Synthetic instrument landing system

• US 8,234,021 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Colclough, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Application Number:
  US11/765,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/16, 701/18, 701/200, 701/201, 701206-211, 701/302
• US Class Current: 701/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0684 on a moving platform, e.g. aircraft carrier

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating approach information for a first vehicle approaching a second dynamic vehicle. An example method determines motion information of the second vehicle and generates approach information based on the determined motion information and the approach centerline. The method generates at least one of an approach path or a plurality of approach path reference points based on at least one of a center of motion of the second vehicle or a touchdown point on the second vehicle and generates at least one of a synthetic path or a plurality of synthetic path reference points by filtering the generated at least one approach path or plurality of approach path reference points.

Claims

1. A system for generating approach information for a first vehicle approaching a second vehicle, the second vehicle having an approach centerline, the system comprising:

a first component configured to determine motion information of the second vehicle; and

a second component configured to generate a stabilized landing beam comprised of damped reference points based on the determined motion information and the approach centerline, wherein the damped reference points adaptably reference the determined motion information of the second vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second component comprises:

a component configured to generate a plurality of approach path reference points based on at least one of a center of motion of the second vehicle or a touchdown point on the second vehicle; and

a component configured to generate a plurality of damped reference points by filtering the plurality of approach path reference points.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a third component configured to generate navigation signals based on the plurality of damped reference points.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the third component dampens out variations of the plurality of approach path reference points.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of approach path reference points determines a final approach segment based on the touchdown point.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the first and second components are located on the second vehicle.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the first component is located on the second vehicle and the second component is located on the first vehicle.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the second vehicle is a ship and the first vehicle is an aircraft.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the ship includes a plurality of touchdown points.