Runway occupancy monitoring and warning

• US 6,927,701 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Architecture Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Architecture Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Swanson, Kirk J, Chartier, Eric R, Schmidt, Noel E
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung
• Application Number:
  US10/354,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 340/959, 340/945, 340/948, 340/961, 340/972, 340/981, 340/990, 340/988, 340/905, 701/14, 701/15, 701/17, 701/120, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/959
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

Techniques are described for monitoring runway occupancy and providing an indication of occupancy of a runway to an airplane on final approach the runway. A system, for example, defines and monitors one or more zones on the runway to determine whether the runway is occupied. Such a system includes sensors, such as inductive loop sensors, that may be located proximate to or on the runway, and the system may monitor ingress and egress of objects, such as airplanes or other vehicles on the ground, into and out of the zone in order to determine whether the zone is activated. The sensors may be located at points of entry and exit for the zone. The zones may be located at take-off hold areas of the runway and intersections of the runway with taxiways. A ground-based approach light array of the system may provide the indication of runway occupancy to the airplane.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining a zone on a runway at a region of ingress and egress for the runway;

defining a point of entry and a point of exit for the zone;

locating at least one sensor at the point of entry and at least one sensor at the point of exit for the zone;

monitoring ingress of objects to the zone via the sensor located at the point of entry for the zone and egress of objects from the zone via the sensor located at the point of exit for the zone to determine whether the zone is activated; and

providing an indication of runway occupancy to an airplane on final approach to the runway based on the determination of whether the zone is activated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring ingress and egress of objects to determine whether the zone is activated comprises:

detecting an object via one of the sensors; and

determining whether the zone was not activated prior to detecting the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring ingress and egress of objects to determine whether the zone is activated comprises:

detecting an abject via one of the sensors; and

determining whether the sensor is an activation sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring ingress and egress of objects to determine whether the zone is activated comprises:

detecting an object via a first one of the sensors; and

determining whether a timer has expired before detecting the object via one of the first one of the sensors and a second one of the sensors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring ingress and egress of to determine whether the zone is activated comprises determining a number of objects in the zone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining a number of objects in the zone comprises:

detecting objects via pairs of sensors located at points of entry and exit for the zone;

determining an order in which the sensors of the pairs detect the objects; and

determining whether detected objects are entering or exiting the zone based on the order of detection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring ingress of objects to the zone and egress of objects from the zone comprises monitoring an area defined by the zone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring an area defined by the zone to determine whether the zone is activated comprises:

detecting an object within the area; and

determining whether a first sensor to detect the object is an activation sensor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring an area defined by the zone to determine whether the zone is activated comprises:

detecting an object within the area;

starting a timer upon detecting the object; and

determining whether the zone is occupied upon expiration of a timer.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the sensors is located within the area defined by the zone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the zone to determine whether the zone is occupied by at least one of airplanes and ground-based vehicles.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the zone is located on at least one of a take-off area of the runway, an intersection of the runway with a taxiway, and an intersection of the runway with another runway.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring ingress of objects to the zone and egress of objects from the zone comprises monitoring the zone via at least one of an inductive loop sensor, a magnetometer, a motion detector, an acoustic locator, and an electromagnetic beam sensor.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an indication of runway occupancy comprises providing an indication of runway occupancy via a ground-based approach light array.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing an indication of runway occupancy via a ground-based approach light array comprises providing an indication of runway occupancy via at least one of a precision approach path indicator light array and a visual approach slope indicator light array.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein providing an indication of runway occupancy via a ground-based approach light array comprises flashing the light array.

17. A system comprising:

a first sensor located proximate to an entry point for a zone defined on a runway at a region of ingress and egress for the runway;

a second sensor located proximate to an exit point for the zone; and

a controller coupled to the first and second sensors to monitor ingress of objects to the zone via the first sensor and egress of objects from the zone via the second sensor to determine whether the zone is activated, and provide an indication of runway occupancy to an airplane on final approach to the runway based on the determination of whether the zone is activated.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller detects an object via one of the first and second sensors, and determines whether the zone is activated by determining whether the zone was not activated prior to detecting the object.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller detects an object via one of the first and second sensors, and determines whether the zone is activated by determining whether the sensor is an activation sensor.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller detects an object via the first sensor and determines whether the zone is activated by determining whether a timer has expired before detecting the object via one of the first and second sensors.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller determines a number of objects in the zone.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising pairs of sensors located at each point of entry and exit for the zone, wherein one of the pairs includes the first sensor and another of the pairs includes the second sensor, and the controller determines the number of objects in the zone by detecting objects via the pairs of sensors, determining an order in which the sensors of the pairs detect the objects, and determining whether detected objects are entering or exiting the zone based on the order of detection.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller monitors the zone by monitoring an area defined by the zone.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the controller monitors the zone by detecting an object within the area, starting a timer upon detecting the object, and determining whether the zone is occupied upon expiration of a timer.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first and second sensors is located within the area defined by the zone.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller monitors the zone to determine whether the zone is occupied by least one of airplanes and ground-based vehicles.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the zone is located on at least one of a take-off area of the runway, an intersection of the runway with taxiway, and an intersection of the runway with another runway.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second sensors includes one of an inductive loop sensor, a magnetometer, a motion detector, an acoustic locator, and an electromagnetic beam sensor.

29. The system of claim 17, further comprising a ground-based approach light array, wherein the controller provides an indication of runway occupancy to an airplane on final approach via the ground-based approach light array.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the light array comprises at least one of a precision approach path indicator light array and a visual approach slope indicator light array.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein controller provides an indication of runway occupancy by controlling the light array to flash.

32. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

monitor ingress of objects to a zone defined on a runway at a region of ingress and egress for the runway via at least one sensor located at a point of entry for the zone and egress of objects from the zone via at least one sensor located at a point of exit for the zone to determine whether the zone is activated; and

provide an indication of runway occupancy to an airplane on final approach to the runway based on the determination of whether the zone is activated.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to monitor ingress and egress of objects to determine whether a zone is activated comprise instructions that cause a processor to detect an object via at least one of the sensors and determine whether the zone was not activated prior to detecting the object.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to monitor ingress and egress of objects to determine whether a zone is activated comprise instructions that cause a processor to detect an object via at least one of the sensors and determine whether the sensor is an activation sensor.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to monitor ingress and egress of objects to determine whether a zone is activated comprise instructions that cause a processor to detect an object via a first one of the sensors and determine whether a timer has expired before detecting the object via one of the first one of the sensors and a second one of the sensors.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to monitor ingress and egress of objects to determine whether a zone is activated comprise instructions that cause a processor to monitor an area defined by the zone.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to monitor an area defined by the zone to determine whether the zone is activated comprise instructions that cause a processor to:

detect an object within the area; and

determine whether a first one of the sensors to detect the object is an activation sensor.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to monitor an area defined by the zone to determine whether the zone is activated comprise instructions that cause a processor to:

detect an object within the area;

start a timer upon detecting the object; and

determine whether the zone is occupied upon expiration of a timer.

36. The computer-readable medium 32, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to monitor ingress and egress of objects to determine whether a zone is activated comprise instructions that cause a processor to determine a number of objects in the zone.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to determine a number of objects in the zone comprise instructions that cause a processor to:

detect objects via pairs of sensors located at each point of entry and exit for the zone;

determine an order in which the sensors of the pair detect the objects; and

determine whether detected objects are entering or exiting the zone based on the order of detection.

41. A method comprising:

defining a point of entry and a point of exit for a zone on an airport runway;

locating at least one activation sensor at the point of entry and at least one deactivation sensor at the point of exit for the zone;

sensing ingress of objects to the zone via the activation sensor and egress of objects from the zone via the deactivation sensor;

determining whether the zone is activated based on the sensed ingress of objects into and egress of objects from the zone; and

providing an indication of runway occupancy to an airplane on final approach to the runway via a ground-based approach light array based on the determination of whether the zone is activated.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein determining whether the zone is activated comprises determining whether the zone was not activated prior to detecting the object.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein determining whether the zone is activated comprises:

initiating a timer upon sensing the ingress of an object via the activation sensor; and

determining whether the timer expires before detecting the object via the deactivation sensor.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein determining whether the zone is activated comprises:

incrementing an occupancy count upon sensing via the activation sensor an object entering the zone;

decrementing the occupancy count upon sensing via the deactivation sensor an object leaving the zone; and

determining that the zone is activated when the occupancy count is greater than zero.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein providing an indication of runway occupancy via a ground-based approach light aray comprises providing an indication of runway occupancy via at least one of a precision approach path indicator light array and a visual approach slope indicator light array.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein providing an indication of runway occupancy via a ground-based approach light array comprises flashing the light array.

47. A system comprising:

an activation sensor located proximate to an entry point for a zone on a runway;

a deactivation sensor located proximate to an exit point for the zone;

a ground-based light array; and

a controller coupled to the sensors to sense ingress of objects into the zone via the activation sensor and egress of objects from the zone via the deactivation sensor, determine whether the zone is activated based on the sensed objects, and provide an indication of runway occupancy to an airplane on final approach to the runway via the light array.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the controller determines whether the zone is activated by determining whether the zone was not activated prior to detecting the ingress of an object.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the sensor comprises a first sensor, and the controller detects an object via the sensor and determines whether the zone is activated by determining a timer has expired before detecting the object via one of the first sensor and a second sensor.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the controller determines a number of objects in the zone.

51. The system of claim 47, wherein the light array comprises at least one of a precision approach path indicator light array and a visual approach slope indicator light array.

52. The system of claim 47, wherein controller provides an indication of runway occupancy by controlling the light array to flash.