Taxiing aircraft vicinity visualization system and method

• US 9,108,739 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Purpura, William Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Badi, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENE, DANIEL LAWSON
• Application Number:
  US13/887,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20140330454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a method provides information regarding the vicinity of a vehicle. The method includes, in the vehicle, providing a sensor signal representative of an environmental condition in a vicinity of the vehicle, transmitting the sensor signal over a power line in the vehicle, receiving the sensor signal transmitted over the power line and transmitting a corresponding wireless sensor signal in the vehicle, receiving the wireless sensor signal and recovering the sensor signal, and presenting the recovered sensor signal in a human-perceivable form.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage, a cockpit connected to the fuselage, and an aircraft component connected to the fuselage;

the aircraft component comprises a first sensor, a first communication module, and a first power line;

the first sensor is responsive to an environment in the vicinity of the aircraft to provide first sensor data; and

the first communication module receives the first sensor data and places a first power line data signal on the first power line by modulating a power line data carrier with the first sensor data;

the fuselage comprises a second communication module and a second power line;

the second power line is connected to the first power line; and

the second communication module receives the first power line data signal on the second power line, retrieves the first sensor data from the first power line data signal, and transmits a wireless data signal within the fuselage by modulating a wireless data carrier with the first sensor data retrieved from the first power line data signal; and

the cockpit comprises a human interface unit and a third communication module;

the third communication module receives the wireless data signal, retrieves the first sensor data from the wireless data signal, and provides the first sensor data to the human interface unit; and

the human interface unit receives the first sensor data provided by the third communication module, and presents the first sensor data in a human-perceivable form.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the human interface unit comprises a visual display.

3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of a camera, an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet light sensor, and a proximity sensor.

4. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the second communication module transmits the wireless data signal at a power level that complies with Federal Aviation Administration or other governmental requirements regarding radio emissions within a cabin of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the human interface unit comprises a user control to provide a control signal to control the first sensor,

the third communication module is responsive to the control signal from the user control to transmit a wireless first sensor control signal within the fuselage by modulating a wireless control carrier with the first sensor control signal,

the second communication module receives the wireless control signal, retrieves first sensor control data from the wireless control signal, and provides a first sensor power line control signal on the second power line by modulating a power line control carrier with the retrieved first sensor control data, and

the first communication module receives the first sensor power line control signal, retrieves the first sensor control data from the first sensor power line control signal, and provides the retrieved first sensor control data to the first sensor.

6. The aircraft of claim 5, wherein the cockpit further comprises an aircraft steering system to control a steering direction of the aircraft when the aircraft is on the ground, and the aircraft steering system provides a steering direction control signal to the third communication module,

the third, second, and first communication modules transfer the steering direction control signal from the aircraft steering system to the first sensor, and

the first sensor is responsive to the steering direction control signal to provide an anticipation view based on the steering direction.

7. The aircraft of claim 1, and further comprising:

a second aircraft component connected to the fuselage, the second aircraft component comprising a second sensor, a fourth communication module, and a third power line;

the second sensor is of a different type than the first sensor, and is responsive to the environment in the vicinity of the aircraft to provide second sensor data; and

the fourth communication module places a second power line data signal on the third power line by modulating a fourth power line data carrier with the second sensor data; and

wherein the third power line is connected to one of the first power line or a fourth power line;

wherein the second communication module receives the second power line data signal on one of the first power line or the fourth power line, retrieves the second sensor data from the second power line data signal, and transmits the wireless data signal by also modulating the wireless data carrier with the second sensor data retrieved from the second power line data signal;

wherein the third communication module retrieves the second sensor data from the wireless data signal, and provides the second sensor data to the human interface unit; and

wherein the human interface unit presents the second sensor data in a human-perceivable form.

8. An aircraft vicinity visualization system for an aircraft having a fuselage, a cockpit connected to the fuselage, and an aircraft component connected to the fuselage, the aircraft component having an aircraft power bus which is connected to a fuselage power bus in the fuselage, the system comprising:

a sensor module, to be installed in the aircraft component, and responsive to an environment in a vicinity of the aircraft to provide a sensor signal representative of the environment;

an aircraft component communication module, to be installed in the aircraft component and connected to the aircraft power bus, and responsive to the sensor signal to place a power line sensor signal on the aircraft power bus;

a fuselage communication module, to be installed in a fuselage of the aircraft and connected to the fuselage power bus, to receive the power line sensor signal and transmit a corresponding wireless sensor signal within the fuselage;

a cockpit communication module, to be installed in or near a cockpit of the aircraft, to receive the wireless sensor signals and to provide a recovered sensor signal; and

a human interface unit, to be installed in the cockpit and connected to the cockpit communication module, and responsive to the recovered sensor signal to provide information regarding the environment in a human-perceivable form.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the human interface unit comprises a visual display.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor module comprises at least one of a camera, an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet light sensor, and a proximity sensor.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the fuselage communication module transmits the wireless sensor signal at a power level that complies with Federal Aviation Administration or other governmental requirements regarding radio emissions in the fuselage of the aircraft.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the aircraft component communication module comprises a transmitter to generate the power line sensor signal by modulating a power line carrier signal in response to the sensor signal.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the fuselage communication module comprises a receiver to receive and demodulate the power line sensor signal to provide a demodulated signal, and a transmitter to generate the corresponding wireless sensor signal by modulating a wireless carrier signal in response to the demodulated signal.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the aircraft component communication module provides operating power from the aircraft power bus to the sensor module.

15. A vehicle environment sensing system, the vehicle having a first section and a human operator area in a second section, the system comprising:

a sensor module, to be installed in the first section, responsive to an environment of the vehicle to provide a sensor signal representative of the environment, and responsive to a control signal to adjust an operation of the sensor module;

a sensor communication module, to be installed in the first section and connected to the sensor module and to a vehicle power bus in the first section, responsive to the sensor signal to place a power line sensor signal on the vehicle power bus, and responsive to a power line control signal on the vehicle power bus to provide the control signal to the sensor module;

an intermediate communication module, to be installed in the second section of the vehicle and connected to the vehicle power bus, to receive the power line sensor signal and transmit a wireless sensor signal within at least one of the first and second sections of the vehicle, and to receive a wireless control signal and place the power line control signal on the vehicle power bus;

a wireless communication module, to be installed in or near the human operator area in the second section of the vehicle, to receive the wireless sensor signal and provide a recovered sensor signal, and to transmit the wireless control signal responsive to the control signal;

a human interface unit, to be installed in the human operator area and connected to the wireless communication module, responsive to the recovered sensor signal to provide information regarding the environment in a human-perceivable form; and

a user control, to be installed in the human operator area and connected to the wireless communication module, to generate the control signal to control the operation of the sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the human interface unit comprises a visual display.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor module comprises at least one of a camera, an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, and a proximity sensor.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor communication module comprises a transmitter to generate the power line sensor signal by modulating a power line carrier signal in response to the sensor signal.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the intermediate communication module transmits the wireless sensor signal at a power level that complies with governmental requirements for radio emissions in the human operator section.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the intermediate communication module comprises a receiver to receive and demodulate the power line sensor signal to provide a demodulated signal, and a transmitter to generate the wireless sensor signal by modulating a wireless carrier signal in response to the demodulated signal.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor communication module provides operating power from the vehicle power bus to the sensor module.

22. A method to provide information regarding an environmental condition in the vicinity of a vehicle, the method comprising:

in the vehicle, providing a sensor signal representative of the environmental condition in the vicinity of the vehicle;

transmitting the sensor signal over a power line in the vehicle;

receiving the sensor signal transmitted over the power line and transmitting a corresponding wireless sensor signal within the vehicle;

receiving the wireless sensor signal and recovering the sensor signal; and

presenting the recovered sensor signal in a human-perceivable form.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the wireless signal is transmitted at a power level that complies with a radiated field emission standard requirement for the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 22, and further comprising:

receiving a control signal from a user control device;

wirelessly transmitting the control signal;

receiving the wirelessly transmitted control signal and transmitting a corresponding power line control signal;

receiving the power line control signal and recovering the control signal; and

providing the recovered control signal to the sensor to control the operation of the sensor.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving the wireless sensor signal, recovering the sensor signal, and presenting the recovered sensor signal in a human-perceivable form occur in a location that is one of internal to and external to the vehicle.