Collision-avoidance system for ground crew using sensors

• US 9,581,692 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Lamkin, Andrew Fannon, Starr, Jeffrey W., Buster, Duke
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDRICH, MARCUS E
• Application Number:
  US13/835,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 342 29- 32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/934 on airport surfaces, e.g. while taxiing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/22 Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means
• 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

Abstract

A ground obstacle collision-avoidance system includes a plurality of radar sensor modules that each receive at a radar detector radar return signals corresponding to reflections of the emitted signal from a ground obstacle, and transmits radar information associated with the received radar signal reflections reflected from the ground obstacle, wherein each of the plurality of radar sensor modules are uniquely located on a surface of an aircraft that is at risk for collision with a ground obstacle if the aircraft is moving; a gateway unit that receives the radar information transmitted from the radar sensor module and transmits information associated with the received radar information; a processing system configured to determine a distance from the installation aircraft to a detected ground object detected; and a display configured to present a plan view indicating an aircraft icon and a graphical ground obstacle icon that is associated with the detected ground obstacle.

Claims

1. A ground obstacle collision-avoidance system comprising:

a plurality of radar sensor modules each located at a selected different location on an exterior of an installation aircraft, wherein each radar sensor module comprises;

a radar emitter configured to emit a radar signal; and

a radar detector configured to receive a radar return signal associated with reflections of the emitted radar signal that are reflected from the ground obstacle,

wherein the radar sensor module is configured to communicate radar information corresponding to the detected radar return signal;

a processing system configured to determine a distance from the installation aircraft to a detected ground obstacle that has been detected by at least one of the plurality of radar sensor modules, determine a type of the detected ground obstacle, and generate a plan view indicating at least one aircraft icon, a graphical ground obstacle icon that is associated with the detected ground obstacle, and text indicating the distance from the installation aircraft to the detected ground obstacle; and

a display configured to present the plan view,

wherein a presentation location of the aircraft icon on the plan view provides a relative reference point for the installation aircraft,

wherein a presentation location of the graphical ground obstacle icon relative to the at least one aircraft icon indicates a location of the detected ground obstacle relative to the installation aircraft, and

wherein a shape of the graphical ground obstacle icon indicates the type of the detected ground obstacle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance is a first distance, wherein the first distance indicates a distance that the detected ground obstacle is behind the installation aircraft, and wherein the plan view further presents text indicating a second distance corresponding to a distance of the detected ground obstacle to a side of the installation aircraft.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plan view further presents grid lines based on a polar coordinate system, wherein the grid lines radiate from a location of a tail of the at least one aircraft icon.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plan view further comprises a plurality of grid lines based on a Cartesian coordinate system, wherein the grid lines indicate relative distances from the installation aircraft, wherein first and second grid lines align with the extents of the aircraft wings of the at least one aircraft icon, and wherein a third grid line aligns with a tail of the at least one aircraft icon.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plan view further presents supplemental information indicating at least one of a ground speed of the installation aircraft, or a forward or backward direction of travel of the installation aircraft.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein an extent of the plan view is limited to a first predefined area behind the installation aircraft when the installation aircraft is travelling in a backwards direction, and wherein the extent of the plan view is limited to a second predefined area ahead of the installation aircraft when the installation aircraft is travelling in a forwards direction.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein an extent of the plan view is limited to a predefined area about the installation aircraft when the installation aircraft is stopped.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected ground obstacle is a tow tug, and the presented graphical ground obstacle icon is an outline of the tow tug, a line drawing of the tow tug, or a photograph of the tow tug.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected ground obstacle is a person, and the presented graphical ground obstacle is an outline of the person or a drawing of the person.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a gateway unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of radar sensor modules and configured to receive the radar information communicated from the plurality of radar sensor modules,

wherein the plurality of radar sensor modules each further comprise a radio frequency (RF) system configured to wirelessly transmit the radar information associated with the received radar return signal, and

wherein the gateway unit further comprises the RF system configured to wirelessly receive the radar information transmitted from the plurality of radar sensor modules.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an audible warning system configured to issue an audible alert.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hand held device comprising the display.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a height of the ground obstacle, and wherein the plan view further comprises text indicating the height of the detected ground obstacle.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the type of the detected ground obstacle comprises at least one of an aircraft, a tow tug, or a person.

13. A method comprising:

at each of a plurality of radar sensor modules,

emitting, from a radar emitter, a radar signal;

receiving, at a radar detector, radar return signals corresponding to reflections of the emitted radar signal from a ground obstacle; and

transmitting radar information associated with the received radar return signal reflections reflected from the ground obstacle,

wherein each of the plurality of radar sensor modules are uniquely located on a surface of an aircraft that is at risk for collision with the ground obstacle while the aircraft is being towed;

at a gateway unit,

receiving the radar information transmitted from the radar sensor module; and

transmitting information associated with the received radar information, and at a processing system,

determining a distance from the installation aircraft to a detected ground obstacle detected by at least one of the plurality of radar sensor modules; and

determining a type of the detected ground obstacle;

on a display, presenting a plan view indicating at least one aircraft icon, a graphical ground obstacle icon that is associated with the detected ground obstacle, and text indicating the distance from the installation aircraft to the detected ground obstacle,

wherein a presentation location of the aircraft icon on the plan view provides a relative reference point for the installation aircraft,

wherein a presentation location of the graphical ground obstacle icon relative to the at least one aircraft icon indicates a location of the detected ground obstacle relative to the installation aircraft, and

wherein a shape of the graphical ground obstacle icon indicates the type of the detected ground obstacle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the distance is a first distance corresponding to a distance that the detected ground obstacle is behind the installation aircraft, and wherein the plan view further presents second text indicating a second distance corresponding to a distance of the detected ground obstacle to a side of the installation aircraft.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a height of the ground obstacle, wherein the plan view further comprises text indicating the height of the detected ground obstacle.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein an extent of the plan view is limited to a first predefined area behind the installation aircraft when the installation aircraft is travelling in a backwards direction, and wherein the extent of the plan view is limited to a second predefined area ahead of the installation aircraft when the installation aircraft is travelling in a forwards direction.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the type of the detected ground obstacle comprises at least one of an aircraft, a tow tug, or a person.

18. A ground obstacle collision-avoidance system comprising:

a plurality of radar sensor modules each located at a selected different location on an exterior of an installation aircraft, wherein each radar sensor module comprises;

a radar emitter configured to emit a radar signal; and

a radar detector configured to receive a radar return signal associated with reflections of the emitted radar signal that are reflected from the ground obstacle,

wherein the radar sensor module is configured to communicate radar information corresponding to the detected radar return signal;

a processing system configured to determine a first distance from the installation aircraft to a detected ground obstacle that has been detected by at least one of the plurality of radar sensor modules, the first distance being a distance that the detected ground obstacle is behind the installation aircraft, determine a second distance from the installation aircraft to the detected obstacle, the second distance being a distance of the detected ground obstacle to a side of the installation aircraft, and generate a plan view indicating at least one aircraft icon, a graphical ground obstacle icon that is associated with the detected ground obstacle, first text indicating the first distance, and second text indicating the second distance; and

a display configured to present the plan view,

wherein a presentation location of the aircraft icon on the plan view provides a relative reference point for the installation aircraft, and

wherein a presentation location of the graphical ground obstacle icon relative to the at least one aircraft icon indicates a location of the detected ground obstacle relative to the installation aircraft.