Method and arrangement for the contactless measuring of distance and position in respect of aircraft docking procedures

• US 6,704,098 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TK Airport Solutions SA
• Original Assignee: FMT International Trade AB
• Inventors: Anderberg, Nils-Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDREA, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/185,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 619 Days
• Field of Search: 356/4-1-, 356/21, 356/139.04
• US Class Current: 356/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/002 Taxiing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the contactless measuring of distances to aircraft when positioning the aircraft, such as when docking or parking. A scanning laser is arranged in front of the aircraft to be positioned and is directed toward a centerline along which an aircraft is to be moved in the course of positioning the aircraft. The laser emits measuring pulses stepwise or incrementally at different angles to detect a predetermined measurement volume. The laser is calibrated with the distance from the laser to the ground for at least some of the angles, and the distances at those angles is measured during positioning of an aircraft. The measured distances are compared with the calibrated distances, and the laser is considered to have measured the correct distance when there is a predetermined agreement between the measured distance and a calibrated distance corresponding with the same angle.

Claims

1. A method for the contactless measuring of distances to aircraft in the process of positioning said aircraft, such as when docking or parking said aircraft at a parking position, said method comprising the steps of:

a. directing a scanning laser toward an area along a centerline along which an aircraft is moved in the process of positioning of the aircraft, wherein the laser is located in front of an aircraft to be positioned to detect a predetermined measurement volume;

b. emitting from the laser measuring pulses stepwise at different angles toward the ground and along the centerline;

c. calibrating the laser by determining a calibrated distance from the laser to the ground for at least some of said angles to define calibration angles;

d. after calibration of the laser, measuring the distance from the laser to the around at the calibration angles during positioning of an aircraft;

e. comparing with calibrated distances in a computer associated with a distance measuring device the measured distances from the laser to the ground for laser pulse angles that are not blocked from the ground by the aircraft, whereby the laser is considered to have measured a correct distance when there is a predetermined correspondence of the measured distance with a calibrated distance for a given calibration angle, and measured distances that are measured against the aircraft are then also correct distances.

2. A method according to claim 1, including the step of measuring the lateral position of the aircraft relative to the centerline.

3. A method according to claim 1, including the step of providing a signal indicative of a positioning system malfunction when a there exists a deviation greater than the predetermined correspondence.

4. A method according to claim 1, including the step of aligning the laser so that its measurement volume includes measurement pulses transmitted onto the ground when the aircraft has reached its stop point during the aircraft positioning process.

5. A method according to claim 4, including the step of comparing at least certain measured distances to the ground with calibrated values during an entire aircraft positioning process.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the scanning laser scans in a vertical plane.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the scanning laser scans in a vertical plane and in a horizontal plane.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the laser is positioned so that measurement of the distance to the ground at a point forward of the aircraft also takes place when the aircraft has reached its stop point during the positioning process.

9. A method according to claim 1, including the steps of establishing a maximum measurement distance on the ground from the laser, and disregarding measurement values resulting from objects that are located further away from the laser than the maximum measurement distance.

10. An arrangement for contactless measuring of the distance to aircraft in an aircraft positioning process, such as when docking or parking an aircraft, said arrangement comprising:

a distance measuring device to detect a predetermined measurement volume, the device including a scanning laser that is directed toward an area along a centerline along which an aircraft is moved in the positioning process, which laser is located in front of the aircraft to be positioned and emits measuring pulses stepwise toward and alone the centerline and at different angles to the ground, wherein the laser is calibrated by determining a calibrated distance from the laser to the ground for at least some of said angles to define calibration angles, and wherein after calibration the laser measures the distance from the laser to the ground at the calibration angles during positioning of an aircraft; and

a computer coupled with the distance measuring device for comparing with the calibrated distances the measured distances from the laser to the ground for laser pulse angles that are not blocked from the around by the aircraft, and wherein the computer considers the measuring result of the laser as a correct distance measurement upon a predetermined correspondence of the measured distance with the calibrated distance for a given calibration angle, and measured distances that are measured against the aircraft are then also correct distances.

11. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the computer determines a lateral position of the aircraft relative to the centerline based upon reflected measuring pulses emitted by the laser.

12. An arrangement according to claim 10, including a display coupled with the computer, wherein in the event of a deviation greater than said predetermined correspondence, the computer delivers a signal to the display to provide information to indicate to a pilot that the positioning system is not functioning correctly.

13. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the laser is positioned so that its measurement volume includes measurement pulses transmitted onto the ground when an aircraft has reached its stop point during the aircraft positioning process.

14. An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the computer compares at least certain measured distances to the ground with calibrated values during an entire aircraft positioning process.

15. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the scanning laser scans in a vertical plane.

16. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the scanning laser scans in a vertical plane and in a horizontal plane.

17. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the laser is positioned so that measurement of the distance to the ground at a point forward of the aircraft also takes place when the aircraft has reached its stop point during the positioning process.

18. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein a maximum measurement distance on the ground from the laser is measured, and the computer disregards measurement values resulting from objects that are located further away from the laser than the maximum measurement distance.