Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Aircraft collision avoidance system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-23
2001-04-03
Gregory, Bernarr E. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Aircraft collision avoidance system
C342S027000, C342S041000, C343S705000, C343S709000, C343S711000, C343S713000, C343S718000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06211808
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to collision avoidance systems for aircraft and more particularly to a novel, low cost, universal collision, obviation and reduced near miss (UNICORN™) system which is particularly useful and affordable with small private aircraft.
In conditions of crowded air traffic zones and/or low visibility it is necessary that the pilot of one aircraft be warned of the presence of a nearby aircraft so that he may maneuver his aircraft to avoid a disastrous collision. Systems known as TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems) employ an interrogator mounted on a commercial jet aircraft and transponders carried on each aircraft it is likely to encounter. In this way, an interrogation is communicated by radar between the aircraft carrying TCAS and smaller, threat aircraft in the vicinity. This is done so that an enhanced radar signal is returned to the jet aircraft to enable the commercial pilot to avoid a collision. The transponder also encodes the returned radar signal with information unique to the threat aircraft on which it is installed. A GPS receiver is also recommended in order to encode information regarding the position of a threat aircraft with respect to the position of the jet aircraft. With TCAS, the burden is on the commercial jet pilot to avoid a collision when an alert signal is received.
These systems however are very complicated and very costly and are used primarily on commercial sized aircraft. Because of the high cost, these systems are rarely incorporated on smaller, privately owned aircraft whose pilots are often flying blindly under adverse weather and traffic conditions, a situation which often leads to an unavoidable collision. General aviation pilots are also reluctant to incur the cost of installing a transponder without gaining autonomous control over averting a collision.
Thus, there is a need for a low cost, reliable warning and collision avoidance system particularly useful on smaller, privately owned aircraft to enhance flight safety conditions within the air traffic industry. The UNICORN™ system described hereinbelow fulfills that need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a low cost, reliable, universal, omni-directional, sensing system mountable on an aircraft for providing to the pilot of that aircraft an early warning of the presence of another nearby aircraft within the surrounding air space, thus enabling the pilot to take whatever maneuvering action is necessary to avoid a collision with the other nearby aircraft.
Another object of this invention is to provide the above-identified system which operates autonomously from a single aircraft and requires no response from or the presence of any matched system on board the other nearby aircraft.
Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of the above described sensing system which includes an omni-directional L-band microwave antenna formed by a dielectric sphere cut into a plurality of “orange wedge” sectors, for example eight sectors, covering eight distinct transmitter/receiver direction patterns (up/down, port/starboard, forward/aft). An L-band microwave signal is transmitted simultaneously from all eight dielectric sections to provide an omnidirectional transmission covering a sphere of detection around the aircraft. In addition, the same eight dielectric sectors are employed together with suitable receiver circuitry for receiving microwave signals reflected back from other nearby aircraft. These sectors provide eight video channels by which a pilot of an aircraft receives information regarding the direction, closeness and rate of closure of the nearby aircraft so that a proper collision avoidance maneuver may be effected to avoid a disaster.
A further object of the invention resides in the above described system which, although autonomous within itself and requiring no cooperating response mechanism on nearby aircraft, is compatible and may be used together with TCAS-type transponders.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of the invention which makes reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Flight Safety Technologies Inc.
Gregory Bernarr E.
Tamburro David A.
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