Method for monitoring autonomous accelerated aircraft pushback
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64D-045/00
B64C-025/40
G01S-015/93
G01S-017/93
G01S-013/86
G01S-013/93
G05D-001/00
G08G-005/00
G08G-005/06
G08G-005/04
출원번호
US-0460299
(2014-08-14)
등록번호
US-9394059
(2016-07-19)
발명자
/ 주소
Cox, Isaiah W.
Vana, Jan
Cox, Joseph J.
Kracht, Stefan
출원인 / 주소
Borealis Technical Limited
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
4인용 특허 :
13
초록▼
A method for monitoring an autonomous accelerated pushback process in an aircraft equipped with an engines-off taxi system is provided to maximize safety and facilitate the accelerated pushback process. The aircraft is equipped with a monitoring system including a number of different kinds of sensor
A method for monitoring an autonomous accelerated pushback process in an aircraft equipped with an engines-off taxi system is provided to maximize safety and facilitate the accelerated pushback process. The aircraft is equipped with a monitoring system including a number of different kinds of sensors and monitoring devices positioned to maximally monitor the aircraft's exterior ground environment and communicate the presence or absence of obstructions in the aircraft's path while the pilot is controlling the engines-off taxi system to drive the aircraft in reverse away from a terminal gate and then turn in place at a selected location before driving forward to a taxiway. The sensors and monitoring devices may be a combination of cameras, ultrasound, global positioning, radar, and LiDAR or LADAR devices, and proximity sensors located at varying heights adapted to continuously or intermittently scan or sweep the aircraft exterior and ground environment during aircraft ground movement.
대표청구항▼
1. A method for maximizing safety and time savings during pushback in aircraft equipped with an engines-off taxi system for autonomous ground travel without reliance on operation of the aircraft main engines or tow vehicles, comprising: a. in an aircraft equipped with a pilot controllable engines-of
1. A method for maximizing safety and time savings during pushback in aircraft equipped with an engines-off taxi system for autonomous ground travel without reliance on operation of the aircraft main engines or tow vehicles, comprising: a. in an aircraft equipped with a pilot controllable engines-off taxi system operable to drive the aircraft autonomously, providing a monitoring system comprising a plurality of different kinds of monitors, sensors, and sensor devices positioned in multiple locations on an exterior of the aircraft and at multiple heights above an airport ground surface selected to obtain information relating to the aircraft ground environment and space surrounding the aircraft's exterior during pushback;b. controlling the engines-off taxi system during pushback to drive the aircraft in a reverse direction along a defined pushback travel path away from an airport terminal wherein the aircraft is positioned in a nose-in orientation with a longest axis of the aircraft perpendicular to the airport terminal as the aircraft is moved in the reverse direction along the defined pushback travel path to a turning location, turning the aircraft in place at the turning location through an angle of about 180 degrees so that the aircraft is positioned in a nose-out orientation with a longest axis of the aircraft perpendicular to the airport terminal, and driving the aircraft in the nose-out orientation in a forward direction away from the airport terminal to a taxiway or takeoff runway;c. while the engines-off taxi system is controlled to drive the aircraft in reverse along the defined pushback travel path, turn the aircraft in place at the turning location, and then drive the aircraft forward, activating the monitoring system so that said plurality of monitors, sensors, and sensor devices continuously or intermittently sweep the aircraft ground environment and aircraft exterior surface and space to obtain and integrate real time information from the plurality of monitors, sensors, and sensor devices relating to the aircraft exterior environment in the defined pushback travel path and communicating the integrated information to the pilot; andd. in response to the communicated real time information, further controlling the engines-off taxi system to continue the pushback process without interruption and then drive the aircraft to a taxiway or to stop the aircraft when the communicated real time information indicates that the pushback process cannot be continued safely. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising when said plurality of monitors, sensors, and sensor devices communicates the presence of an obstruction in or near the defined pushback travel path to the pilot, controlling the engines-off taxi system to stop the aircraft from moving in reverse along the defined pushback travel path. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating a presence or absence of an obstruction in said pushback travel path to a cockpit of said aircraft by one or more indicators comprising a video display, flashing or steady lights, or an audio signal to alert the pilot and controlling the engines-off taxi system to stop said aircraft or to continue to drive said aircraft in response to the presence or absence of an obstruction as communicated by said one or more indicators. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising communicating the presence of an obstruction in or near the defined pushback travel path to the pilot of the aircraft and to Air Navigation Services and Ground Operations Control at the airport. 5. The method of claim 3, further comprising, when said plurality of monitors, sensors, and sensor devices communicates the presence of an obstruction to the pilot through said one or more indicators and the pilot fails to control the engines-off taxi system to stop the aircraft from moving, inactivating said engines-off taxi system to stop said aircraft. 6. The method of claim 3, further comprising adapting the monitoring system to bypass pilot control of the engines-off taxi system and stop movement of the aircraft if the pilot has not responded to an obstruction indication communicated to the cockpit when the monitoring system senses that collision is imminent, and automatically controlling the engines-off taxi system to stop movement of the aircraft. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating said plurality of monitors, sensors, and sensor devices at said multiple locations and heights in positions on said aircraft exterior selected to produce and communicate a real time video display of said aircraft exterior environment to said pilot. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing one or more visual or non-visual ground surface indicators corresponding to the defined pushback travel path and providing cooperating visual or non-visual sensors or sensor devices on said aircraft to assist the pilot in driving the aircraft safely in reverse along the defined pushback travel path. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of different monitors, sensors, and sensor devices operable to scan exterior areas of said aircraft not visible to the pilot to provide maximal real time information about the aircraft's ground environment comprising a plurality of cameras, GPS devices, ultrasound devices, radar devices, LiDAR or LADAR devices, and proximity sensors. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a pushback travel path distance and selecting the turning location at the defined pushback travel path distance at an airport location where the aircraft may be safely turned in place or pivoted without obstruction. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a monitoring system controller in interactive communication with the engines-off taxi system and, when the pilot has not responded to the presence of an obstruction in or near the defined taxi path communicated by the monitoring system, automatically preventing the engines-off taxi system from moving the aircraft.
Mithra M. K. V. Sankrithi ; David W. McKenna ; Mannon L. Wallace, Jr. ; Ronaldo O. Cabrera ; Gary D. Reysa ; Gerhard E. Seidel ; John Yeeles ; John Cashman, Airplane ground maneuvering camera system.
Cox, Isaiah W.; Cox, Joseph J.; Goldman, Joseph; Vana, Jan, Permanent wireless communications system for an aircraft equipped with a wheel drive system.
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