Runway incursion detection system and method for displaying a runway incursion

• US 7,765,037 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Bagge, Charles J., Whalen, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/207,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 701/16, 340/972, 340/995.2, 340/995.27
• US Class Current: 701/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A method for displaying a runway incursion for an aircraft includes electronically gathering traffic information data from a traffic information system, employing a runway incursion algorithm to the traffic information data to detect a collision hazard, automatically calculating incursion data, and displaying the incursion data. A runway incursion detection system has a display unit, a computer and a software product that enables methodology herein.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a runway incursion for an aircraft, comprising:

electronically gathering traffic information data from a traffic information system;

employing a runway incursion algorithm to said traffic information data to detect a collision hazard;

automatically calculating incursion data, wherein said incursion data comprises data representative of;

an incursion point,

an incursion time,

an aircraft trend vector, and

a collision hazard trend vector; and

displaying said incursion point, said incursion time, said aircraft trend vector, and said collision hazard vector on a display unit, where

said incursion point is depicted as a graphic,

said incursion time is depicted within said graphic, and

said aircraft trend vector and said collision hazard trend vector have different appearances.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein:

said aircraft trend vector is truncated at said graphic; and

said collision hazard trend vector is truncated at said graphic.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the appearance of said aircraft trend vector is animated, of said collision hazard trend vector is animated, or both are animated.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein said incursion data is based on:

aircraft position;

aircraft velocity;

aircraft heading;

collision hazard position;

collision hazard velocity; and

collision hazard heading.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said traffic information data provides data representative of:

said hazard position;

said collision hazard velocity; and

said collision hazard heading.

6. A runway incursion detection system for an aircraft, comprising:

a display unit;

a computer; and

a software product comprising instructions, stored on a computer-readable media, wherein said instructions, when executed by said computer, perform steps for evaluating a runway incursion and displaying the runway incursion on said display unit, said instructions comprising instructions for;

gathering traffic information data from a traffic information system;

employing a runway incursion algorithm to said traffic information data to detect a collision hazard;

automatically calculating incursion data, wherein said incursion data comprises data representative of;

an incursion point,

an incursion time,

an aircraft trend vector, and

a collision hazard trend vector; and

said incursion point, said incursion time, said aircraft trend vector, and said collision hazard trend vector on said display unit, where

said incursion point is depicted as a graphic,

said incursion time is depicted within said graphic, and

said aircraft trend vector and said collision hazard trend vector have different appearances.

7. The system as in claim 6, wherein said instructions for displaying said aircraft trend vector and said collision hazard trend vector comprise instructions for:

animating the appearance of said aircraft trend vector;

animating the appearance of said collision hazard trend vector;

or

animating the appearance of both.