Apparatus and method for detecting objects located on an airport runway

• US 7,148,815 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Byron Scott Derringer
• Original Assignee: Byron Scott Derringer
• Inventors: Derringer, Byron Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/988,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 340/557, 340/556, 340/904, 340/959, 340/961, 340/963, 340/945, 342/57
• US Class Current: 340/961
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/184 using radiation reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting objects on an airport runway. The apparatus comprises a first transmitter adapted to be positioned adjacent to the runway, a first receiver adapted to be positioned adjacent to the runway, a processor operably linked to the first receiver, and a user interface operably linked to the processor. The first transmitter is adapted to emit a first beam of light across the runway to the first receiver and the first receiver is adapted to send a first indication to the processor if the first beam of light is interrupted by an object on the runway. The processor is adapted to send a warning indication to the user interface in response to the first indication and the user interface is adapted to generate a warning upon receipt of the warning indication.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting objects on an airport runway, comprising:

a plurality of transmitters adapted to emit incident beams and positioned along a first side of said airport runway;

a plurality of receivers adapted to receive said incident beams and positioned along a second side of said runway;

a processor operably linked to each of said plurality of receivers; and

a user interface operably linked to said processor,

wherein each of said plurality of transmitters are adapted to emit said incident beams across at least a portion of said runway, and each of said plurality of receivers being configured to receive one of said incident beams,

wherein said plurality of receivers are adapted to indicate a first indication to said processor if any of said incident beams are interrupted by an object on or over said runway,

wherein said processor is adapted to send a second indication to said user interface in response to said first indication, said second indication being a warning indication; and

wherein said user interface is adapted to enable a user to receive a third indication in response to said second indication further comprising a reflector positioned adjacent to said runway, wherein said reflector is adapted to reflect said incident beams from said plurality of transmitters to said plurality of receivers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of receivers and one of said plurality of transmitters are adapted to form a first transceiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support mechanism adapted to support each of said plurality of receivers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said support mechanism is adapted to present a substantially flush surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support mechanism adapted to support each of said plurality of transmitters.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said support mechanism is adapted to present a substantially flush surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover adapted to protect each of said plurality of receivers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover adapted to protect each of said plurality of transmitters.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating element adapted to heat each of said plurality of receivers.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating element adapted to heat each of said plurality of transmitters.

11. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said processor is adapted to use triangulation to locate said object on said runway.

12. An apparatus for detecting objects on an airport runway, comprising:

a plurality of transmitters adapted to emit incident beams positioned along a first side of said runway;

a plurality of receivers adapted to receive said incident beams, said plurality of receivers being positioned along a second side of said runway;

a processor for detecting a status of said incident beams and operably linked to each of said plurality of receivers; and

a user interface operably linked to said processor;

each of said plurality of transmitters being adapted to emit an incident beam not substantially parallel to said first or second sides, each of said plurality of receivers being adapted to receive said incident beam from any one of said plurality of transmitters, each of said plurality of receivers being adapted to indicate a first indication to said processor if any of said incident beams are interrupted by an object on or over said runway, said processor being adapted to send a second indication to said user interface in response to said first indication, said second indication being a warning indication, and said user interface being adapted to enable a user to receive a third indication in response to said warning indication further comprising a reflector positioned adjacent to said runway, wherein said reflector is adapted to reflect said incident beams from said plurality of transmitters to said plurality of receivers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one of said plurality of receivers and one of said plurality of transmitters are adapted to form a transceiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a support mechanism adapted to support each of said plurality of receivers.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said support mechanism is adapted to present a substantially flush surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a support mechanism adapted to support each of said plurality of transmitters.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said support mechanism is adapted to present a substantially flush surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a protective cover adapted to protect each of said plurality of receivers.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a protective cover adapted to protect each of said plurality of transmitters.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a heating element adapted to heat each of said plurality of receivers.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a heating element adapted to heat each of said plurality of transmitters.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

wherein said processor is adapted to use triangulation to locate said object on said runway.

23. An apparatus for detecting objects on an airport runway, having an axial direction and a length that is substantially longer than a width of the runway, comprising:

an array of a plurality of transmitters, each of said transmitters being adapted to emit incident beams, and disposed along a first side of said airport runway,

an array of a plurality of receivers, each of said receivers being adapted to receive said incident beams, and disposed along a second side of said airport runway opposite said first side;

each of said plurality of transmitters being associated with at least one of said plurality of receivers;

a processor for detecting a status of said incident beam, said processor being operably linked to each of said plurality of receivers, said processor including an item characterizer and an alarm generator; and

a user interface operably linked to said processor;

each of said plurality of transmitters being adapted to emit an incident beam substantially transverse to said axial direction of said runway and not substantially parallel to said first or second sides;

each of said plurality of receivers being adapted to receive said incident beam from any one of said plurality of transmitters and configured to provide a first indication to said processor if said incident beam is interrupted by any object that appears on said runway;

said processor being adapted to triangulate to determine said location of said object on said runway and further identify a characteristic of said object on said runway with said item characterizer, and send a warning indication through said alarm generator to said user interface in response to said first indication;

said user interface being adapted to enable a user to receive a second indication in response to said warning indication;

said second indication being adapted to inform said user of a location of said object and the type of said object detected on said runway further comprising a reflector positioned adjacent to said runway, wherein said reflector is adapted to reflect said incident beams from said plurality of transmitters to said plurality of receivers.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein one of said plurality of receivers and one of said plurality of transmitters are adapted to form a transceiver.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a support mechanism adapted to support each of said plurality of receivers.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said support mechanism is adapted to present a substantially flush surface.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a support mechanism adapted to support each of said plurality of transmitters.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said support mechanism is adapted to present a substantially flush surface.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a protective cover adapted to protect each of said plurality of receivers.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a protective cover adapted to protect each of said plurality of transmitters.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a heating element adapted to heat each of said plurality of receivers.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a heating element adapted to heat each of said plurality of transmitters.