Close formation aircraft collision avoidance

• US 6,483,454 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Aerospace, Inc. (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Torre, Frank M., Purdy, Randolph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDREA, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US09/724,354
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 342/29-32
• US Class Current: 342/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/76 wherein pulse-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft

Abstract

Collision avoidance systems are provided for groups of aircraft operating in close proximity, as during formation flights or cooperative missions. Fixed and rotary airfoil aircraft with separations of 30 feet to 5 miles, for example, participate in a local radio sub-net. An aircraft receiving CAS sub-net signals derives signal transit time values representing differences between send and receive times and which are used to derive data on inter-aircraft range and closing rate. With synchronized clocks, highly-accurate one-way ranging uses assigned time slots with predetermined sub-net time-of-day timing of transmissions. Round-trip ranging operates with less accurate time synchronization, and systems may operatively select between one-way and round-trip ranging. By exchange of range and closing rate data among aircraft, 3-D data for current three-dimensional location of aircraft enables evasive action determination. Data is thus made available for provision of audio and visual flight crew communications indicating alerts and warnings of impending collision danger and appropriate evasive action.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance system (CAS), suitable for airborne use on a first aircraft to enable collision avoidance during close proximity operation of a group of CAS equipped aircraft, comprising:

a timing device to provide time data;

a transmitter to transmit CAS signals at defined send times and in format usable during said close proximity operation to derive signal transit time values;

a receiver to receive CAS signals in said format from other aircraft of the group; and

a processor coupled to the timing device, transmitter and receiver and responsive to received CAS signals to;

(i) derive received signal parameter values, including transit time values representative of differences between send times and receive times of CAS signals received from other aircraft of the group; and

(ii) utilize said signal parameter values to repetitively derive data on range and closing rate between the first aircraft and at least one other aircraft of said group during said close proximity operation.

2. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

(iii) utilize a local radio sub-net time-of-day reference to control send times of CAS signals transmitted by the transmitter.

3. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, additionally comprising a memory arranged to store a look-up table usable to reference range and closing rate data to collision danger conditions, and wherein the processor is further arranged to:

(iii) access the look-up table to utilize said data on range and closing rate to derive signals representative of a condition of danger of impending collision between aircraft during said close proximity operation.

4. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to derive said signal transit time values based on one-way signal transit time for CAS signals sent to the first aircraft from a second aircraft of the group.

5. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to derive said signal transit time values based on round-trip signal transit time for CAS signals sent from the first aircraft to a second aircraft of the group and responsively sent back to the first aircraft from said second aircraft.

6. A collision avoidance system as in claim 5, wherein said signal transit time values are based on one-half of the round-trip signal transit time, after adjustment to subtract turnaround time between signal reception and responsive transmission of CAS signals by the second aircraft.

7. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to derive said signal transit time values based selectively on one of:

one-way signal transit time for CAS signals sent to the first aircraft from a second aircraft of the group and;

round-trip transit time for CAS signals sent from the first aircraft to said second aircraft and responsively sent back to the first aircraft from the second aircraft.

8. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to derive said data on range and closing rate independently of use of GPS data regarding aircraft location.

9. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

(iii) utilize said data on range and closing rate to repetitively derive 3-D data representative of the three-dimensional relative location of all aircraft of the group.

10. A collision avoidance system as in claim 9, wherein the processor, in deriving said 3-D data, is also responsive to at least one of:

altimeter data for the first aircraft, and altimeter data for other aircraft of the group as included in received CAS signals; and

GPS data for the first aircraft, and GPS data for other aircraft of the group as included in received CAS signals.

11. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

(iii) establish and maintain a local radio sub-net with other aircraft of the group and thereby synchronize operation of said timing device with timing devices of such other aircraft to provide common time-of-day time data for use in deriving said signal transit time values.

12. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is also responsive to data on range and closing rate between other pairs of aircraft of said group, as included in received CAS signals.

13. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

(iii) derive signals representative of evasive action to be taken to remove the first aircraft from a condition of danger of impending collision between aircraft.

14. A collision avoidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to repetitively derive said data on closing rate based on analysis of received signal parameter values relating to one of:

received signal carrier frequency variations; and

received signal carrier phase variations.

15. A method, to operate a collision avoidance system (CAS) within a group of aircraft, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a local radio sub-net between aircraft of a group of aircraft within a limited volume of airspace;

(b) transmitting aircraft-to-aircraft CAS signals of format usable to derive time reference values;

(c) receiving said CAS signals and deriving data on inter-aircraft range and closing rate based on received signal parameter values, including signal transit time between aircraft; and

(d) accessing a look-up table usable to reference range and closing rate data to collision danger conditions to utilize data derived in step (c) to derive signals representative of a condition of danger of impending collision between aircraft.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein in step (b) said CAS signals include data on inter-aircraft range and closing rate between pairs of aircraft of said group as previously derived in CAS operation.

17. A method as in claim 15, wherein step (b) includes transmitting said CAS signals in a low power spread spectrum format to reduce the probability of undesired interception or detection of such signals.

18. A method as in claim 15, wherein step (c) includes deriving data representative of the three-dimensional location of all aircraft of the group.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein step (d) additionally includes deriving signals usable to indicate evasive action to be taken to alleviate a danger of impending collision between aircraft.

20. A method as in claim 15, which excludes use of GPS data in deriving said data on inter-aircraft range and closing rate.

21. A method as in claim 15, wherein step (c) includes deriving data on closing rate based on analysis of received signal parameter values relating to received signal carrier frequency variations.

22. A method as in claim 15, wherein step (c) includes deriving data on closing rate based on analysis of received signal parameter values relating to received signal carrier phase variations.

23. A collision avoidance system (CAS), suitable for airborne use on a first aircraft to enable collision avoidance during operation of a group of CAS equipped aircraft, comprising:

a timing device to provide time data;

a transmitter to transmit CAS signals at defined send times and in format usable to derive signal transit time values;

a receiver to receive CAS signals in said format from other aircraft of the group;

a memory to store a look-up table usable to reference range and closing rate data to collision danger conditions; and

a processor coupled to the timing device, transmitter, receiver and memory and responsive to received CAS signals to;

(i) derive received signal parameter values, including transit time values representative of differences between send times and receive times of CAS signals received from other aircraft of the group;

(ii) utilize said signal parameter values to repetitively derive data on range and closing rate between the first aircraft and at least one other aircraft of said group; and

(iii) access the look-up table to utilize said data on range and closing rate to derive signals representative of a condition of danger of impending collision between aircraft.

24. A collision avoidance system as in claim 23, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

(iv) derive signals representative of evasive action to be taken to remove the first aircraft from a condition of danger of impending collision between aircraft.

25. A collision avoidance system as in claim 23, wherein the processor is arranged to repetitively derive said data on closing rate based on analysis of received signal parameter values relating to received signal carrier frequency variations.

26. A collision avoidance system as in claim 23, wherein the processor is arranged to repetitively derive said data on closing rate based on analysis of received signal parameter values relating to received signal carrier phase variations.

27. A collision avoidance system as in claim 23, wherein the processor is arranged to derive said signal transit time values based on round-trip signal transit time for CAS signals sent from the first aircraft to a second aircraft of the group and responsively sent back to the first aircraft from said second aircraft.

28. A collision avoidance system as in claim 27, wherein said signal transit time values are based on one-half of the round-trip signal transit time, after adjustment to subtract turnaround time between signal reception and responsive transmission of CAS signals by the second aircraft.

29. A collision avoidance system as in claim 23, wherein the processor is arranged to derive said signal transmit time values based selectively on one of:

one-way signal transit time for CAS signals sent to the first aircraft from a second aircraft of the group and;

round-trip transit time for CAS signals sent from the first aircraft to said second aircraft and responsively sent back to the first aircraft from the second aircraft.