Close formation aircraft collision avoidance
US6483454B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 28, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 28, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S13/76
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Collision avoidance systems are provided for groups of aircraft operating in close proximity, as during formation flights or cooperative missions. Fixed and rotary airfoil aircraft with separations of 30 feet to 5 miles, for example, participate in a local radio sub-net. An aircraft receiving CAS sub-net signals derives signal transit time values representing differences between send and receive times and which are used to derive data on inter-aircraft range and closing rate. With synchronized clocks, highly-accurate one-way ranging uses assigned time slots with predetermined sub-net time-of-day timing of transmissions. Round-trip ranging operates with less accurate time synchronization, and systems may operatively select between one-way and round-trip ranging. By exchange of range and closing rate data among aircraft, 3-D data for current three-dimensional location of aircraft enables evasive action determination. Data is thus made available for provision of audio and visual flight crew communications indicating alerts and warnings of impending collision danger and appropriate evasive action.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.