaying instructions for the aircraft pilot is also disclosed.
113 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for guiding an airplane to a docking station in an airport, comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a two-dimensional thermal IR image of a station approach zone from a determined point close to said docking station; (b) detecting entrance of an airplane into said approach zone and locations of characteristic features of an infrared signature of the landing gear of said airplane which characteristic features exhibit thermal contrast and which appear as hot spots in said IR image on arrival of said airplane into said approach zone; (c) computing a distance between the airplane and the station from stored characteristics of the landing gear of the airplane expected at said station and from said locations and computing a difference between a current path followed by the airplane and a set path for the airplane to arrive at the docking station in a predetermined orientation; and (d) communicating indications to the pilot of the airplane concerning the difference between the actual position of the airplane and a set trajectory for reaching the docking station instructions on taxiing to said station, derived from a result of the calculation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for guiding an airplane to a docking station comprising:
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a thermal camera placed close to the docking station and suitable for forming a two-dimensional image of an approach zone to the station; means for extracting points and lines from the thermal image belonging to wheels and tires of the landing gear of an airplane in the approach zone which points and lines appear as hot spots in the thermal image and which are based on a thermal contrast of the wheels and tires of the airplane, and to locate the positions of the points and lines in the image; computer means storing the characteristics of an airplane expected at the station and responsive to said characteristics and said locations to supply the distance between the airplane and the station, and also a lateral difference between the instantaneous path of the airplane and a nominal path for airplane arrival at a docking station in a determined orientation; and means for giving indications readable by a pilot of the airplane concerning said difference or advice on taxiing towards the station, as derived from results of a computation by said computer means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification