Hazard avoidance system

• US 6,940,424 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Government of the United States of America, Precise Flight, Inc., The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: Precise Flight, Inc.
• Inventors: Philiben, Scott, Blackwell, Bradley F.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US10/286,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/426.19, 340/426.22, 340/426.23, 340/435, 340/463, 340/468, 340/471, 340/472, 340/901, 340/436, 340/903, 340/947, 340/961, 340/988, 180/271, 701/213, 701/200
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 29/10 using light sources, e.g. lasers or flashing lights
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/022 comprising bird or foreign object protections
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2203/00 Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/06 for indicating aircraft presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

A hazard avoidance system for a vehicle utilizes data related to a location of a collision threat, conditions at the location, and vehicle operating parameters to select a light illumination routine that is optimal to attract the attention of and repel a collision hazard.

Claims

1. A hazard avoidance system for a vehicle comprising:

(a) a light arranged on an exterior of said vehicle; and

(b) a data processing system to determine an identity of an animal hazard to said vehicle and selectively illuminate said light in response to determination of said identity of said animal hazard, said illumination of said light being selected to produce a response by said animal hazard.

2. The hazard avoidance system of claim 1 further comprising an instruction executable by said data processing system relating a vehicle location to said identity of said animal hazard.

3. The hazard avoidance system of claim 1 further comprising

(a) a positioning system inputting a vehicle location datum to said data processing system;

and

(b) an instruction, executable by said data processing system, relating said identity of said animal hazard and said vehicle location datum.

4. The hazard avoidance system of claim 1 further comprising an instruction executable by said data processing system relating said identity of said animal hazard to a condition at a location.

5. The hazard avoidance system of claim 4 wherein said condition at said location comprises a time.

6. The hazard avoidance system of claim 4 further comprising:

(a) an object detection device inputting a datum to said data processing system in response to detection of an object; and

(b) an instruction executable by said data processing system relating said datum to said identity of said animal hazard.

7. The hazard avoidance system of claim 4 further comprising:

(a) a communication link facilitating input of a datum to said data processing system from a remote source, said datum identifying an animal hazard; and

(b) an instruction executable by said data processing system relating said datum to a routine for selective illumination of said light.

8. The hazard avoidance system of claim 1 further comprising an instruction executable by said data processing system relating said selective illumination of said light to a condition of said vehicle.

9. The hazard avoidance system of claim 8 wherein said instruction relating said selective illumination of said light to said condition of said vehicle relates illumination of said light to a speed of said vehicle.

10. The hazard avoidance system of claim 1 further comprising an instruction relating an operating mode of said vehicle to said identity of said animal hazard.

11. The hazard avoidance system of claim 10 wherein said instruction relating an operating mode of said vehicle to said identity of said animal hazard comprises an instruction relating an altitude of said vehicle to said identity of said animal hazard.

12. The hazard avoidance system of claim 1 wherein said data processing system selectively alters an intensity of illumination of said light during a period of illumination of said light.

13. The hazard avoidance system of claim 1 wherein said identity of said animal hazard comprises a species of animal.

14. A method of avoiding a collision between an animal and a vehicle comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying a location of a vehicle;

(b) relating said vehicle'"'"'s location to an identity of an animal threatening collision;

(c) relating said identity of said animal threatening collision to a routine for illuminating a light; and

(d) illuminating a light on an exterior of said vehicle according to said routine.

15. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 14 wherein the step of illuminating a light on said exterior of said vehicle according said routine comprises the steps of:

(a) energizing a light element identified in said routine for a first period specified in said routine, said energized light element emitting light of a frequency and an intensity stimulating a vision system of said animal threatening collision with said vehicle; and

(b) deenergizing said light element for a second period specified by said routine.

16. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a condition of said location of said vehicle; and

(b) relating said condition of said location to said identity of said animal threatening collision.

17. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 14 wherein the step of identifying a location of said vehicle comprises the step of determining a location of said vehicle at a time in the future.

18. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 16 wherein the step of determining a condition of said location of said vehicle comprises the steps of:

(a) detecting an object;

(b) determining a behavior of said object; and

(c) relating said behavior to said identity of said animal threatening collision.

19. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 16 wherein the step of determining a condition of said location of said vehicle comprises the step of receiving a report of an animal collision threat from a remote observer.

20. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

(a) determining an operating parameter of said vehicle; and

(b) relating said operating parameter to said identity of said animal threatening collision.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of determining an operating parameter of said vehicle comprises the step of determining one of an altitude of said vehicle, a ground loading of said vehicle, and a position of a control of said vehicle.

22. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

(a) determining an operating parameter of said vehicle; and

(b) relating said operating parameter to said routine for illuminating said light.

23. The method of avoiding a collision of claim 14 wherein the step of illuminating said light according to said routine comprises the steps of:

(a) initiating illumination of said light;

(b) altering an intensity of said illumination; and

(c) terminating illumination of said light.

24. An animal collision avoidance system for an aircraft, said system comprising:

(a) a light element arranged on an exterior of said aircraft;

(b) a threat datum relating at least one of an aircraft collision threat location, a condition at an aircraft collision threat location, and an operating mode of an aircraft to an identity of an animal posing an aircraft collision threat;

(c) an illumination routine relating an identity of at least one animal posing an aircraft collision threat to at least one of an illumination pulse period, a light frequency, and an intensity of illumination; and

(d) a data processing system receiving a datum specifying at least one of a present and a future location of said aircraft, a condition at said aircraft location, and an operating mode of said aircraft, relating a received datum to a threat datum, and illuminating said light element according to an illumination routine appropriate to said received datum.