Aircraft traffic warning system using an ad-hoc radio network
First Claim
1. A method for tracking aircraft using an airborne traffic warning system (TWS) having inter-coupled transceiver, processor, memory, annunciator and flight status instruments, comprising:
- receiving repetitively ID and positional information signals from aircraft within communication range;
updating using the received signals, a roster of aircraft whose IDs and positional information are retained in memory from the previous receiving step, including adding aircraft whose ID'"'"'s are not already stored in the roster and dropping aircraft whose ID'"'"'s were not included in the last N repetitions of the receiving step, where N>
1;
determining proximity of each of the aircraft from the received signals; and
presenting the proximity information to the user via the annunciator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for a traffic warning system (TWS) for light aircraft. The TWS comprises a processor coupled to a transceiver, adapted to measure signal strength and send/receive messages containing station ID and preferably altitude and position data. Memory, display and various flight data instruments, such as GPS, altimeter, etc., are also coupled to the processor. The transceiver-processor automatically identifies TWS equipped aircraft within range using an ad-hoc network and exchanges ID and position information. The processor determines range from signal strength and/or received position information and, given enough data, determines direction, altitude, speed, etc., of the other aircraft, which it presents to the pilot. These values and their rate of change are compared to stored alarm thresholds, and the pilot is warned when another aircraft triggers the threshold. Evasive action is recommended where possible.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for tracking aircraft using an airborne traffic warning system (TWS) having inter-coupled transceiver, processor, memory, annunciator and flight status instruments, comprising:
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receiving repetitively ID and positional information signals from aircraft within communication range; updating using the received signals, a roster of aircraft whose IDs and positional information are retained in memory from the previous receiving step, including adding aircraft whose ID'"'"'s are not already stored in the roster and dropping aircraft whose ID'"'"'s were not included in the last N repetitions of the receiving step, where N>
1;determining proximity of each of the aircraft from the received signals; and presenting the proximity information to the user via the annunciator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for tracking aircraft using an airborne traffic warning system (TWS) having inter-coupled transceiver, processor, memory, annunciator and flight status instruments, comprising:
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receiving ID and positional information signals from aircraft within communication range; updating using the received signals, a roster of aircraft whose IDs and positional information are retained in memory from the previous receiving step; determining proximity of each of the aircraft from the positional information in the received signals; presenting the proximity information to the user via the annunciator; comparing the positional information with one or more stored positional alarm conditions; determining whether sufficient positional information is available to determine evasive action; and if there is sufficient positional information, determining a possible evasive action to avoid or relieve the violation of the one or more stored positional alarm conditions; and
presenting a recommended evasive action to the user;if there is not sufficient positional information, advising the user via the annunciator when the positional information violates any of the one or more stored positional alarm condition.
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Specification