Aircraft collision avoidance system

• US 8,264,377 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wingguard, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gregory M. Griffith
• Inventors: Griffith, Gregory M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/396,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 340/961, 340/945, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 701/14, 701/301, 342/29
• US Class Current: 340/961
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/228 remotely controlled; operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/934 on airport surfaces, e.g. while taxiing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

An aircraft collision avoidance system comprising (a) at least one separation monitoring device connectable to at least a portion of an aircraft, the separation monitoring device comprising (1) at least one transmitter and (2) at least one receiver and (b) a master unit.

Claims

1. An aircraft collision avoidance system configured for mobile use with a plurality of aircraft during ground transportation, comprising:

at least one separation monitoring device releasably positionable on at least a portion of an upper surface of at least one of a wing and a horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft, the separation monitoring device comprising;

a housing for containing at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, and an energy source;

wherein the at least one transmitter transmits ultrasonic signals which are reflected off of an object and received by the at least one receiver, the reflected signals defining a separation distance between the at least one receiver and the object and wherein the at least one transmitter outputs a separation distance signal representative of the separation distance; and

wherein the energy source is contained within the housing and provides energy to the at least one separation monitoring device; and

a master unit for receiving and analyzing the separation distance signals output by the at least one transmitter and outputting a warning signal to a warning device when the at least one separation monitoring device is within a predetermined distance from the object.

2. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the separation monitoring device is disposed on at least one of the wing and the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft and the master unit communicates with the separation monitoring device to monitor the position of at least one of the wing and the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft relative to an object.

3. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one separation monitoring device is disposed on at least a portion of at least one of the wing and the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft, wherein the at least one separation monitoring device transmits ultrasonic signals in an arcuate pattern both horizontally and substantially co-planar to at least one of the wing and the horizontal stabilizer and receives ultrasonic signals reflected off of an object and outputs a separation distance signal representing the separation distance between the object and the at least one separation monitoring device.

4. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one separation monitoring device is disposed on at least a portion of at least one of the wing and the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft, wherein the at least one separation monitoring device transmits and receives ultrasonic signals both vertically and substantially perpendicularly to at least one of the wing and the horizontal stabilizer and outputs a separation distance signal.

5. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein each wing, each horizontal stabilizer and at least a portion of a fuselage of the aircraft comprise at least one separation monitoring device.

6. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 5, wherein when at least one of the wings of the aircraft are within a predetermined distance away from an object, the master unit communicates a warning to an individual so as to prevent collisions between at least one of the wings of the aircraft and an object.

7. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the warning device comprises a speaker capable of communicating an audible warning when the warning device receives a warning signal from the master unit.

8. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 7, wherein when the separation distance between the separation monitoring device and the object decreases the audible warning increases in decibel level.

9. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the warning device of the master unit comprises a visual display communicating a visible warning.

10. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 9, wherein the visual display comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes which are illuminated when the master unit communicates a warning signal to the warning device.

11. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the master unit is in electrical communication with a vehicle utilized to translate the aircraft.

12. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 11, wherein when the at least one separation monitoring device is within a collision distance the master unit automatically stops the vehicle.

13. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the master unit comprises a communicator device selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a laptop computer and combinations thereof.

14. The aircraft collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one separation monitoring device and the master unit communicate wirelessly via at least one wireless communication protocol, wherein the at least one communication protocol is selected from the group consisting of Infrared, Bluetooth, Radio Frequencies Wi-Fi and combinations thereof.

15. An aircraft collision avoidance system configured for mobile use with a plurality of aircraft during ground transportation, comprising:

at least one separation monitoring device releasably positionable on at least a portion of an upper surface of at least one of a wing and a horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft, the separation monitoring device comprising;

a housing for containing at least one wireless transceiver and an energy source;

wherein the at least one wireless transceiver transmits ultrasonic signals and receives ultrasonic signals which are reflected back to the wireless transceiver off of an object in order to define a separation distance between the wireless transceiver and the object and wherein the wireless transceiver outputs a separation distance signal representative of the separation distance; and

wherein the energy source is contained within the housing and provides energy to the at least one separation monitoring device; and

a master unit for receiving and analyzing the separation distance signals output by the wireless transceiver, the master unit outputting a warning signal to a warning device when the wireless transceiver is within a predetermined distance from an object.

16. An aircraft collision avoidance system configured for mobile use with a plurality of aircraft during ground transportation, consisting of:

at least one separation monitoring device releasably positionable on at least a portion of an upper surface of at least one of a wing and a horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft, the separation monitoring device comprising;

a housing for containing at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, and an energy source;

wherein the at least one transmitter transmits ultrasonic signals which are reflected off of an object and received by the at least one receiver, the reflected signals defining a separation distance between the at least one receiver and the object and wherein the at least one transmitter outputs a separation distance signal representative of the separation distance; and

wherein the energy source is contained within the housing and provides energy to the at least one separation monitoring device; and

a master unit for receiving and analyzing the separation distance signals output by the at least one transmitter and outputting a warning signal to a warning device when the at least one separation monitoring device is within a predetermined distance from the object.