Runway identification system and method

• US 8,576,113 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Seah, Kirschen A., Finley, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Application Number:
  US12/883,061
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 342 33- 36
• US Class Current: 342/33
• 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 and method utilizes a set of (reflectors or sources). The reflectors or sources can be located in proximity to the end of runway. The method receives electromagnetic energy from the reflectors or sources. A runway identification is determined from the electromagnetic energy. The runway identification can be displayed on a display in the aircraft. The reflectors can be corner reflectors, laser reflectors or other reflective optics.

Claims

1. A runway identification system, comprising:

a weather radar system comprising a processor and an antenna, the weather radar system configured to transmit a radar signal and receive radar returns, wherein the radar returns are processed to determine a runway identification based upon a reflection from a set of reflectors, the runway identification including a number representing a runway heading of the runway the number being a physical numerical representation derived from the reflection of the radar signal.

2. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein the set of the reflectors comprise at least one of corner reflectors, laser reflectors, or other reflective optics.

3. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein the reflectors are arranged in an arrangement configured to provide the reflection as representing a binary number representing the runway identification.

4. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein a pattern associated with the set of runway reflectors provides the runway identification and the reflection being according to the pattern and the reflection including a first portion indicating the runway heading and a second portion indicating a left, right or center designation.

5. The runway identification system of claim 4, wherein the first portion is a 6 bit number.

6. The runway identification system of claim 5, wherein the second portion is a 2 bit number.

7. The runway identification system of claim 4, wherein the reflection includes a third portion for error checking.

8. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the runway identification to be displayed on a flight display.

9. The runway identification system of claim 1, wherein the weather radar system performs a horizontal radar sweep to obtain the radar returns.

10. The runway identification system of claim 9, wherein the reflectors comprise eight reflectors, wherein the reflectors comprise at least a first size and a second size, the first size being smaller than the second size.

11. A method of runway identifying utilizing a set of corner reflectors located in proximity to an end of a runway, the method comprising:

receiving electromagnetic returns from a beam directed toward the set of corner reflectors;

determining a runway identification from the electromagnetic returns; and

displaying the runway identification, the runway identification including a number representing a runway heading of the runway.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of reflectors are arranged to reflect a binary code representing the runway identification.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the runway identification is displayed on the primary flight display.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically providing the beam during approach.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the beam is provided as part of a horizontally scanned weather radar beam.

16. A runway identification system for an airport including a runway, the runway identification system comprising:

a set of runway corner reflectors, the set of runway corner reflectors configured to reflect a radar beam from an aircraft, the beam being reflected to indicate a code representing an identification of the runway, the identification of the runway including a number representing a runway heading of the runway.

17. The runway identification system for an airport of claim 16, the corner reflectors comprise a first sized reflector and a second sized reflector.

18. The runway identification system for an airport of claim 17, wherein the code is a binary code associated with a particular arrangement of the set of runway corner reflectors, wherein the first sized reflector represents a 0 and the second sized reflector represents a 1.

19. The runway identification system for an airport of claim 17, wherein the system comprises an aircraft weather radar system for providing the radar beam as a weather radar beam.

20. The runway identification system of claim 16, wherein the code is associated with a particular arrangement of the set of runway corner reflectors and represents a number from 1 to 35, a left, right, or center indication, and a parity bit.