Rotary wing aircraft proximity warning system with a geographically based avoidance system

• US 7,598,888 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Matuska, David G., Anttila, Donald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US11/608,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/903, 340/945, 340/946, 340/961, 340/963, 340/970, 342 29- 32, 701/3, 701/9, 701/14, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/005 altimeters for aircraft G01C5/02, G01C5/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0858 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

A safety enhancement warning system includes an avoidance system which communicates with a multiple of geographical positional systems. A geographic algorithm of the avoidance system utilizes a recursive algorithmic to determine if the aircraft will enter a sensitive area. If the aircraft distance to a sensitive area decreases below a predefined minimum threshold, then an audible and/or visual warning is issued. For certain sensitive areas, aircraft RF emissions are silenced or reduced in power when the predetermined minimum threshold breaches the sensitive area. The use of the avoidance system enables usage of relatively inexpensive UWB radar for the proximity sensor suite to assure avoidance of interference with particular delicate instruments and thereby meet regulations such as those propagated by the FCC.

Claims

1. A proximity warning system for an aircraft comprising:

a proximity sensor suite mounted to the aircraft for detecting nearby obstacles;

a database containing at least one sensitive geographic area;

an aircraft positional system; and

an avoidance system in communication with said database and said aircraft positional system, said avoidance system operable to determine an aircraft position relative said at least one sensitive geographic area and control a transmission power output of said proximity sensor suite in response to the aircraft position being within a predefined minimum threshold of said at least one sensitive area.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an alert system which issues a warning in response to the aircraft position being within said predefined minimum threshold of said at least one sensitive geographic area.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said warning is an aural alert.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said warning is a visual alert.

5. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said alert system includes a sensed proximity to a physical obstacle.

6. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said alert system includes a “

time to impact”

threshold.

7. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said alert system includes an approach toward an “

Avoid area”

defined by said at least one sensitive geographic area.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said warning is in response to intrusion into said “

Avoid area.”

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said warning is in response to an RF beam.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display which illustrates proximity to said at least one sensitive area through at least one azimuthal fan beam.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said fan beam is color coded in response to proximity.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said avoidance system employs at least two levels of granularity.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said avoidance system employs a coarse range flat-earth distance calculation to determine if said at least one sensitive area is being approached.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said avoidance system employs a fine range calculation that includes a continual calculation of a spherical range and a closure rate for said at least one sensitive area within said coarse range.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said database includes geographical coordinates for said at least one sensitive area.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensitive area is defined by an RF instrument.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said RF instrument includes a radio telescope.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said at least one sensitive area includes primary axes, a beam-width, an azimuth and an elevation capability of said radio telescope.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said database includes time dependent information for said at least one sensitive area.

20. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensitive area is defined within said database as a point with an avoid radius parameter.

21. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensitive area is defined within said database as a point with a two dimensional avoid area parameter which extends therefrom, said avoidance system operable to determine said aircraft position in three-dimensions relative said at least one sensitive area.

22. An aircraft comprising:

a proximity sensor suite mounted to the aircraft for detecting nearby obstacles;

a database containing at least one sensitive geographic area;

an aircraft positional system;

an avoidance system in communication with said database, said aircraft positional system and said sensor suite, said avoidance system operable to determine an aircraft position relative said at least one sensitive geographic area to control a transmission power output of said proximity sensor suite in response to the aircraft position being within a predefined minimum threshold of said at least one geographic sensitive area; and

an alert system in communication with said voidance system.

23. The aircraft as recited in claim 22, wherein said alert system issues a warning in response to said transmission power output of said proximity sensor suite being reduced.

24. The aircraft as recited in claim 22, wherein said at least one sensitive area is defined as a point with a two dimensional avoid area parameter, said two dimensional avoid area parameter defined by an RF beam.

25. The aircraft as recited in claim 22, wherein said proximity sensor suite includes a radar.

26. The aircraft as recited in claim 22, wherein said at least one sensitive area is defined by an RF instrument.

27. The aircraft as recited in claim 22, wherein said database includes time dependent information for said at least one sensitive geographic area.

28. The aircraft as recited in claim 22, wherein said proximity sensor suite generates a field of view about a tail rotor system of the aircraft.

29. A method of geographic area avoidance for an aircraft comprising the steps of:

(A) storing at least one sensitive area within a database of an avoidance system;

(B) determining an aircraft position relative to the at least one sensitive area and controlling a transmission power output of a sensor system in response to the aircraft position being within a predefined minimum threshold of said at least one sensitive area; and

(C) displaying an alert in response to the aircraft position being within a predefined minimum threshold of the at least one sensitive area.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said step (A) further comprises the step of:

(a) storing time dependent information related to the at least one sensitive area.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said step (A) further comprises the step of:

(a) defining the at least one sensitive area by an RF instrument beam.

32. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said step (C) further comprises the step of:

(a) reducing a power of a sensor system.

33. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said step (C) further comprises the step of:

(a) silencing a sensor system.

34. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said step (C) further comprises the step of:

(a) displaying a suggested flight path relative the at least one sensitive area.