JP2008059127A - Airfield lighting monitoring control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airfield lighting monitoring control system that can provide more accurate visual navigation aid for aircraft running on taxiways by providing information on running direction route instructions and safe route instructions on taxiway running without using stop bar lights and aircraft sensors on an airfield. <P>SOLUTION: The airfield lighting monitoring control system comprises taxiway centerline lights 12 installed on a taxiway 11 of an airfield, an aircraft position detection apparatus 14 for detecting the position of an aircraft 13 located near the taxiway 11, and a lighting control apparatus 15 for lighting the taxiway centerline lights 12 ahead of the aircraft 13 and the taxiway centerline lights 13 in a predetermined range behind the aircraft 12 with different brightness. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an airfield lighting monitoring control system that monitors an aircraft traveling on a taxiway in an airfield and controls lighting of a taxiway centerline lamp so as to ensure the traveling safety of the aircraft.

  In general, travel route information for an aircraft traveling on a taxiway is monitored and controlled by turning on and off the taxiway centerline lamp, and the taxiway centerline lamp is controlled by an airfield lamp monitoring and control system. In other words, the airfield lighting monitoring and control system is part of a visual aid facility whose primary purpose is aircraft navigation safety at the airfield, such as lighting taxiway lights and taxiway centerline lights that have been prepared for taxiways. Instructing whether or not the travel route is possible to the aircraft traveling on the taxiway by turning off the light. In addition, the brightness is adjusted in the lighting state of the guide lamp and the taxiway center line lamp.

  The airfield light monitoring and control system is one of the systems indispensable for airfield operations at low visibility, that is, when visibility is poor at night, during rainy weather, dense fog, and so on. Requires reliability and certainty. Therefore, inadequate airfield lighting monitoring and control system may cause aircraft near miss accidents or collision accidents, so the operations of operators (controllers) involved in airfield operations are mentally severe. It has become.

  Airfield lights are mainly on the runway side for landing aircraft, aircraft that run from the apron (terminal) to the runway, and take off to the apron after landing. It is divided into things. The number of lights varies depending on the airfield, but usually ranges from hundreds to tens of thousands.

  Normally, in the airfield lighting monitoring and control system, the controller will select the four conditions of the runway operating direction, background brightness, cloud bottom height, and visibility with the operation switch so that the optimal lighting condition that should be present can be achieved. It controls the guide light and the guide light center line light. For example, when the background brightness is "daytime", "low visibility", or "low cloud bottom height", the light is brightened. Conversely, "nighttime", "high visibility", or "high cloud bottom height" In the state, the lamp is darkened. Based on the lighting conditions, the pilot navigates or runs the aircraft.

  Here, the pilot of the aircraft traveling on the taxiway is navigating or running the aircraft based on the information on the state of the taxiway lights and the taxiway centerline lights that are lit or extinguished on the taxiway, Since the guide lights and taxiway centerline lights are turned on and off under the above four conditions, the pilot of the aircraft can determine the direction of travel directions related to taxiway driving and the information from the information on the state of the taxiway lights and taxiway centerline lights. Information on safe route directions cannot be obtained. Therefore, the pilot of the aircraft obtains the correct traveling direction and a safe traveling route instruction from the controller by radio voice instructions, and the operation of the controller is not reduced.

Therefore, stop line lights are installed on the taxiway in consideration of the safe driving section, aircraft sensors are installed on the immediate line of these stop line lights, aircraft presence / absence detection signals of these aircraft sensors are judged, and the aircrafts travel There is one in which each stop line lamp is controlled to be turned on and off so as to secure a safety section (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-44999 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, a stop line light and an aircraft sensor must be installed on the taxiway while taking into account the traveling safety section. Therefore, a construction for newly installing a stop line light and an aircraft sensor on an existing airfield is required. Necessary.

  It is an object of the present invention to obtain information on a driving direction route and a safety route regarding a taxiway traveling without providing a stop line light or an aircraft sensor on an airfield, and more accurate vision for an aircraft traveling on a taxiway. It is to provide an airfield lighting monitoring and control system that can provide navigation assistance.

  An airfield lighting monitoring control system according to the present invention includes a taxiway centerline lamp provided on a taxiway in an airfield, an aircraft position detection device that detects the position of an aircraft located near the taxiway, and guidance in front of the aircraft. And a lighting control device that controls lighting by varying the brightness of a road center line lamp and a guide line center line lamp in a predetermined range behind the aircraft.

  According to the present invention, the position of the aircraft located near the taxiway is detected, and the brightness of the taxiway centerline lamp in front of the aircraft and the taxiway centerline lamp in a predetermined range behind the aircraft are made different. Since the lighting is controlled, a more accurate visual navigation assistance function for the aircraft traveling on the taxiway becomes effective. As a result, the efficiency of airfield operation can be improved, and further, the duties of the air traffic controller who is responsible for ground control can be reduced.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an airfield lighting monitoring control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A taxiway center lamp 12 is provided on the taxiway 11 of the airport, and the aircraft 13 travels while being guided by the taxiway lamp 12 when traveling on the taxiway 11. The aircraft position detection device 14 detects the position of the aircraft 13 located in the vicinity of the taxiway 11, and for example, GPS is used. The aircraft position information a detected by the aircraft position detection device 14 is input to the lighting control device 15, and the lighting control device 15 outputs a control signal b to the taxiway centerline lamp 12 based on the aircraft position information a. Lighting control of the taxiway center line lamp 12 is performed.

  The lighting control device 15 is configured by, for example, a computer or a hard relay device. When the aircraft position information a is input from the aircraft position detection device 14, the guideway centerline lamp 12 in front of the aircraft 13 and the aircraft 13 are transmitted through the control signal b. Lighting control is performed by making the brightness different from that of the taxiway centerline lamp 12 in a predetermined rear range. For example, the taxiway centerline lamp 12 in front of the aircraft 13 is continuously lit, the taxiway centerline lamp 12 in a predetermined range behind the aircraft 13 is flashed, and the taxiway center further behind the predetermined range is illuminated. The lamp 12 is turned off. As a result, the brightness of the taxiway centerline lamp 12 near the aircraft 13 changes depending on the position of the aircraft 13, so that it is possible to provide the aircraft 13 with guidance for ensuring safety for traveling on the taxiway 13. After the brightness of the taxiway center line lamp 12 is controlled, the aircraft 13 travels on the taxiway 13 according to the taxiway centerline lamp 12 that is controlled (continuously lit, blinking, or extinguished).

  As described above, the lighting control device 15 controls the taxiway centerline lamp 12 based on four logical conditions (four conditions of runway operation direction, background luminance, cloud bottom height, visibility), and an aircraft position detection device. 14, the aircraft position information a is input and the brightness of the taxiway center line lamp 12 (lighting lighting control) is controlled in consideration of the position with the aircraft 13.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an airfield lighting monitoring control system when two aircrafts 13a and 13b are located on the taxiway in the embodiment of the present invention. When the aircraft 13a is present in front of the aircraft 13b, the predetermined range behind the position of the aircraft 13a is blinking, so that the aircraft 13b can secure a level that ensures a safe separation distance from the aircraft 13a. That is, the predetermined range behind the position of the aircraft 13a is not less than a separation distance that can ensure the safety of the subsequent aircraft 13b.

  As described above, the aircraft 13a, 13b traveling on the taxiway 11 has a clear portion that can proceed (lighted) and a portion that must not travel (flashing), so a more accurate visual navigation assistance function Becomes effective, and it is possible to improve the efficiency of airfield operations, and further reduce the duties of air traffic controllers responsible for ground control.

  According to the embodiment of the present invention, the aircraft position detection device 14 detects the location where the aircraft 13 is traveling on the taxiway 11, and controls the brightness of the lighting state of the taxiway centerline lamp 12, for example, Since the range where the vehicle can travel is lit and the region where it is not good to proceed is blinking, the traveling of the taxiway 12 of the aircraft 13 can be safely performed and the efficiency of the airfield operation can be improved.

The block diagram of the airport light monitoring control system concerning embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of an airfield lighting monitoring control system in case two aircraft are located in the taxiway in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Taxiway, 12 ... Taxiway centerline lamp, 13 ... Aircraft, 14 ... Aircraft position detection apparatus, 15 ... Light control apparatus

Claims (2)

  A taxiway centerline lamp provided on a taxiway at an airport, an aircraft position detection device for detecting the position of an aircraft located near the taxiway, a taxiway centerline lamp in front of the aircraft, and a rear of the aircraft An airfield lighting monitoring and control system, comprising: a lighting control device that controls lighting by varying brightness with a taxiway center line lamp within a predetermined range. The airfield lighting monitoring and control system, wherein the lighting control device continuously lights a taxiway centerline lamp in front of the aircraft and blinks a taxiway centerline lamp in a predetermined range behind the aircraft.

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