GPS based augmented reality collision avoidance system

• US 6,124,825 A
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Eschenbach, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/293,514
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.08, 342/357.14, 342/29, 342/30, 701/213, 346/961
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/005 for aircraft positioning relative to other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• 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

The present invention comprises a global positioning system (GPS) based augmented reality (AR) aircraft collision avoidance system. The system of the present invention includes a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals and determining a present position using the GPS signals. The system of the present invention also includes an automatic dependent surveillance (ADS-B) receiver for receiving an ADS-B signal from an aircraft. The system of the present invention further includes an AR visor coupled to both the GPS receiver and the ADS-B receiver. The AR visor receives the present position from the GPS receiver and receives the ADS-B signal from the ADS-B receiver. Using the present position and the ADS-B signal, the AR visor determines a three dimensional bearing to the aircraft. The AR visor is adapted to be worn by a user. The AR visor is further adapted to display symbology indicating the three dimensional bearing such that the user is made intuitively aware of the three dimensional bearing via the symbology displayed in the AR visor.

Claims

1. A global positioning system (GPS) based augmented reality (AR) aircraft collision avoidance system comprising:

a headset adapted to be worn by a user;

a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals and determining a position of a user;

a receiver for receiving a position signal from an object and determining a position of said object therefrom;

a visor mounted on said headset, said visor adapted to display symbology indicating a bearing to said object such that said user is made aware of said bearing via said symbology, said bearing indicating said position of said object with respect to said position of said user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiver is an ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) receiver and said position signal is an ADS-B signal, said ADS-B receiver adapted to determine said position of said object using said ADS-B signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said position signal is a position service broadcast signal describing said position of said object and said receiver is adapted to receive said position service broadcast signal and determine said position of said object therefrom.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said position signal is a FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) signal describing said position of said object and said receiver is adapted to receive said FAA signal and determine said position of said object therefrom.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a processor unit coupled to said visor and said receiver, said processor unit adapted to determine said bearing to said object, said processor unit coupled to transmit said bearing to said visor for display to said user.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a position sensor coupled to said visor, said position sensor adapted to determine a orientation of said visor, said orientation, said position of said user, and said position of said object used to display said symbology indicating said bearing to said user.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said visor is adapted update said symbology such that said symbology indicates said bearing when said user, said object, and said orientation are in motion.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said symbology includes alphanumeric information indicating an attribute of said object.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a user input device for calibrating the registration of said symbology while said symbology is displayed by said visor.

10. A global positioning system (GPS) based augmented reality (AR) aircraft collision avoidance system adapted to be worn by a user while the user is piloting an aircraft, comprising:

a visor coupled to receive a present position from a GPS receiver, said visor coupled to receive a position of an aircraft from an ADS-B receiver, said visor adapted to determine a 3 dimensional bearing to said aircraft using said present position and said position of said aircraft, said visor adapted to be worn by a user via a headset, said visor adapted to display symbology indicating said 3 dimensional bearing such that said user is made aware of said 3 dimensional bearing via said symbology.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a processor unit for determining said 3 dimensional bearing to said aircraft, said processor unit coupled to transmit said 3 dimensional bearing to said visor for display to said user.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said processor unit calculates said 3 dimensional bearing using said present position and said position of said aircraft.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said position of said aircraft received from said ADS-B receiver is a 3 dimensional position of said aircraft.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a position sensor coupled to said visor, said position sensor adapted to determine a 3 dimensional orientation of said visor, said 3 dimensional orientation, said present position, and said position of said aircraft used to display said symbology indicating said 3 dimensional bearing to said user.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said visor is adapted update said symbology such that said symbology indicates said 3 dimensional bearing when said user, said aircraft, and said 3 dimensional orientation are in motion.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein said symbology includes alphanumeric information indicating an attribute of said aircraft.

17. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a user input device for calibrating the registration of said symbology while said symbology is displayed by said visor to said user.

18. A global positioning system (GPS) based augmented reality (AR) aircraft collision avoidance system comprising:

a head piece adapted to be worn by a user;

a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals and determining a position of a user with respect to said GPS receiver;

a receiver for receiving a position signal from an object and determining a position of said object therefrom;

an visor mounted on said head piece, said visor coupled to receive said position of said user from said GPS receiver and coupled to receive said position of said object from said receiver, said visor adapted to display symbology indicating said bearing such that said user is made aware of said bearing via said symbology.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said head piece is a helmet and said visor is mounted on said helmet.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said head piece is a hat and said visor is mounted on said hat.

21. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a position sensor coupled to said visor, said position sensor adapted to determine a orientation of said visor, said orientation, said position of said user, and said position of said object used to display said symbology indicating said bearing to said user.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the position sensor is attached to said head piece.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein said receiver is an ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) receiver and said position signal is an ADS-B signal, said ADS-B receiver adapted to determine said position of said object using said ADS-B signal.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein said position signal is a position service broadcast signal describing said position of said object and said receiver is adapted to receive said position service broadcast signal and determine said position of said object therefrom.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein said position signal is a FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) signal describing said position of said object and said receiver is adapted to receive said FAA signal and determine said position of said object therefrom.

26. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a processor unit coupled to said visor and said receiver, said processor unit adapted to determine said bearing to said object, said processor unit coupled to transmit said bearing to said visor for display to said user.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said processor unit is integrated into said visor.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein said visor is adapted update said symbology such that said symbology indicates said bearing when said user and said object are in motion.

29. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a user input device for calibrating the registration of said symbology while said symbology is displayed by said visor.