Airfield hazard automated detection system

• US 6,181,261 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Monroe, Robert L., Miles, James R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/339,291
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/945, 340/903, 340/435, 340/642, 244/114.R, 342/29, 342/32, 342/36, 342/37, 348/148, 348/149
• US Class Current: 340/971
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/916 Airport surface monitoring [ASDE]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes

Abstract

An airfield hazard automated detection device having a radar for scanning the airfield for obstacles and an automated target recognition system, operably connected to the radar, for comparing the images of the scans of the obstacles to images of known potential hazards and for instructing a directed imaging system to verify the potential hazard by scanning the potential hazard and indicating the result.

Claims

1. A multi-runway airfield hazard automated detection system comprising:

at least one radar scans an area for obstacles;

at least one radar imaging control system operatively connected to said radar, wherein said radar imaging control system compares said obstacles to known potential hazards and indicates a result;

at least one directed imaging system wherein said directed imaging system scans potential hazards and indicates a result; and

at least one targeting control system operatively connected to said radar imaging control system and said directed imaging system, wherein said targeting control system directs said directed imaging system to scan said potential hazards indicated by said radar imaging control system.

2. A multi-runway airfield hazard automated detection system according to claim 1, wherein said multi-runway airfield hazard automated detection system further comprises a master control system which compares said potential hazard scan to airfield hazards and indicates the result.

3. A multi-runway airfield hazard automated detection system according to claim 1, wherein said radar imaging control system is an automated target recognition system.

4. A multi-runway airfield hazard automated detection system according to claim 2, wherein said radar imaging control system, targeting control system, and master control system are personal computers.

5. A multi-runway airfield hazard automated detection system according to claim 2, wherein said radar imaging control system, targeting control system, and master control system are one personal computer.

6. A method of detecting airfield hazards, comprising:

scanning the airfield with a radar;

comparing the results of the radar scan to known hazardous radar signatures;

indicating the results to a directed verification system;

verifying the results with directed imaging system; and

signaling the results.