Patent · US Active

Systems and methods for generating alert signals in a terrain awareness and warning system

US8234020B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
12References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 8, 2008
Grant dateJul 31, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 2, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG08G5/80
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A terrain awareness and warning system (“TAWS”) provides input to a terrain alert (“TA”) processor from at least one real-time aircraft system or sensor and a source of terrain data; the processor determines a terrain clearance surface and a terrain airspace alert surface, and if one surface penetrates the other, the processor generates an alert signal and provides an alert signal to a crew alerting system. The two surfaces are determined by the processor by executing an algorithm(s) embedded in software containing the disclosed embodiments and methods. At least one criterion used to define an aircraft terrain alert surface is programmed to include real-time and/or static input factor data provided by at least one system or sensor input from an aircraft. Such input factor could be used to define a terrain clearance surface.

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