Method and device for preventing unpermitted approach of airplanes to objects on the ground which are to be protected

• US 7,177,763 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Werner Keber
• Original Assignee: Werner Keber
• Inventors: Keber, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/490,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 701/9, 701/14, 701/13, 701/301, 701/300, 701/4, 701/207, 701/225, 340/961, 340/970, 340/979, 340/973, 340/963, 244/17.13, 244/158.R, 342/357.01, 342/29, 342/65, 342/455
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for preventing airplanes from impermissibly approaching defendable ground objects, the method suggests that a defendable ground object is assigned a virtual prohibited zone spatially surrounding it, with the outer boundary of such zone being provided with a sufficient horizontal minimum distance from the ground object and a vertical minimum distance determining a given minimum crossing altitude, that the prohibited zone is assigned a virtual correction zone laterally surrounding it whose outer boundary has a horizontal minimum distance from the outer boundary of the prohibited zone in any case sufficient for any forced deviation corrections and an altitude equal to that of the prohibited zone; that the correction zone is assigned a virtual alarm zone spatially surrounding it whose outer boundary has a horizontal minimum distance from the outer boundary of the correction zone in any case sufficient for manual deviation corrections; that the geographical data of the outer boundaries of at least the alarm and the correction zone are recorded and digitally stored together with the vertical minimum distance or the minimum crossing altitude and stored with access protection provided in every airplane and displayed in the cockpit.

Claims

1. Method for preventing airplanes from impermissibly approaching

defendable ground objects, with the momentary flight position being recorded in a satellite-based way and used for manual and automatic flight corrections,

comprising the following features:

a defendable ground object is assigned a virtual prohibited zone spatially surrounding it, the outer boundary of which has a sufficient horizontal minimum distance from the ground object and a vertical minimum distance determining a given minimum crossing altitude;

the prohibited zone is assigned a virtual correction zone laterally surrounding it, the outer boundary of which has a horizontal minimum distance from the outer boundary of the prohibited zone in any case sufficient for distance deviation corrections and an altitude equal to that of the prohibited zone;

the correction zone is assigned a virtual alarm zone spatially surrounding it, the outer boundary of which has a horizontal minimum distance from the outer boundary of the correction zone in any case sufficient for manual deviation corrections;

the geographical data of the outer boundaries of at least the alarm and the correction zone are recorded and, together with the vertical minimum distance or the minimum crossing altitude, digitally stored and kept in every airplane with access protection provided as well as displayed in the cockpit;

the momentary flight position is continuously recorded in a satellite-based way and the momentary flight altitude established and such instantaneous data are compared with the geographical data of the outer boundaries of the alarm zone and the correction zone;

in the event of an airplane'"'"'s penetration into the alarm zone detected upon comparison of the aforesaid position data, a warning signal is transmitted until the airplane'"'"'s withdrawal from the alarm zone, and the airplane is at the same time allowed to be steered manually for the purposes of leaving the alarm zone;

in the event of an airplane'"'"'s lateral penetration into the correction zone detected upon comparison of the aforesaid position data, the airplane'"'"'s manual steerability is temporarily inhibited and replaced by autopilot control to the right or left forcing withdrawal from the correction zone at least until the airplane reaches the alarm zone again; and

in the event that the vertical minimum distance determining the given minimum crossing altitude is approached in descent above the prohibited zone and the correction zone, a descent limitation to at minimum the minimum crossing altitude is forced; and

wherein the prohibited, correction and alarm zones each being defined by a predetermined radii.

2. Method in accordance with claim No. 1, wherein circular prohibited, correction and alarm zones are used in the horizontal section.

3. Method in accordance with claim No. 1 or 2, wherein autopilot control within the correction zone is performed in connection with superordinate anticollision control.

4. Method in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein autopilot control is triggered by a vector-oriented control program.

5. Method in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein autopilot control is subject to the angle of approach to the correction zone, always performed in an obtuse angle to the right or left.

6. Method in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein the limitation of the airplane'"'"'s descent above the prohibited zone and the correction zone is effected in connection with superordinate anticollision control.

7. Method in accordance with claim 1 or 2, whereinupon penetration into the correction zone and in case the airplane is below a given safety altitude, for example a safety altitude determined by geographic conditions such as mountains, the autopilot control forces an optimal climb until the safety altitude is reached.

8. A facility for applying the method in accordance with claim 1 or 2, with a satellite-based navigational system receiver, a computer provided with a memory, an autopilot system for airplanes, an anticollision system for airplanes, an altimeter and display and signaling means in the airplanc'"'"'s cockpit,

wherein:

the geographical data of the outer boundaries of an alarm zone and a correction zone surrounding a central prohibited zone, a vertical minimum distance determining an object-related minimum crossing altitude and an environment-related safety altitude are stored in the memory of the computer as safety variables;

the computer continuously compares the data from the navigational system receiver and the altimeter with the stored safety variables and subject to this triggers the transmission of a warning signal and/or forced autopilot control with superordinate priority of the anticollision system upon occurrence of particular comparison results;

the display means in the cockpit are designed to display the stored safety variables and the relative momentary position of the airplane as well as any resulting comparative values; and

the computer with its memory and the navigational system receiver are arranged in an access-protected control box.

9. A facility in accordance with claim 8, wherein the control box is equipped with a safety device responding in the case of any unauthorized intervention and designed to trigger a warning signal clement in the cockpit, and/or with a function inhibition for take-off.

10. A facility in accordance with claim 9, characterized by the fact that the safety device of the control box is equipped with an independent power supply in the control box and a radio set responding in the event of any unauthorized intervention and triggering the safety function.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each predetermined radius of said prohibited, correction and alarm zones is a constant radius defining a respective cylindrically shaped zone.

11. A method for preventing airplanes from impermissibly approaching defendable ground objects, with the momentary flight position being recorded in a satellite-based way and used for manual and automatic flight corrections, comprising the following features:

a defendable pound object is assigned a virtual prohibited zone spatially surrounding it, the outer boundary of which has a sufficient horizontal minimum distance from the ground object and a vertical minimum distance determining a given minimum crossing altitude;

the prohibited zone is assigned a virtual correction zone laterally surrounding it, the outer boundary of which has a horizontal minimum distance from the outer boundary of the prohibited zone in any ease sufficient for forced deviation corrections and an altitude equal to that of the prohibited zone;

the correction zone is assigned a virtual alarm zone spatially surrounding it, the outer boundary of which has a horizontal minimum distance from the outer boundary of the correction zone in any case sufficient for manual deviation corrections;

the geographical data of the outer boundaries of at least the alarm and the correction zone are recorded and, together with the vertical minimum distance or the minimum crossing altitude, digitally stored and kept in every airplane with access protection provided as well as displayed in the cockpit;

the momentary flight position is continuously recorded in a satellite-based way and the momentary flight altitude established and such instantaneous data are compared with the geographical data of the outer boundaries of the alarm zone and the correction zone;

in the event of an airplane'"'"'s penetration into the alarm zone detected upon comparison of the aforesaid position data, a warning signal is transmitted until the airplane'"'"'s withdrawal from the alarm zone, and the airplane is at the same time allowed to be steered manually for the purposes of leaving the alarm zone;

automatically replacing manual steerability of an airplane with autopilot control if comparison of said position data indicates that said airplane laterally penetrates said correction zone, said autopilot steering said airplane to the right or left for forcing withdrawal from said correction zone, and automatically restoring manual steerability of said airplane when said airplane reaches the alarm zone; and

in the event that the vertical minimum distance determining the given minimum crossing altitude is approached in descent above the prohibited zone and the correction zone, a descent limitation to at minimum the minimum crossing altitude is forced; and

wherein the prohibited, correction and alarm zones each being defined by a respective predetermined radius.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each predetermined radius of said prohibited, correction and alarm zones is a constant radius defining a respective cylindrically shaped zone.