Patent · US Expired

Excessive sink rate warning system for aircraft

US4060793A · kind A · utility

50Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 19, 1976
Grant dateNov 29, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 19, 1996

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01C5/005
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In an aircraft ground proximity warning system that compares the rate of descent of an aircraft with its altitude above the terrain and in response thereto generates a warning signal when the aircraft's sink rate exceeds a predetermined limit for a particular altitude, a first type of advisory voice warning is generated for combinations of lesser descent rates and greater altitudes and a second type of imperative voice warning is generated for greater sink rates at lower altitudes where the danger of the aircraft impact with the terrain is more significant. In addition, the repetition rate of the advisory warning is increased as a function of increasing descent rate and the amplitude of the advisory warning can similarly be increased as function of increasing descent rate in order to call attention to an increasing undesirable operating condition.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.