Controlling aircraft from collisions with off limits facilities

• US 6,915,188 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2004
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence J Koncelik Jr (Lawrence J. Koncelik)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence J Koncelik Jr (Lawrence J. Koncelik)
• Inventors: Koncelik, Lawrence J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/753,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/4, 701/8, 701/9, 701/15, 342/29, 342/30, 342/32, 342/34, 342/36, 342/37, 342/63, 342/65, 342/456, 340/933, 340/945, 340/959, 340/961, 340/963, 340/988, 340/426.18, 340/426.19
• US Class Current: 701/9
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

A signal is received from an off limits facility and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of the off limits facility. The course and/or flight of the aircraft is changed if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility. A signal is received from an airport and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport. The aircraft is prevented from taking off if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off. A signal is received from a satellite and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility. The course and/or flight of the aircraft if the aircraft is changed if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising

a receiver;

and

a processor connected by a communications link to the receiver;

wherein the receiver receives a signal from an airport and provides the signal to the processor;

wherein the processor determines from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport;

wherein the processor prevents the aircraft from taking off, if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off; and

further comprising

a transmitter; and

wherein the transmitter sends signal from the aircraft indicating that the aircraft has an operational device for altering the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility.

2. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving an airport signal on an aircraft from an airport;

determining from the airport signal whether the aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport;

preventing the aircraft from taking off, if the airport signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off; and

further comprising

sending an aircraft signal from the aircraft indicating that the aircraft has an operational device for altering the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising

receiving the aircraft signal at the airport;

determining from the aircraft signal that the aircraft has the operational device; and

allowing the aircraft to takeoff from the airport after determining that the aircraft has the operational device.

4. A method comprising

transmitting a first aircraft signal from an aircraft;

receiving the first aircraft signal at an airport; and

determining at the airport whether the first aircraft signal is acceptable;

wherein the first aircraft signal is acceptable if the first aircraft signal indicates that a processor on the aircraft is in a ready condition so that the processor will be able to steer the aircraft away from a restricted area; and

allowing the aircraft to take off from the airport only if the first aircraft signal is acceptable.

5. The method of claim 4 and further comprising

preventing the aircraft from taking off from the airport if the first aircraft signal is not acceptable by sending a stop signal from the airport to the aircraft, which causes the processor on the aircraft to prevent any flight of the aircraft.