Airborne visibility indicator system and method

• US 7,557,734 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Army (U.S. Department Of Defense)
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Estrada, Arthur III, Persson, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/547,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340963-980, 701 3- 14, 342/65, 342/26
• US Class Current: 340/963
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/95 for meteorological use
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A system for providing an objective visibility measurement to a flight crew preferably includes a LIDAR system (100), an evaluation unit (150), and a crew interface (200). In at least one embodiment, the system includes the capability of compensating for aircraft turns such that the absolute direction of the visibility reading remains constant through the maneuver. A method for providing an objective visibility reading to a flight crew preferably includes tacking a visibility reading (S820, S920); providing the visibility reading to the flight crew (S830, S930); and notifying the flight crew when the visibility has decreased to and/or less than a minimum visibility threshold (S840).

Claims

1. An airborne visibility indicator system for use in an aircraft comprising:

a LIDAR system; and

a flight crew interface connected to said LIDAR system, said flight crew interface including

a controller connected to said LIDAR system, said controller includes a visibility threshold controller and a beam controller in communication with said LIDAR system, said beam controller includes means for receiving directional information from a flight crew, and

a display interface connected to said LIDAR system and said controller.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller includes a mode switch in communication with said LIDAR system, the mode switch includes at least two positions with one position for continuous operation of said LIDAR system and a second position for manual operation of said LIDAR system by a flight crew.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said display interface includes a visibility display connected to said LIDAR system.

2. An airborne visibility indicator system for use in an aircraft comprising:

a LIDAR system, and

a flight crew interface connected to said LIDAR system, said flight crew interface including

a controller connected to said LIDAR system, said controller includes a visibility threshold controller and a beam controller in communication with said LIDAR system, said beam controller includes a horizontal controller and an elevation controller, and

a display interface connected to said LIDAR system and said controller, said display interface is in communication with said visibility threshold controller.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said beam controller includes a compensation processor connected to said horizontal controller and said LIDAR system.

6. An airborne visibility indicator system for use in an aircraft comprising:

a LIDAR system; and

a flight crew interface connected to said LIDAR system, said flight crew interface including

a controller connected to said LIDAR system, said controller includes a visibility threshold controller and a beam controller in communication with said LIDAR system, and

a display interface connected to said LIDAR system and said controller, said display interface is in communication with said visibility threshold controller, said display interface includes

a visibility display connected to said LIDAR system, and

a beam display connected to said beam controller.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said display interface includes an alarm system connected to said visibility threshold controller, said alarm system having at least one of a visual notification element and an audio notification element that is activated when a visibility is less than a minimum visibility set by said visibility threshold controller.

20. The system according to claim 6, wherein said beam controller includes a horizontal controller and an elevation controller.

8. An airborne visibility indicator system for use in an aircraft comprising:

a LIDAR system; and

a flight crew interface connected to said LIDAR system, said flight crew interface including

a controller connected to said LIDAR system, said controller includes a visibility threshold controller, said visibility threshold controller includes

a GPS module,

a processor connected to said GPS module and said display interface, and

a database connected to said processor;

a display interface connected to said LIDAR system and said controller, said display interface is in communication with said visibility threshold controller; and

an alarm system connected to said processor and said LIDAR system.

9. An airborne visibility indicator system for use in an aircraft operated by a flight crew, the system comprising:

beam control means for receiving selection of a direction and an elevation to take a visibility reading,

visibility calculation means for calculating the visibility reading in the selected direction and at the selected elevation, and

display means for displaying the calculated visibility reading, the direction of the visibility reading, and the elevation of the visibility reading.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising

a minimum visibility threshold means for setting the minimum visibility range for a given flight plan and/or mission, and

an alarm means for notifying at least one member of the flight crew that the calculated visibility is less than or equal to the minimum visibility range.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said beam control means includes means for maintaining the selected direction during a maneuver by the aircraft.

19. The system according to claim 9, further comprising

a minimum visibility threshold means for setting the minimum visibility range for a given flight plan and/or mission, and

an alarm means for notifying at least one member of the flight crew that the calculated visibility is less than or equal to the minimum visibility range.

12. A method for providing an airborne visibility indicator to a flight crew comprising:

receiving a minimum visibility threshold through a flight crew interface,

receiving a beam elevation and direction through the flight crew interface,

measuring a visibility range with an aircraft mounted LIDAR system aimed based on the received elevation and direction,

providing the visibility range to the flight crew on a display, and

when the visibility range is less than or equal to the received minimum visibility threshold as determined by a computer, notifying at least one member of the flight crew of this occurrence.

13. A method for providing an airborne visibility indicator to a flight crew comprising:

receiving a minimum visibility threshold through a flight crew interface,

receiving a beam elevation and direction through the flight crew interface,

measuring a visibility range with an aircraft mounted LIDAR system at the received elevation and direction,

providing the visibility range to the flight crew, and

when the visibility range is less than the received minimum visibility threshold, notifying at least one member of the flight crew of this occurrence.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said measuring step, said providing step, and said determination are repeated a plurality of times.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

compensating for an aircraft turn towards the received direction such that the direction used to take the visibility range is adjusted such that the direction of the visibility range remains constant throughout the aircraft turn.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein said receiving the beam elevation and direction step occurs when a new beam elevation and/or direction is entered by the flight crew interrupts a repeating loop of said measuring step, said providing step, and said determination.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

compensating for an aircraft turn towards the received direction such that the direction used to take the visibility range is adjusted such that the direction of the visibility range remains constant throughout the aircraft turn.

15. A method for providing an airborne visibility indicator to a flight crew comprising:

receiving a minimum visibility threshold, wherein the minimum visibility threshold is received from a controller performing the following method

receiving a geographical location of the aircraft,

receiving an altitude for the aircraft,

correlating the geographical location and the altitude with the minimum visibility threshold in a database, and

providing the minimum visibility threshold; and

measuring a visibility range with an aircraft mounted LIDAR system;

providing the visibility range to the flight crew; and

when the visibility range is less than or equal to the received minimum visibility threshold, notifying at least one member of the flight crew of this occurrence.