Radar based ground vehicle collision prevention

• US 7,579,980 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Anderson, David M., Renton, William J., Avery, Robert L., Banks, David L., Akdeniz, Aydin
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/941,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 342/29, 342/30, 342/36, 342/42, 342/43, 342/46, 342/125, 701/301, 340/903, 340/945, 340/961, 340/435, 340/436
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/48 for parking purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/3055 with hinged head interface between aircraft and passenger bridge
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/934 on airport surfaces, e.g. while taxiing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• 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 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/909 Collision avoidance

Abstract

The present invention comprises systems and methods for preventing collisions between aircraft and ground vehicles. In one embodiment, a system includes a proximity detection unit and a transducer proximate to a selected structural portion of an aircraft, the proximity detection unit being operable to emit ranging signals through the transducer and to receive reflected signals through the transducer to determine the position of an object within a ranging area adjacent to the structural portion. The system further includes an alarm device coupled to the proximity detection unit that is responsive to a signal generated by the proximity detection unit. In another embodiment, a method includes determining a distance between the ground service vehicle and a selected structural portion of the aircraft when the vehicle is positioned in a ranging area about the aircraft. The method further includes generating a proximity alarm based upon the distance.

Claims

1. A ground vehicle collision prevention system, comprising:

a proximity detection unit being a radio frequency detection and ranging apparatus (RADAR) positioned at least proximate to an aircraft and coupled to at least one transducer proximate to at least one selected structural portion of the aircraft, the at least one transducer being an antenna suited for use at microwave radio frequencies, the proximity detection unit being operable to emit ranging signals through the at least one transducer and to receive reflected signals through the at least one transducer to determine the position of an object within a ranging area adjacent to the selected structural portion, the ranging area subdivided into at least (1) a first field region adjacent to the at least one selected structural portion, and (2) a second field region adjacent to the first field region and spaced apart from the at least one structural portion, the proximity detection unit is operable to generate;

a first alarm signal having a first alarm signal characteristic when the object is positioned within the first field region; and

a second alarm signal having a second alarm signal characteristic when the object is positioned within the second field region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximity detection unit further comprises at least one alarm device operable to generate at least one of acoustic energy and light energy.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ground vehicle collision prevention system further comprises at least one alarm device operable to generate at least one of acoustic energy and light energy, the at least one alarm device positioned remotely from the proximity detection unit such that the acoustic energy and the light energy may be perceived within the ranging area.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first alarm signal characteristic includes a first alarm signal intensity and the second alarm signal characteristic includes a second alarm signal intensity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first alarm signal characteristic is a steady audible tone at a first audio frequency and the second alarm signal characteristic is an intermittent audible tone having a first repetition rate at a second audio frequency.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first alarm signal characteristic is a verbal signal having a first verbal alarm signal characteristic and the second alarm signal characteristic is a verbal signal having a second verbal alarm signal characteristic.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third field region adjacent to the second field region and spaced apart from the first field region, wherein the proximity detection unit is operable to generate a third alarm signal having a third alarm signal characteristic when the object is positioned within the third field region.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first alarm signal characteristic is a steady audible tone at a first audio frequency, the second alarm signal characteristic is an intermittent audible tone having a first repetition rate at a second audio frequency, and the third alarm signal characteristic is an intermittent audible tone having a second repetition rate at a third audio frequency.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third field region adjacent to the second field region and spaced apart from the first field region, wherein the proximity detection unit is operable to generate a third alarm signal having a third alarm signal characteristic when the object is positioned within the third field region, the third alarm signal characteristic including a third alarm signal intensity.

10. A ground vehicle collision prevention system, comprising:

a proximity detection unit positioned at least proximate to an aircraft and coupled to at least one transducer proximate to at least one selected structural portion of the aircraft, the proximity detection unit being operable to emit ranging signals through the at least one transducer and to receive reflected signals through the at least one transducer, the proximity detection unit being operable to generate a critical proximity alarm signal when a vehicle is positioned within a first field region of a ranging area that is adjacent to the at least one selected structural portion, the proximity alarm signal further including a second proximity alarm signal that is generated when the vehicle is positioned in a second field region of the ranging area that is spaced a predetermined critical distance from the at least one selected structural portion of the aircraft, the proximity detection unit comprising a radio frequency detection and ranging apparatus (RADAR);

a transmitter coupled to the proximity detection unit to transmit the critical proximity alarm signal to a corresponding receiver positioned in the vehicle; and

a control system coupled to the receiver to manage a motion of the vehicle when at least one of the critical proximity alarm signal or the second proximity alarm signal is received.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one of an audio alarm device or a visual alarm device configured to receive the proximity alarm signals.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system manages the motion of the vehicle by interrupting a power supply associated with the motion of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system manages the motion of the vehicle by interrupting a fuel flow between a fuel source and an engine of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system manages the motion of the vehicle by interrupting and electrical energy supply to an ignition system of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system manages the motion of the vehicle by actuating a braking system of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein me control system manages the motion of the vehicle by at least one of:

(1) stopping the motion of the vehicle, (2) limiting the motion of the vehicle, or (3) reducing the motion of the vehicle.

17. A method of preventing a collision between an aircraft and a ground service vehicle, comprising:

determining a distance, via a radio frequency detection and ranging apparatus (RADAR), between the ground service vehicle and a selected structural portion of the aircraft when the vehicle is positioned in a ranging area;

subdividing the ranging area into at least a first and second field region;

generating a first alarm signal to an operator of the vehicle, and a control signal to a control system of the vehicle, based upon the distance, when the vehicle is positioned within the first field region; and

generating a second alarm signal when the vehicle is positioned within the second field region.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first alarm signal is at least one of an audible signal or a visual signal and the second alarm signal is at least one an audible signal or a visual signal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating the first alarm signal comprises generating a steady audible tone at a first audio frequency, and the generating the second alarm signal comprises generating an intermittent audible tone having a first repetition rate at a second audio frequency.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first field region is adjacent to the at least one selected structural portions, and further wherein the second field region is adjacent to the first field region and spaced apart from the at least one structural portion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein subdividing the ranging area into a second field region adjacent to the first field region further comprises subdividing the second field region into a third field region adjacent to the second field region and spaced apart from the first field region, and generating a third alarm signal when the vehicle is positioned within the third field region.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a third alarm signal when the vehicle is positioned within a third field region of the ranging area, wherein the generating the first alarm signal comprises generating a first alarm signal having a first alarm signal intensity, wherein the generating the second alarm signal comprises generating a second alarm signal having a second alarm signal intensity, and wherein generating the third alarm signal comprises generating an a third alarm signal having a third alarm signal intensity, wherein

the first, second, and third, alarm signals are at least one of an audio alarm signal or a visual alarm signal.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising generating a third alarm signal when the vehicle is positioned within a third field region, the third field region a subdivision of the ranging area adjacent to the second field region and spaced apart from the first field region, wherein the generating the first alarm signal comprises generating a steady audible tone at a first audio frequency, wherein the generating the second alarm signal comprises generating an intermittent audible tone having a first repetition rate at a second audio frequency, and wherein the generating me third alarm signal comprises generating an intermittent audible tone having a second repetition rate at a third audio frequency.