Using radar derived location data in a GPS landing system

• US 9,975,648 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Arnold, Larry Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US14/959,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20170297737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 701 17
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/913 for landing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/15 Aircraft landing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0684 on a moving platform, e.g. aircraft carrier

Abstract

In aspects herein, if GPS signals used as inputs into a GPS landing system become unreliable, an aircraft instead uses signals derived from radar data to operate the GPS landing system. Generally, GPS signals are unreliable if they cannot be received or if the signals are corrupted. Instead of using GPS signals, the landing system uses radar derived location data as inputs. In one example, the radar derived location data is generated using a radar system located at the intended landing site—e.g., an airport or aircraft carrier. The landing site transmits this data to the aircraft which processes the data using its GPS landing system that outputs control signals for landing the aircraft. Thus, even when GPS signals are unreliable, the aircraft can use the GPS landing system to land.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

operating, using one or more computer processors, a global position satellite (GPS) landing system to generate control signals for flying an aircraft using GPS signals as an input;

receiving radar derived location data indicating a relative location of the aircraft to a landing site; and

operating the GPS landing system to generate control signals for flying the aircraft using the radar derived location data as the input, in lieu of the GPS signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the GPS landing system using the GPS signals as the input is a normal operating state and operating the GPS landing system using the radar derived location data as the input is a backup operating state performed upon determining the GPS signals are unreliable.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the GPS signals are not used during the backup operating state and the radar derived location data is not used during the normal operating state.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, using a relative position calculator, a relative position of the aircraft to the landing site during the normal operating state based on a GPS location of the aircraft and a GPS location of the landing site, wherein the relative position calculator is unused when the GPS landing system operates in the backup operating state.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one component used in the GPS landing system when operating in the normal operating state is also used when operating in the backup operating state.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the radar derived location data indicates a distance from the aircraft to a touchdown point on the landing site, wherein the landing site is a ship.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the radar derived location data is generated using a radar antenna mounted on the ship.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving inertial data indicating movements of the ship; and

operating the GPS landing system using both the inertial data and the radar derived location data as inputs to fly the aircraft when GPS signals are unreliable.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing an GPS landing application, the GPS landing application is executable by the processor to perform an operation, the operation comprising;

generating control signals for flying an aircraft using GPS signals as an input;

receiving radar derived location data indicating a relative location of the aircraft to a landing site; and

generating control signals for flying the aircraft using the radar derived location data as the input, in lieu of the GPS signals.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein generating control signals using the GPS signals as the input is a normal operating state of the GPS landing application and generating control signals using the radar derived location data as the input is a backup operating state of the GPS landing application performed upon determining the GPS signals are unreliable.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the GPS signals are not used during the backup operating state and the radar derived location data is not used during the normal operating state.

12. The system of claim 10, where the operation further comprises:

determining, using a relative position calculator, a relative position of the aircraft to the landing site during the normal operating state based on a GPS location of the aircraft and a GPS location of the landing site, wherein the relative position calculator is unused when the GPS landing system operates in the backup operating state.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one component used in the GPS landing application when operating in the normal operating state is also used when operating in the backup operating state.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the radar derived location data indicates a distance from the aircraft to a touchdown point on the landing site, wherein the landing site is a ship.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving inertial data indicating movements of the ship; and

generating control signals to fly the aircraft using both the inertial data and the radar derived location data as inputs when GPS signals are unreliable.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to:

operate a GPS landing system to generate control signals for flying an aircraft using GPS signals as an input;

receive radar derived location data indicating a relative location of the aircraft to a landing site; and

operate the GPS landing system to generate control signals for flying the aircraft using the radar derived location data as the input, in lieu of the GPS signals.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein operating the GPS landing system using the GPS signals as the input is a normal operating state and operating the GPS landing system using the radar derived location data as the input is a backup operating state performed upon determining the GPS signals are unreliable.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the GPS signals are not used during the backup operating state and the radar derived location data is not used during the normal operating state.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program code is executable to:

determine, using a relative position calculator, a relative position of the aircraft to the landing site during the normal operating state based on a GPS location of the aircraft and a GPS location of the landing site, wherein the relative position calculator is unused when the GPS landing system operates in the backup operating state.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the radar derived location data indicates a distance from the aircraft to a touchdown point on the landing site, wherein the landing site is a ship.