Airplane collision avoidance system

• US 4,918,442 A
• Filed: 10/03/1988
• Issued: 04/17/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald W. Bogart Jr
• Original Assignee: Donald W. Bogart Jr
• Inventors: Bogart, Donald W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orsino, Joseph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US07/252,897
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/961, 342/29, 342/55, 358/103, 358/108, 364/461, 382/1, 382/8, 244/1 R
• US Class Current: 340/961
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

A collision avoidance system for airplanes particularly suited for clear weather visual circumstances which includes television cameras suitably positioned on an airplane to view all areas where there is a potential for collision with another airplane. The system includes an on-board television display in ready view of the pilot which is connected to a machine vision system predeterminedly programmed to respond to other flying objects which could present a collision hazard. The television cameras on the airplane are, in turn, connected to the machine vision system so as to transmit images to which it is responsive thereby causing an alert condition for pilot scrutiny.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance system for airplanes including:

television cameras, which create images of objects through correspondingly arranged pixels, positioned on an aircraft so as to view areas of potential collision;

a machine vision system responsively connected to said television cameras;

an on-board annunciator display responsively connected to said machine vision system positioned to be viewed by the pilot of said aircraft;

wherein said machine vision system includes a computer programmed to identify correspondingly predetermined contrasting individual pixel arrangements as collision hazards which cause alarm signals; and

electronic means to send said alarm signals to said annunciator display.

2. A collision avoidance system for airplanes as defined in claim 1 wherein said television cameras produce an array of pixels which are a uniform shade until a predetermined object appears in the field of view and said viewed object causes a contrasting shade of pixels to be generated corresponding to its location in said camera field of view;

and said computer responsive thereto rapidly processes said contrasting shade of pixels to identify arrangements preprogrammed to cause said alarm signals to be sent to said annunciator display.