Pilot director light utilizing light emitting diode (LED) technology
First Claim
1. A pilot director light (PDL) apparatus mounted on a refueling tanker aircraft for directing a pilot in an approaching aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
- one or more light emitting devices, each utilizing a light emitting diode (LED) light source, at least one light emitting device emitting a light pattern that provides positional feedback to the pilot in the approaching aircraft,wherein the pilot'"'"'s perception of the light pattern changes as the approaching aircraft'"'"'s relative position falls off course with respect to at least one of an azimuthal and elevational range corresponding to the refueling aircraft'"'"'s boom envelope, such that the change in perception indicates to the pilot that the approaching aircraft has fallen off course.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Pilot Director Lights (PDLs) mounted on the exterior of a refueling tanker aircraft (10) utilize light emitting diodes (LEDs) (213) as a light source to provide visual information to the pilot of an approaching aircraft (30). The PDLs may include a plurality of light emitting devices (200) arranged in arrays (123 and 124), each light emitting device (200) being configured to illuminate a particular symbol/pattern. Each light emitting device (200) may include a plurality of modular banks (210) of LEDs (213), which are configured to emit light through a clear lens (230) within a particular field of view. The PDL arrays (123 and 124) may provide visual feedback regarding the elevational and fore-aft position of the approaching aircraft (30) relative to the boom envelope (14) of the tanker aircraft (10).
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A pilot director light (PDL) apparatus mounted on a refueling tanker aircraft for directing a pilot in an approaching aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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one or more light emitting devices, each utilizing a light emitting diode (LED) light source, at least one light emitting device emitting a light pattern that provides positional feedback to the pilot in the approaching aircraft, wherein the pilot'"'"'s perception of the light pattern changes as the approaching aircraft'"'"'s relative position falls off course with respect to at least one of an azimuthal and elevational range corresponding to the refueling aircraft'"'"'s boom envelope, such that the change in perception indicates to the pilot that the approaching aircraft has fallen off course. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 22, 23)
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8. A pilot director light (PDL) apparatus mounted on a refueling tanker aircraft for directing a pilot in an approaching aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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one or more light emitting devices, each utilizing a light emitting diode (LED) light source, wherein at least one of the light emitting devices is configured to emit a sheet of light, through a corresponding lens, to the pilot when a fuel receptacle of the approaching aircraft is aligned with a boom envelope associated with the refueling tanker aircraft, and wherein the at least one of the light emitting devices is configured so that the emitted sheet of light striates as the fuel receptacle moves out of alignment with the boom envelope.
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9. A pilot director light (PDL) apparatus mounted on a refueling tanker aircraft for directing a pilot in an approaching aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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one or more light emitting devices, each utilizing a light emitting diode (LED) light source, at least one light emitting device emitting a light pattern that provides positional feedback to the pilot in the approaching aircraft, wherein the pilot'"'"'s perception of the light pattern changes as the approaching aircraft'"'"'s relative position changes, thereby providing the positional feedback to the pilot, and wherein the LED light source of at least one of the light emitting devices includes one or more modules of LEDs, each of the LEDs including a narrow angle emitter for emitting light. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification