Runway identification system via radar receiver

• US 7,898,463 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• 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: Mueller, Clint A., Bokhtier, Golam M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US11/838,135
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 342 5- 11, 342 26 R- 26 D, 342 29- 60, 342/82, 342/89, 342/165, 342173-175, 342/195, 342/27, 342/28, 342/350, 342/385, 342/386, 342/407, 342/410, 342/411, 342/412, 342/176, 342/179, 701/300, 701/301, 701/1, 701/3, 701 14- 18, 324/600, 324/649, 324/658, 324/663, 324/664, 324/667, 702 1- 5, 340/500, 340/540, 340/541, 340552-557, 340945-957, 340971-983
• US Class Current: 342/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/913 for landing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/935 for terrain-avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• 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 runway identification system including a weather radar system. The weather radar system includes a receiver. The receiver is configured to receive a runway characteristic signal from a transponder associated with a runway. The runway identification system determines a runway identification based on the runway characteristic signal.

Claims

1. A runway identification system, comprising:

a weather radar system including a receiver, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a runway signal from a transponder associated with a runway, wherein the runway signal includes data, wherein the data is related to at least one of an atmospheric condition associated with the runway, an obstacle associated with the runway, a runway dimension, and an incident associated with the runway; and

wherein an indication of an advisory, a caution or a warning is determined utilizing the runway signal.

2. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein at least one of an advisory state, a caution state, and a warning state is determined based on the data associated with the runway signal.

3. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the runway signal and a runway identification signal is transmitted to an electronic flight bag.

4. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the runway signal and a runway identification signal is transmitted to a flight deck display.

5. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein the runway signal includes data related to at least one of an obstacle and an occurrence.

6. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein the runway signal is stored in a database.

7. The runway identification system of claim 6, wherein stored runway data is transmitted to an off-board central database.

8. The runway identification system of claim 7, wherein the off-board central database transmits a plurality of stored runway data to the database;

and

wherein the plurality of stored runway data was obtained from other runway identification systems.

9. The runway identification system of claim 7, wherein a processor compares the plurality of stored runway data to the received runway data and is configured to generate a discrepancy report.

10. A method for runway identification utilizing a runway transponder located in proximity to the runway, comprising:

receiving a runway signal from the runway transponder, the runway signal having a frequency or data identifying a specific runway;

determining a runway from the runway signal;

transmitting a runway identification signal;

determining at least one of an advisory state, a caution state, and a warning state in response to the runway signal; and

storing the runway signal in a database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the runway identification signal, an advisory signal, a caution signal and a warning signal is transmitted to an electronic flight bag.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the runway identification signal, an advisory signal, a caution signal and a warning signal is transmitted to a flight deck display.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the runway signal to a central database.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a plurality of runway signals from a central database.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising comparing the plurality of runway signals from the central database to runway signals in the database.

16. A runway identification system, comprising:

a means for providing weather radar which includes a means for receiving a runway signal from a transponder associated with a runway, the runway signal having a frequency or data identifying a particular runway;

a means for determining a runway identification utilizing the runway signal; and

a means for transmitting at least one of an advisory signal, a caution signal, and a warning signal based on the runway signal.

17. The runway identification system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing weather radar transmits at least one of the runway signal, the advisory signal, the caution signal, and the warning signal to an electronic flight bag.

18. The runway identification system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing weather radar transmits at least one of the runway signal, the advisory signal, the caution signal, and the warning signal to a flight deck display.

19. The runway identification system of claim 16, wherein the runway signal includes data related to at least one of an obstacle and an occurrence.

20. A runway identification system for an airport, comprising:

a first runway;

a second runway;

a first runway transponder;

a second runway transponder;

a communication network in communication with first runway transponder and second runway transponder; and

wherein first runway transponder is configured to transmit a first runway characteristic signal corresponding to the first runway, the first runway signal having a frequency or data associated with the first runway; and

wherein second runway transponder is configured to transmit a second runway signal corresponding to the second runway, the second runway signal having a frequency or data associated with the second runway, wherein the data includes at least one of wind data, runway length data, end of runway data and fire data.

21. The runway identification system for an airport of claim 20, wherein an airplane weather radar receives one of the first runway signal or the second runway signal.

22. The runway identification system for an airport of claim 20, wherein an emergency vehicle receives one of the first runway signal or the second runway signal.