System and method for actively determining obstacles

• US 8,773,299 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• 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: Woodell, Daniel L., Jinkins, Richard D., Rademaker, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US12/569,805
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 342/27, 342/28, 342/29, 342 26 R- 26 D, 342 52- 56, 342 61- 65, 342118-123, 342/175, 342192-197, 701/1, 701/3, 701/14, 701/300, 701/301, 701/2, 701/4, 701/8, 701/9, 701/17, 356/3, 356/4.01, 356/5.01, 356/5.03, 356/5.05, 356/5.08, 356/5.1, 356/5.15, 250/330, 250/332, 324/500, 324/501, 340/945, 340/983, 340/961, 340/963, 340/970, 73/120.1, 73/120.9, 180167-169
• US Class Current: 342/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/426 Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar G01S13/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/935 for terrain-avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• 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

An exemplary embodiment relates to an aircraft system for detecting wires. The system includes a processor configured to actively sense a presence of a first object and a second object. The processor determines a location of the first object and the second object. The processor determines a potential location of a wire between the first object and the second object. The processor actively senses the wire by providing electromagnetic energy to the potential location.

Claims

1. An aircraft system for detecting a presence of an obstruction between a first object and a second object, the system comprising:

a radar; and

a processor configured to receive first radar data from the radar and to determine a presence of the first object and the second object from the radar data and to determine a location of the first object and the second object, the processor determining a potential location of the obstruction between the first object and the second object, the processor causing the radar to provide a radar signal to the potential location, the processor receiving second radar data associated with the radar signal to determine the presence of the obstruction.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database, the database including a location entry and a height entry for the first object and the second object, wherein the processor compares the location entry to the location of the first object.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database including height entries for the first object and the second object, wherein the processor uses the higher of the height entries for the first object and the second object or a height of the obstruction detected using the second radar data for providing a warning.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the obstruction is a wire, and wherein the processor causes the radar signal to steer to a range of angles to maximize the reflection from the wire, the wire being suspended between the first object and the second object.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the angle is normal to the long axis of the wire.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar signal comprises a radar beam and the radar is a weather radar system.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database, the database including a location entry and a height entry for the first object and the second object, wherein the processor compares the location entry to the location of the object, and provides an additional buffer for the height entry if the location entry does not match the location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar utilizes light or radar beams.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is part of a weather radar system or terrain avoidance system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is part of a radar-based TAWS.

11. A method for sensing obstructions in an environment of an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining at least a first tower or object and a second tower or object; and

determining a potential location of an obstruction between the first and second towers or objects using at least one radar signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step is done via a database including tower or object information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the radar signal is a radar beam from a weather radar system.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

comparing a location of a sensed object to a stored location in a database.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first object is a tower.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first object is identified as a tower by analyzing its radar reflective cross sectional area.

17. An apparatus for detecting obstructions, the apparatus comprising:

means for processing radar data to determine a location of a first object and a second object;

means for determining a potential location of an obstruction between the first and second object; and

means for providing a radar beam to the potential location.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for displaying a warning when the obstruction is detected.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the obstruction is a wire and the radar beam is provided at an angle of 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the wire.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for processing is part of a weather radar system or Terrain Awareness Warning System.

21. An aircraft system for detecting object, the system comprising:

a weather radar receiver; and

a processor configured to receive radar data from the weather radar receiver, wherein the processor analyzes a cross-sectional area of a target return in the radar data to identify the object.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein of a type of the object and a location of the object is compared to a database of objects to verify the type and the location.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein a height of the object is determined and compared to the height of the object in the database.