EP0613109A1 - Infrarotfahrzeugidentifikationsanlage - Google Patents

Infrarotfahrzeugidentifikationsanlage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0613109A1
EP0613109A1 EP94301261A EP94301261A EP0613109A1 EP 0613109 A1 EP0613109 A1 EP 0613109A1 EP 94301261 A EP94301261 A EP 94301261A EP 94301261 A EP94301261 A EP 94301261A EP 0613109 A1 EP0613109 A1 EP 0613109A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
airport
recited
message data
aircraft
light assembly
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP94301261A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Peter L. Hoover
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Raytheon Co
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Raytheon Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Raytheon Co filed Critical Raytheon Co
Publication of EP0613109A1 publication Critical patent/EP0613109A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
    • G08G5/0017—Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information
    • G08G5/0026—Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information located on the ground
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
    • G08G5/0073—Surveillance aids
    • G08G5/0082—Surveillance aids for monitoring traffic from a ground station
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
    • G08G5/06—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC] for control when on the ground
    • G08G5/065—Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Definitions

  • This invention relates to identification of airport surface traffic and in particular to an apparatus and method for detecting and identifying aircraft or other vehicle movement on airport taxiways, runways and other surface areas.
  • a runway incursion is defined as "any occurrence at an airport involving an aircraft, vehicle, person, or object on the ground that creates a collision hazard or results in loss of separation with an aircraft taking off, intending to take off, landing, or intending to land.”
  • the U.S. Federal Administration Agency (FAA) has estimated that it can only justify the cost of ground surface radar at 29 of the top 100 airports in the United States. However, such radar only provides location information; it cannot alert the controller to possible conflicts between aircraft.
  • an airport control and monitoring system has been used to sense when an airplane reaches a certain point on a taxiway and controls switching lights on and off to indicate to the pilot when he may proceed on to a runway.
  • a system sends microwave sensor information to a computer in the control tower.
  • the computer comprises software for controlling the airport lighting and for providing fault information on the airport lighting via displays or a control panel to an operator.
  • Such a system is described in sales information provided on a Bi-directional Series 7 Transceiver (BRITEE) produced by ADB-ALNACO, Inc., A Siemens Company, of Columbus, Ohio.
  • BITEE Bi-directional Series 7 Transceiver
  • a well known approach to airport surface traffic control has been the use of scanning radars operating at high frequencies such as K-band in order to obtain adequate definition and resolution.
  • An existing airport ground traffic control equipment of that type is known in the art as Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE).
  • ASDE Airport Surface Detection Equipment
  • ASDE Airport Surface Detection Equipment
  • Such equipment provides surveillance only, no discrete identification of aircraft on the surface being available. Also there is a need for a relatively high antenna tower and a relatively large rotation antenna system thereon.
  • a vehicle identification system for identifying aircraft and other vehicles on surface pathways including runways and other areas of an airport comprising means disposed on the aircraft and other vehicles for transmitting identification message data, means disposed in each of a plurality of light assembly means on the airport for receiving and decoding the message data from the transmitting means, means for providing power to each of the plurality of light assembly means, means for processing the decoded identification message data generated by the receiving and decoding means in each of the plurality of light assembly means, means for providing data communication between each of the light assembly means and the processing means, and the processing means comprises means for providing a graphic display of the airport comprising symbols representing the aircraft and other vehicles, each of the symbols having the identification message data displayed.
  • the transmitting means comprises means for creating unique message data which includes aircraft and flight identification, and infrared means coupled to the message creating means for transmitting a coded stream of the message data.
  • the message data further includes position information.
  • the receiving and decoding means comprises an infrared sensor.
  • the receiving and decoding means comprises microprocessor means coupled to the infrared sensor for decoding the message data.
  • the plurality of light assembly means are arranged in two parallel rows along runways and taxiways of the airport.
  • the light assembly means comprises light means coupled to the lines of the power providing means for lighting the airport, vehicle sensing means for detecting aircraft or other vehicles on the airport, microprocessor means coupled to the receiving and decoding means, the light means, the vehicle sensing means and the data communication means for decoding the identification message data, and the data communication means being coupled to the microprocessor means and the lines of the power providing means.
  • the symbols representing aircraft and other vehicles comprise icons having a shape indicating type of aircraft or vehicle.
  • the processing means determines a location of the symbols on the graphic display of the airport in accordance with data received from the light assembly means.
  • a vehicle identification system for surveillance and identification of aircraft and other vehicles on an airport comprising a plurality of light circuits on the airport, each of the light circuits comprises a plurality of light assembly means, means for providing power to each of the plurality of light circuits and to each of the light assembly means, means in each of the light assembly means for sensing ground traffic on the airport, means disposed on the aircraft and other vehicles for transmitting identification message data, means disposed in each of the light assembly means for receiving and decoding the message data from the transmitting means, means for processing ground traffic data from the sensing means and decoded message data from each of the light assembly means for presentation on a graphic display of the airport, means for providing data communication between each of the light assembly means and the processing means, the processing means comprises means for providing such graphic display of the airport comprising symbols representing the ground traffic, each of the symbols having direction, velocity and the identification message data displayed.
  • the sensing means comprises infrared detectors.
  • the transmitting means comprises means for creating unique message data which includes aircraft and flight identification, and infrared means coupled to the message creating means for transmitting a coded stream of the message data.
  • the message data further comprises position information.
  • the receiving and decoding means comprises an infrared sensor.
  • the receiving and decoding means comprises microprocessor means coupled to the infrared sensor for decoding the message data.
  • the plurality of light assembly means of the light circuits being arranged in two parallel rows along runways and taxiways of the airport.
  • the light assembly means comprises light means coupled to the lines of the power providing means for lighting the airport, the ground traffic sensing means for detecting aircraft or other vehicles on the airport, microprocessor means coupled to the receiving and decoding means, the light means, the ground traffic sensing means and the data communication means for decoding the identification message data and processing a detection signal from the ground traffic sensing means, and the data communication means being coupled to the microprocessor means and the lines of the power providing means.
  • the light assembly means further comprises a photocell means coupled to the microprocessor means for detecting the light intensity of the light means.
  • the light assembly means further comprises a strobe light coupled to the microprocessor means.
  • the processing means comprises redundant computers for fault tolerance operation.
  • the symbols representing the ground traffic comprise icons having a shape indicating type of aircraft or vehicle.
  • the processing means determines a location of the symbols on the graphic display of the airport in accordance with the data receive from the light assembly means.
  • the processing means determines a future path of the ground traffic based on a ground clearance command, the future path being shown on the graphic display.
  • the processing means further comprises means for predicting an airport incursion.
  • the power providing means comprises constant current power means for providing a separate line to each of the plurality of light circuits, and network bridge means coupled to the constant current power means for providing a communication channel to the processing means for each line of the constant current power means.
  • the objects are further accomplished by providing a method of providing a vehicle identification system for identifying aircraft and other vehicles on surface pathways including runways and other areas of an airport comprising the steps of transmitting identification message data with means disposed on the aircraft and other vehicles, receiving and decoding the message data from the transmitting means with means disposed in each of a plurality of light assembly means on the airport, providing power to each of the plurality of light assembly means, processing the decoded identification message data generated by the receiving and decoding means in each of the plurality of light assembly means, providing data communication between each of the light assembly means and the processing means, and providing a graphic display of the airport with the processing means comprising symbols representing the aircraft and other vehicles, each of the symbols having the identification message data displayed.
  • the step of transmitting identification message data comprises the steps of creating unique message data which includes aircraft and flight identification, and transmitting a coded stream of the message data with infrared means coupled to the message creating means.
  • the step of transmitting message data further includes transmitting position information.
  • the step of receiving and decoding the message data includes using an infrared sensor.
  • the step of receiving and decoding the message data further comprises the step of coupling microprocessor means to the infrared sensor for decoding the message data.
  • the step of receiving and decoding the message data with means disposed in the plurality of light assembly means further comprises the step of arranging the plurality of light assembly means in two parallel rows along runways and taxiways of the airport.
  • the step of providing a graphic display comprising symbols representing aircraft and other vehicles further comprises the step of providing icons having a shape indicating type of aircraft or vehicle.
  • the step of providing a graphic display comprises the step of determining a location of the symbols on the graphic display of the airport in accordance with data received from the light assembly means.
  • FIG. 1 a block diagram of an airport vehicle incursion avoidance system 10 is shown comprising a plurality of light circuits 18 1-n , each of said light circuits 18 1-n comprises a plurality of edge light assemblies 20 1-n connected via wiring 21 1-n to a lighting vault 16 which is connected to a central computer system 12 via a wide area network 14.
  • Each of the edge light assemblies 20 1-n comprises an infrared (IR) detector vehicle sensor 50 (FIG. 2).
  • IR infrared
  • the edge light assemblies 20 1-n are generally located along side the runways and taxiways of the airport with an average 100 foot spacing and are interconnected to the lighting vault 16 by single conductor series edge light wiring 21 1-n . Each of the edge light circuits 18 1-n is powered via the wiring 21 1-n by a constant current supply 24 1-n located in the lighting vault 16.
  • LON Bridges 22 1-n interconnecting the edge light wiring 21 1-n with the Wide Area Network 14.
  • Information from a microprocessor 44 located in each edge light assembly 20 1-n is coupled to the edge light wiring 21 1-n via a power line modem 54.
  • the LON bridges 22 1-n transfers message information from the edge light circuits 18 1-n via the wiring 21 1-n to the wide area network 14.
  • the wide area network 14 provides a transmission path to the central computer system 12.
  • These circuit components also provide the return path communications link from the central computer system 12 to the microprocessor 44 in each edge light assembly 20 1-n .
  • the edge light assemblies 20 1-n and the central computer system 12 may be employed, such as radio techniques, but the present embodiment of providing data communication on the edge light wiring 21 1-n provides a low cost system for present airports.
  • the LON Bridge 22 may be embodied by devices manufactured by Echelon Corporation of Palo Alto, California.
  • the wide area network 14 may be implemented by one of ordinary skill in the art using standard Ethernet or Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) components.
  • the constant current supply 24 may be embodied by devices manufactured by Crouse-Hinds of Winslow, Connecticut.
  • FIG. 3 shows a pictorial diagram of the edge light assembly 20 1-n .
  • the edge light assembly 20 1-n comprises a bezel including an incandescent lamp 40 and an optional strobe light assembly 48 (FIG. 2) which are mounted above an electronics enclosure 43 comprising a vehicle sensor 50.
  • the electronics enclosure 43 sits on the top of a tubular shaft extending from a base support 56.
  • the light assembly bezel with lamp 40 and base support 56 may be embodied by devices manufactured by Crouse-Hinds of Winslow, Connecticut.
  • FIG. 2 A block diagram of the contents of the electronics enclosure 43 is shown in FIG. 2 which comprises a coupling transformer 53 connected to the edge light wiring 21 1-n .
  • the coupling transformer 53 provides power to both the incandescent lamp 40 via the lamp control triac 42 and the microprocessor power supply 52; in addition, the coupling transformer 53 provides a data communication path between the power line modem 54 and the LON Bridges 22 1-n via the edge light wiring 21 1-n .
  • the microprocessor 44 provides the computational power to run the internal software program that controls the edge light assemblies 20 1-n .
  • the microprocessor 44 is powered by the microprocessor power supply 52.
  • the microprocessor 44 is also connected to the microprocessor 44.
  • the microprocessor 44 is used to control the incandescent edge light 40 intensity and optional strobe light assembly 48.
  • the use of the microprocessor 44 in each light assembly 20 1-n allows complete addressable control over every light on the field.
  • the microprocessor 44 may be embodied by a VLSI device manufactured by Echelon Corporation of Palo Alto, California 94304, called the Neuron® chip.
  • the incandescent light 40 requires two network variables, one input and the other an output variable.
  • the input variable light_level 84 would be used to control the light's brightness. The range would be OFF or 0% all the way to FULL ON or 100%. This range from 0% to 100% would be made in 0.5% steps. Since the edge light assembly 20 1-n also contains the photocell 46, an output variable light_failure 84 is created to signal that the lamp did not obtain the desired brightness.
  • FIG. 7 a block diagram of an interconnection of network variables for a plurality of edge light assemblies 20 1-n located on both sides of a runway is shown, each of the edge light assemblies 20 1-n comprising a microprocessor 44.
  • Each Neuron® program in the microprocessor 44 is designed with certain network input and output variables. The user writes the code for the Neuron® chips in the microprocessor 44 assuming that the inputs are supplied and that the outputs are used. To create an actual network the user has to "wire up" the network by interconnecting the individual nodes with a software linker. The resulting distributed process is best shown in schematic form, and a portion of the network interconnect matrix is shown in Figure 7.
  • the central computer system 12 tracks the movement of vehicles as they pass from the sensor 50 to sensor 50 in each edge light assembly 20 1-n .
  • the system can track position, velocity and heading of all aircraft or vehicles based upon the sensor 50 readings. New vehicles are entered into the system either upon leaving a boarding gate or landing. Unknown vehicles are also tracked automatically. Since taxiway and runway lights are normally across from each other on the pavement (as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7), the microprocessor 44 in each edge lights assembly 20 1-n is programmed to combine their sensor 50 inputs and agree before reporting a contact.
  • a further refinement is to have the microprocessor 44 check with the edge light assemblies 20 1-n on either side of them to see if their sensors 50 had detected the vehicle. This allows a vehicle to be handed off from sensor electronic unit 43 to sensor electronic unit 43 of each edge light assembly 20 1-n as it travels down the taxiway. This also assures that vehicle position reports remain consistent. Vehicle velocity may also be calculated by using the distance between sensors, the sensor pattern and the time between detections.
  • the display 30 is a color monitor which provides a graphical display of the airport, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 8. This is accomplished by storing a map of the airport in the redundant computers 26 and 28 in a digital format.
  • the display 30 shows the location of airplanes or vehicles as they are detected by the sensors 50 mounted in the edge light assemblies 20 1-n along each taxiway and runway or other airport surface areas. All aircraft or vehicles on the airport surface are displayed as icons, with the shape of the icons being determined by the vehicle type. Vehicle position is shown by the location of the icon on the screen. Vehicle direction is shown by either the orientation of the icon or by an arrow emanating from the icon. Vehicle status is conveyed by the color of the icon. The future path of the vehicle as provided by the ground clearance command entered via the controllers microphone 35 is shown as a colored line on the display 30. The status of all field lights including each edge light 20 1-n in each edge light circuit 18 1-n is shown via color on the display 30.
  • Table 1 shows a list of objects with corresponding attributes. Each physical object that is important to the runway incursion problem is modeled.
  • the basic airplane or vehicle tracking algorithm is shown in Table 2 in a Program Design Language (PDL).
  • PDL Program Design Language
  • the algorithm which handles sensor fusion, incursion avoidance and safety alerts is shown in a single program even though it is implemented as distributed system using both the central computer system 12 and the sensor microprocessors 44.
  • the control of taxiway lighting intensity is usually done by placing all the lights on the same series circuit and then regulating the current in that circuit.
  • the intensity of the lamp 40 is controlled by sending a message with the light intensity value to the microprocessor 44 located within the light assembly 20 1-n .
  • the message allows for intensity settings in the range of 0 to 100% in 0.5% steps.
  • the use of photocell 46 to check the light output allows a return message to be sent if the bulb does not respond. This in turn generates a maintenance report on the light.
  • the strobe light 48 provides an additional optional capability under program control of the microprocessor 44.
  • Each of the microprocessors 44 in the edge light assemblies 20 is individually addressable. This means every lamp on the field is controlled individually by the central computer system 12.
  • the system 10 can be programmed to provide an Active Runway Indicator by using the strobe lights 48 in those edge light assemblies 20 1-n located on the runway 64 to continue the approach light "rabbit" strobe pattern all the way down the runway.
  • This lighting pattern could be turned-on as a plane is cleared for landing and then turned-off after the aircraft has touched down. A pilot approaching the runway along an intersecting taxiway would be alerted in a clear and unambiguous way that the runway was active and should not be crossed.
  • the main computers 26, 28 could switch the runway strobe lights 48 from the "rabbit" pattern to a pattern that alternatively flashes either side of the runway in a wig-wag fashion.
  • a switch to this pattern would be interpreted by the pilot of an arriving aircraft as a wave off and a signal to go around.
  • the abrupt switch in the pattern of the strobes would be instantaneously picked up by the air crew in time for them to initiate an aborted landing procedure.
  • a short sequence of the "rabbit" pattern may be programmed into the taxiway strobes just in front of the aircraft. At intersections, either the unwanted paths may have their lamps turned off or the entrance to the proper section of taxiway may flash directing the pilot to head in that direction.
  • the unwanted paths may have their lamps turned off or the entrance to the proper section of taxiway may flash directing the pilot to head in that direction.
  • the tracking algorithm starts a track upon the first report of a sensor 50 detecting a heat level that is above the ambient background level of radiation. This detection is then verified by checking the heat level reported by the sensor directly across the pavement from the first reporting sensor. This secondary reading is used to confirm the vehicle detected and to eliminate false alarms. After a vehicle has been confirmed the sensors adjacent to the first reporting sensor are queried for changes in their detected heat level. As soon as one of the adjacent sensors detects a rise in heat level a direction vector for the vehicle can be established. This process continues as the vehicle is handed off from sensor to sensor in a bucket brigade fashion as shown in FIG. 7. Vehicle speed can be roughly determined by calculating the time between vehicle detection by adjacent sensors.
  • Vehicle identification can be added to the track either manually or automatically by an automated source that can identify a vehicle by its position. An example would be prior knowledge of the next aircraft to land on a particular runway.
  • Tracks are ended when a vehicle leaves the detection system. This can occur in one of two ways. The first way is that the vehicle leaves the area covered by the sensors 50. This is determined by a vehicle track moving in the direction of a gateway sensor and then a lack of detection after the gateway sensor has lost contact. A second way to leave the detection system is for a track to be lost in the middle of a sensor array. This can occur when an aircraft departs or a vehicle runs onto the grass. Takeoff scenarios can be determined by calculating the speed of the vehicle just before detection was lost. If the vehicle speed was increasing and above rotation speed then the aircraft is assumed to have taken off. If not then the vehicle is assumed to have gone on to the grass and an alarm is sounded.
  • the ground clearance routing function is performed by the speech recognition unit 33 along with the ground clearance compliance verifier software module 103 running on the computers 26,28.
  • This software module 103 comprises a vehicle identification routine, clearance path routing, clearance checking routine and a path checking routine.
  • the clearance path routine takes the remainder of the controller's phrase (i.e. "outer taxiway to echo, hold short of runway 15 Left") and provides a graphical display of the clearance on the display 30 showing the airport.
  • the airport vehicle incursion avoidance system 10 operates under the control of safety logic routines which reside in the collision detection software module 104 running on computers 26, 28.
  • the safety logic routines receive data from the sensor fusion software module 101 location program via the tracker software module 102 and interpret this information through the use of rule based artificial intelligence to predict possible collisions or runway incursions. This information is then used by the central computer system 12 to alert tower controllers, aircraft pilots and truck operators to the possibility of a runway incursion.
  • the tower controllers are alerted by the display 30 along with a computer synthesized voice message via speaker 32.
  • Ground traffic is alerted by a combination of traffic lights, flashing lights, stop bars and other alert lights 34, lamps 40 and 48, and computer generated voice commands broadcast via radio 36.
  • Knowledge based problems are also called fuzzy problems and their solutions depend upon both program logic and an interface engine that can dynamically create a decision tree, selecting which heuristics are most appropriate for the specific case being considered.
  • Rule based systems broaden the scope of possible applications. They allow designers to incorporate judgement and experience, and to take a consistent solution approach across an entire problem set.
  • the programming of the rule based incursion detections software is very straight forward.
  • the rules are written in English allowing the experts, in this case the tower personnel and the pilots, to review the system at an understandable level.
  • Another feature of the rule based system is that the rules stand alone. They can be added, deleted or modified without affecting the rest of the code. This is almost impossible to do with code that is created from scratch.
  • the block diagram shows the data flow between the functional elements within the system 10 (FIG. 1).
  • Vehicles are detected by the sensor 50 in each of the edge light assemblies 20 1-n .
  • This information is passed over the local operating network (LON) via edge light wiring 21 1-n to the LON bridges 22 1-n .
  • the individual message packets are then passed to the redundant computers 26 and 28 over the wide area network (WAN) 14 to the WAN interface 108.
  • the message packet is checked and verified by a message parser software module 100.
  • the contents of the message are then sent to the sensor fusion software module 101.
  • the location and direction of the vehicle is also used by the collision detection software module 104.
  • This module checks all of the vehicles on the ground and plots their expected course. If any two targets are on intersecting paths, this software module generates operator alerts by using the display 30, the alert lights 34, the speech synthesis unit 29 coupled to the associated speaker 32, and the speech synthesis unit 31 coupled to radio 37 which is coupled to antenna 39.
  • this software module 103 receives the ground clearance commands from the controller's microphone 35 via the speech recognition unit 33. Once the cleared route has been determined, it is stored in the ground clearance compliance verifier software module 103 and used for comparison to the actual route taken by the vehicle. If the information received from the tracker software module 102 shows that the vehicle has deviated from its assigned course, this software module 103 generates operator alerts by using the display 30, the alert lights 34, the speech synthesis unit 29 coupled to speaker 32, and the speech synthesis unit 31 coupled to radio 37 which is coupled to antenna 39.
  • the keyboard 27 is connected to a keyboard parser software module 109.
  • a command has been verified by the keyboard parser software module 109, it is used to change display 30 options and to reconfigure the sensors and network parameters.
  • a network configuration data base 106 is updated with these reconfiguration commands. This information is then turned into LON message packets by the command message generator 107 and sent to the edge light assemblies 20 1-n via the WAN interface 108 and the LON bridges 22 1-n .
  • FIG. 10 shows a pictorial diagram of an infrared vehicle identification system 109 invention comprising an infrared (IR) transmitter 112 mounted on an airplane 110 wheel strut 111 and an IR receiver 128 which comprises a plurality of edge light assemblies 20 1-n of an airport lighting system also shown in FIG. 1.
  • the combination of the IR transmitter 112 mounted on aircraft and/or other vehicles and a plurality of IR receivers 128 located along runways and taxiways form the infrared vehicle identification system 109 for use at airports for the safety, guidance and control of surface vehicles in order to provide positive detection and identification of all aircraft and other vehicles and to prevent runway incursions.
  • Runway incursions generally occur when aircraft or other vehicles get onto a runway and conflict with aircraft cleared to land or takeoff on that same runway. All such incursions are caused by human error.
  • a block diagram of the IR transmitter 112 comprising an embedded microprocessor 118 having DC power 114 inputs from the aircraft host or vehicle on which the IR transmitter 112 is mounted and an ID switch 116 within the aircraft for entering vehicle identification data which is received by the IR transmitter 112 on a serial line.
  • Vehicle position information is provided to the IR transmitter 112 from a vehicle position receiver 117 which may be embodied by a global positioning system (GPS) receiver readily known in the art.
  • GPS global positioning system
  • the output of embedded microprocessor 118 feeds an IR emitter comprising a light emitting diode (LED) array 120.
  • LED light emitting diode
  • the embedded microprocessor 118 may be embodied by microprocessor Model MC 6803 or equivalent manufactured by Motorola Microprocessor Products of Austin; Texas.
  • the IR LED array 120 may be embodied by IR LED Devices manufactured by Harris Semiconductor of Melborne, Florida.
  • the IR LED array 120 comprises a plurality of high power LEDs each having a beam width of 15°. By placing thirteen LEDs in an array, a 195° area can be covered.
  • the IR LED array 120 illuminates edge light assemblies 201 ⁇ 4 along the edges of the runway 64. Each of the edge light assemblies 201 ⁇ 4 comprises an IR receiver 128.
  • the coded data stream emitted from the IR transmitter 112 comprises six separate fields.
  • the first field is called timing pattern 122 and comprises a set of equally spaced pulses.
  • the second field is called unique word 123 which marks the beginning of a message.
  • the third field is called character count 124 which specifies the number of characters in a message.
  • the fourth field is called vehicle identification number 125.
  • the fifth field is called vehicle position 126 and provides latitude and longitude information.
  • the sixth field is called message checksum 127.
  • the equally spaced pulses of the timing pattern 122 allow the IR receiver 128 to calculate the baud rate of a transmitted message and automatically adjust its internal timing to compensate for either a doppler shift or an offset in clock frequency.
  • the checksum 126 field allows the IR receiver 128 to find the byte boundary.
  • the character count 124 field is used to alert the IR receiver 128 in the edge light assemblies 201 ⁇ 4 as to the length of the message being received.
  • the IR receiver 128 uses this field to determine when the message has ended and if the message was truncated.
  • the vehicle identification number 125 field comprises an airline flight number or a tail number of an aircraft or a license number of other vehicles.
  • the actual number can be alpha-numeric since each character will be allocated eight (8) bits.
  • An ASCII code which is known to those of ordinary skill in the art is an example of a code type that may be used.
  • the only constraints on the vehicle ID number is that it be unique to the vehicle and that it be entered in the airport's central computer data base to facilitate automatic identification.
  • the checksum 127 guarantees that a complete and correct message is received. If the message is interrupted for any reason, such as a blocked beam or a change in vehicle direction, it is instantly detected and the reception voided. This procedure reduces the number of false detects and guarantees that only perfect vehicle identification messages are passed on to the central computer system 12 at the airport tower.
  • FIG. 14 a block diagram of the IR receiver 128 is shown in FIG. 14 which comprises and IR sensor 130 connected to an edge light assembly 20 1-n shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 10, on an airport.
  • the IR receiver 128 comprises the IR sensor 130 which receives the coded data stream 121 (FIG. 13) from the transmitter 112.
  • the output of the IR sensor 130 is fed to the microprocessor 44 for processing by an IR message routine 136 for detecting the data message.
  • a vehicle sensor routine 138 in microprocessor 44 processes signals from the vehicle sensor 50 for detecting an aircraft or other vehicles.
  • the IR message routine 136 is implemented with software within the microprocessor 44 as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 15.
  • the vehicle sensor routine 138 is also implemented with software within the microprocessor 44 as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 16.
  • the outputs of the IR message routine 136 and vehicle sensor routine 138 are processed by the microprocessor 44 which sends via the power line modem 54 the identified aircraft or vehicle and their position data over the edge light wiring 21 1-n communication lines to the central computer system 12 shown in FIG. 1 at the airport terminal or control tower.
  • the IR sensor 130 may be embodied with Model RY5BD01 IR sensor manufactured by Sharp Electronics, of Paramus, New Jersey.
  • the microprocessor 44 may be embodied by the VLSI Neuron® Chip, manufactured by Echelon Corporation, of Palo Alto, California.
  • a flow chart of the IR message routine 136 is shown which is a communication protocol continuously performed in the microprocessor 44 of the IR receiver 128. After an IR signal is detected 150 the next action is transmitter acquisition or to acquire timing 152. The microprocessor 44 looks for the proper timing relationship between the received IR pulses. If the correct on/off ratio exists, the microprocessor 44 calculates the baud rate from the received timing and waits to acquire the unique word 156 signifying byte boundary and then checks for the capture of the character count 160 field byte. After the character count is known, the microprocessor 44 then captures each character in the vehicle ID 162 field and stores them away in a buffer. It then captures vehicle position 163 including latitude and longitude data.
  • the microprocessor 44 If the IR coded data stream is disrupted before all the vehicle ID characters are received, the microprocessor 44 aborts this reception try and returns to the acquisition or IR detected 150 state. After all characters have been received, the checksum 164 is calculated. If the checksum matches 166, then the message is validated and the vehicle ID relayed 168 to the central computer system 12. With this scheme the microprocessor 44 is implementing both the physical and a link layer of the OSI protocol by providing an error free channel.
  • FIG. 16 a flow chart is shown of the vehicle sensor routine 138 software running on microprocessor 44.
  • the microprocessor 44 sets the network variable prelim_detect to the TRUE state 175. If a preliminary detection is declared, the program then checks to see what reporting mode 176 is in use. If all detections are required to be sent to the central computer system 12, then this sensor value 180 is sent. If only those readings that are different from the previous reading by a predetermined delta and download by the central computer system 12, then this check is made 177. If the change is greater than the delta 177, the program checks to see if it should confirm the detection 178 to eliminate any false alarms. If a confirmation is not required, then this sensor value 181 is sent. If in the confirmation mode, then the adjacent sensor's 179 preliminary network variable is checked. If the adjacent sensor has also detected the object, then the current sensor value 182 is sent.
EP94301261A 1993-02-26 1994-02-23 Infrarotfahrzeugidentifikationsanlage Withdrawn EP0613109A1 (de)

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US23978 1993-02-26

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WO2010042681A1 (en) * 2008-10-10 2010-04-15 Raytheon Company Tracking air and ground vehicles
EP3079136A1 (de) * 2015-04-10 2016-10-12 Safegate International AB Flugzeugidentifizierung

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JP4634177B2 (ja) * 2005-02-14 2011-02-16 株式会社日立製作所 航空機の地上走行誘導装置

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WO2010042681A1 (en) * 2008-10-10 2010-04-15 Raytheon Company Tracking air and ground vehicles
US8138964B2 (en) 2008-10-10 2012-03-20 Raytheon Company Tracking air and ground vehicles
EP3079136A1 (de) * 2015-04-10 2016-10-12 Safegate International AB Flugzeugidentifizierung
WO2016162500A1 (en) * 2015-04-10 2016-10-13 Safegate International Ab Aircraft identification
US10089884B2 (en) 2015-04-10 2018-10-02 Adb Safegate Sweden Ab Aircraft identification
TWI649732B (zh) * 2015-04-10 2019-02-01 瑞典商安全門國際股份公司 飛機識別技術

Also Published As

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CA2114482A1 (en) 1994-08-27
NO940626D0 (no) 1994-02-24
NO940626L (no) 1994-08-29

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