System and method for generating alert signals in a terrain awareness and warning system of an aircraft using a forward-looking radar system
US8755954B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 27, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jun 17, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S13/426
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and methods for generating alerts in a terrain awareness and warning system (“TAWS”) in an aircraft, using data acquired from a forward-looking radar The system comprises a forward-looking imaging device, an airport database, a navigation system, a forward-looking terrain alert (“FLTA”) processor, and a crew alerting system. The FLTA processor determines a measured clearance altitude of a highest cell within an area and compares it with a required minimum clearance altitude; if the measured altitude is equal or less than the required altitude, the crew is alerted. Alternatively, a terrain database may be used. with the FLTA processor for determining if the aircraft descends below the minimum operating altitude or is predicted to do so and then generating an alert. A method is disclosed for generating TAWS alerts using elevation angle measured by the forward-looking radar and terrain data retrieved from a terrain database.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.