Systems and methods for air traffic surveillance

• US 7,961,135 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aviaton Communication & Surveillance Systems, LLC, Aviation Communication and Surveillance Systems LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aviation Communication and Surveillance Systems LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Mark D., Tremose, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US12/114,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 342 29- 32, 342 36- 38, 342 52- 59
• US Class Current: 342/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/66 Radar-tracking systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/781 Secondary Surveillance Radar [SSR] in general
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/92 for velocity measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/062 in which different colours are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/22 Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/295 Means for transforming co-ordinates or for evaluating data, e.g. using computers
• 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 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

A collision avoidance system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a user interface, a plurality of sensors, and a computer system in communication with the user interface and the plurality of sensors. The computer system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive data pertaining to a target from one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors, determine a position of the target based on the data from the one or more sensors, and present (through the user interface) the position of the target using one or more visual indicators that identify the one or more sensors.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a Collision Avoidance System (CAS), data pertaining to a target from one or more sensors of a plurality of sensors;

determining, by the CAS, a position of the target based on the data from the one or more sensors; and

presenting, by the CAS, the position of the target using one or more visual indicators that identify the one or more sensors;

wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates whether the target is a cooperative target or non-cooperative target.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the CAS, at least one of a bearing to the target, a range to the target, a heading of the target, a speed of the target, a relative altitude of the target, and a velocity of the target.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising presenting, by the CAS, at least one of the bearing to the target, the range to the target, and the heading of the target using the one or more visual indicators.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising presenting, by the CAS, at least one of the position of the target, the range to the target, the bearing to the target, the heading of the target, the speed of the target, the relative altitude of the target, a threat level posed by the target, and the velocity of the target using one or more aural indicators.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a threat level posed by the target.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a collision avoidance maneuver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators further designates a level of urgency for the collision avoidance maneuver.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is determined in accordance with a performance limitation associated with an aircraft coupled to the CAS.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver includes at least one of a horizontal maneuver and a vertical maneuver.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a level of accuracy associated with the determined position of the target.

11. A collision avoidance system (CAS) comprising:

a user interface;

a plurality of sensors; and

a computer system in communication with the user interface and the plurality of sensors, wherein the computer system comprises;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive data pertaining to a target from one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors;

determine a position of the target based on the data from the one or more sensors; and

present, through the user interface, the position of the target using one or more visual indicators that identify the one or more sensors;

wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates whether the target is a cooperative target or non-cooperative target.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further stores instructions to determine at least one of a bearing to the target, a range to the target, a heading of the target, a speed of the target, a relative altitude of the target, and a velocity of the target.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory further stores instructions to present at least one of the bearing to the target, the range to the target, the heading of the target, the speed of the target, the relative altitude of the target, and the velocity of the target through the user interface using the one or more visual indicators.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory further stores instructions to present at least one of the position of the target, the range to the target, the bearing to the target, the heading of the target the speed of the target, the relative altitude of the target, a threat level posed by the target, and the velocity of the target through the user interface using one or more aural indicators.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a threat level posed by the target.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a collision avoidance maneuver.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators further designates a level of urgency for the collision avoidance maneuver.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is determined in accordance with a performance limitation associated with an aircraft coupled to the CAS.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver includes at least one of a horizontal maneuver and a vertical maneuver.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a level of accuracy associated with the determined position of the target.

21. A method comprising:

(i) receiving data pertaining to a target from a plurality of sensors by a Collision Avoidance System (CAS);

(ii) determining, using the CAS;

(a) a position of the target based on the data from one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors; and

(b) whether the target is a cooperative target or non-cooperative target;

(iii) presenting, using the CAS, the position of the target using one or more visual indicators, wherein the one or more visual indicators further designate;

(a) which of the plurality of sensors provided data to determine the position of the target; and

(b) whether the target is a cooperative target or non-cooperative target.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining, using the CAS, at least one of a bearing to the target, a range to the target, a heading of the target, a speed of the target, a relative altitude of the target, and a velocity of the target.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising presenting, using the CAS, at least one of the bearing to the target, the range to the target, the heading of the target, the speed of the target, a relative altitude of the target, and the velocity of the target using the one or more visual indicators.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising presenting, using the CAS, at least one of the position of the target, the range to the target, the bearing to the target, the heading of the target, the speed of the target, a relative altitude of the target, a threat level posed by the target, and the velocity of the target using one or more aural indicators.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a threat level posed by the target.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a collision avoidance maneuver.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators further designates a level of urgency for the collision avoidance maneuver.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is determined in accordance with a performance limitation associated with an aircraft coupled to the CAS.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver includes at least one of a horizontal maneuver and a vertical maneuver.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a level of accuracy associated with the determined position of the target.

31. A collision avoidance system (CAS) comprising:

a user interface;

a plurality of sensors; and

a computer system in communication with the user interface and the plurality of sensors, wherein the computer system comprises;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

(i) receive data pertaining to a target from the plurality of sensors;

(ii) determine;

(a) a position of the target based on the data from one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors; and

(b) whether the target is a cooperative target or non-cooperative target;

(iii) present, through the user interface, the position of the target using one or more visual indicators, wherein the one or more visual indicators further designate;

(a) which of the plurality of sensors provided data to determine the position of the target; and

(b) whether the target is a cooperative target or non-cooperative target.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the memory further stores instructions to determine at least one of a bearing to the target, a range to the target, a heading of the target, a speed of the target, a relative altitude of the target, and a velocity of the target.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the memory further stores instructions to present at least one of the bearing to the target, the range to the target, the heading of the target, the speed of the target, the relative altitude of the target, and the velocity of the target through the user interface using the one or more visual indicators.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the memory further stores instructions to present at least one of the position of the target, the range to the target, the bearing to the target, the heading of the target, the speed of the target, the relative altitude of the target, a threat level posed by the target, and the velocity of the target through the user interface using one or more aural indicators.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a threat level posed by the target.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a collision avoidance maneuver.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators further designates a level of urgency for the collision avoidance maneuver.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver is determined in accordance with a performance limitation associated with an aircraft coupled to the CAS.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver includes at least one of a horizontal maneuver and a vertical maneuver.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the one or more visual indicators designates a level of accuracy associated with the determined position of the target.