Foreign object detection system and method

• US 7,663,507 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: X - Sight Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: X - Sight Systems Limited
• Inventors: Goner, Aviv, Fisher, Moshe, Golan, Aviram, Nitzan, Alon
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/823,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 340/947, 340951-957, 340/971, 340/972, 701300-302, 342 29- 32, 362/259, 362/276, 362/277
• US Class Current: 340/952
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/18 Visual or acoustic landing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30108 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30236 Traffic on road, railway or crossing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/254 involving subtraction of images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• 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: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system for detection of foreign objects on airport travel surfaces including a plurality of foreign object detector modules mounted on a corresponding plurality of existing aircraft travel surface lighting supports, the plurality of foreign object detector modules providing a corresponding plurality of detection outputs and a high speed detection output analyzer operative to receive at least one of the plurality of detection outputs and to provide a high speed output indication of foreign object presence.

Claims

1. A system for detection of objects at airports comprising:

a plurality of object detector modules associated with fixed airport surface lighting, each of said plurality of object detector modules providing an output containing information useful in detecting moving or movable objects at an airport; and

a selectably directable pointer associated with at least one of said plurality of object detector modules and receiving said output, said pointer being operative to use said output for directing illumination at said moving or movable object detected by at least one of said plurality of object detector modules associated therewith, thus illuminating a location of said object.

2. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said plurality of object detector modules and said pointer are mounted on airport surface lighting supports of said airport surface lighting.

3. A system according to claim 1 and also comprising a computer system operative to direct said directable pointer.

4. A system according to claim 3 and wherein:

said computer system is remotely located from said directable pointer and includes an operator console; and

said directable pointer is directable by an operator viewing said object on said operator console.

5. A system according to claim 3 and wherein:

said computer system is remotely located from said directable pointer; and

said computer system is operative to automatically direct said directable pointer.

6. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said pointer is operative to assist in on-site inspections.

7. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said pointer is a laser pointer.

8. A system according to claim 1 and also comprising multiple detector correlation software providing a combined output based on the correlation between said output from multiple ones of said plurality of object detector modules.

9. A system according to claim 1 and also comprising multiple detector correlation software providing a combined output based on the correlation between outputs from multiple ones of said pointers.

10. A system for detection of objects at airports comprising:

a plurality of object detector modules associated with fixed airport surface lighting, each of said plurality of object detector modules providing an output containing information useful in detecting moving or movable objects at an airport; and

a selectably directable laser associated with at least one of said plurality of object detector modules and receiving said output, said laser being directed, responsively to said output, toward the location of said moving or movable object detected by at least one of said plurality of object detector modules associated therewith.

11. A system according to claim 10 and wherein said plurality of object detector modules and said lasers are mounted on airport surface lighting supports of said airport surface lighting.

12. A method for detection of objects at airports comprising:

operating a plurality of object detector modules associated with fixed airport surface lighting, each of said plurality of object detector modules providing an output containing information useful in detecting moving or movable objects at an airport; and

responsive to said output, illuminating a location of said object, said illuminating comprising;

using a selectably directable pointer associated with at least one of said plurality of object detector modules to receive said output and to use said output to direct illumination at said moving or movable object detected by at least one of said plurality of object detector modules.

13. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said plurality of object detector modules and said pointers are mounted on airport surface lighting supports of said airport surface lighting.

14. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said directing comprises remotely directing said pointer from an operator console by an operator viewing said object on said operator console.

15. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said directing comprises automatically directing said pointer by a computer system located remotely from said pointer.

16. A method for detection of objects at airports comprising:

operating a plurality of object detector modules associated with fixed airport surface lighting to provide an output containing information useful in detecting moving or movable objects at an airport; and

responsive to said output, directing a selectably directable laser associated with at least one of said plurality of object detector modules toward the location of said moving or movable object detected by at least one of said object detector modules associated therewith.

17. A method for detection of objects at airports according to claim 16 and wherein said plurality of object detector modules and said lasers are mounted on airport surface lighting supports of said airport surface lighting.