Ground based millimeter wave imaging system

• US 6,359,583 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Shamee, Bishara F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/466,372
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 342/29, 342/33, 342/34, 342/35, 342/36, 342/37, 342/38, 342/52, 342/55, 342/58
• US Class Current: 342/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• 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 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

System and methods for a ground based millimeter wave imaging system that provides real-time millimeter wave images of an airport to one or more aircraft from one or more ground stations (18). The system includes at least one millimeter wave transceiver (19) that is located in each one or more ground stations. Each at least one millimeter wave transceiver collects real-time millimeter wave images of the airport. At least one image processor (21) is operatively connected to the at least one millimeter wave transceiver, and processes the real-time millimeter wave images of the airport. At least one data link (22) allows communication of information between the one or more aircraft and the one or more ground station. The one or more ground stations transmit the processed realtime millimeter wave images to the one or more aircraft using the at least one link.

Claims

1. A ground based millimeter wave imaging system, which provides real-time millimeter wave images of an airport to at least one aircraft from at least one ground station, comprising:

a millimeter wave transceiver, the millimeter wave transceiver being located in said ground station, said millimeter wave transceiver collecting real-time millimeter wave images of the airport;

an image processor operatively connected to the at least one millimeter wave transceiver and located in said ground station, the image processor processing real-time millimeter wave images of the airport and acquiring location information and attitude information for each at least one aircraft; and

a data link, the data link allowing communication of information between the aircraft and the ground station, the ground station transmitting the processed real-time millimeter wave images to the at least one aircraft using the data link.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the real-time millimeter wave images of the airport includes runways and taxiways at the airport.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location information of the aircraft is obtained simultaneously with the collecting of real-time millimeter wave images of the airport.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ground station obtains location information of the aircraft from the aircraft.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ground station obtains location information of the aircraft using a ranging radar located in the ground station.

6. The system according to claim 1, the location information including coordinates and altitude of the at least one aircraft.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data link comprises a high-speed full duplex data link.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ground station converts the processed millimeter wave images of the airport to a format suitable for viewing by a pilot of the aircraft.

9. A method for providing real-time millimeter wave images of an airport to an aircraft to aid in landing and taxing of the aircraft, said method comprising:

collecting real-time millimeter wave images of the airport, the collecting executed by a ground station;

acquiring location and attitude information for the aircraft;

processing the millimeter wave images, the processing occurring in the ground station, the processed millimeter wave images being in a format for viewing by a pilot of the aircraft;

transmitting the processed millimeter wave images to the aircraft.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising collecting real-time millimeter wave images of runways and taxiways of the airport.

11. The method according to claim 9, comprising acquiring location information that includes coordinates and altitude of the aircraft.

12. The method according to claim 9, comprising communicating information about the airport from each ground station to each other ground station.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising acquiring the location information for the aircraft simultaneously with the collecting of real-time millimeter wave images of the airport.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising acquiring the location and attitude information for the aircraft from the aircraft.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising acquiring the location information for the aircraft using a ranging radar located in the ground station.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting the processed millimeter wave images to the aircraft using a high speed full duplex data link.