Ground-based collision alerting and avoidance system

Abstract

A collision alerting and avoidance system is presented herein. The system comprises at least one antenna array disposed on a structure on the ground and at least one transmitter/receiver probe coupled to the antenna array. The transmitter/receiver probe operates in a transmit mode to transmit electromagnetic waves and in a receive mode to receive an echo signal reflected from an obstacle in the area of an aerial vehicle. The system also comprises at least one transmitter/receiver module coupled to the transmitter/receiver probe. The transmitter/receiver module operates in a transmit mode to produce electromagnetic waves for transmission and in a receive mode to receive the echo signal. The system also comprises a processor coupled to the transmitter/receiver module. The processor controls transmission of the electromagnetic waves from the antenna array and processes the echo signal to provide an output signal containing information regarding the obstacle.

1 . A collision alerting and avoidance system comprising: 
 at least one antenna array disposed on a structure on the ground;    at least one transmitter/receiver probe coupled to said at least one antenna array, said at least one transmitter/receiver probe configured to operate in a transmit mode to transmit electromagnetic waves and in a receive mode to receive an echo signal reflected from an obstacle in the area of an aerial vehicle;    at least one transmitter/receiver module coupled to said at least one transmitter/receiver probe, said at least one transmitter/receiver module configured to operate in a transmit mode to produce electromagnetic waves for transmission and in a receive mode to receive said echo signal; and    a processor coupled to said at least one transmitter/receiver module, said processor configured to control transmission of said electromagnetic waves from said at least one antenna array and to process said echo signal to provide an output signal containing information regarding said obstacle.    
   
   
       2 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one antenna array comprises at least one of a plurality of horns and a patch array antenna.  
   
   
       3 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of horns comprises at least one of a polar horn, a 45-degree horn, and an equatorial horn.  
   
   
       4 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a display coupled to said processor for displaying said information to an operator of the collision alerting and avoidance system, said information enables said operator to take appropriate action to avoid said obstacle.    
   
   
       5 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , wherein said processor is remotely coupled to a flight control system for processing said information in order to take action to avoid said obstacle.  
   
   
       6 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the collision alerting and avoidance system acts primarily as an alerting system.  
   
   
       7 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , wherein a user of the collision alerting and avoidance system is at least one of an operator of an unmanned aerial vehicle, an air traffic controller, and an operator of a manned aerial vehicle.  
   
   
       8 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a radome covering said at least one antenna array.    
   
   
       9 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of communication links selected from the group consisting of TCAS, ADS-B, TIS-B, and FIS-B, electrically coupled to the collision alerting and avoidance system and configured to operate with the collision alerting and avoidance system.    
   
   
       10 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one transmitter/receiver probe transmits another said electromagnetic wave upon receipt of said echo signal.  
   
   
       11 . The collision alerting and avoidance system of  claim 1 , wherein said processor is configured to determine a range-rate estimation of said obstacle to said aerial vehicle by varying a pulse-repetition frequency based on said information and to determine a time to closest approach to said obstacle as a ratio of a range to said range-rate estimation.  
   
   
       12 . A method of using a collision alerting and avoidance system disposed on the ground comprising: 
 disposing at least one antenna array on a structure on the ground;    coupling at least one transmitter/receiver probe to said at least one antenna array, said at least one transmitter/receiver probe configured to operate in a transmit mode and a receive mode;    coupling at least one transmitter/receiver module to said at least one transmitter/receiver probe, said at least one transmitter/receiver module configured to produce at least one electromagnetic wave in a transmit mode and to receive an echo signal in a receive mode;    transmitting said at least one electromagnetic wave from said at least one transmitter/receiver probe;    detecting said echo signal reflected from an obstacle in the area of an aerial vehicle in said at least one transmitter/receiver probe and said at least one transmitter/receiver module;    transmitting another electromagnetic wave from said at least one transmitter/receiver probe and said at least one transmitter/receiver module upon receipt of said echo signal; and    processing said echo signal in a processor coupled to said at least one transmitter/receiver module to provide an output signal containing information regarding said obstacle.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 determining a range-rate estimation of said obstacle to said aerial vehicle by varying a pulse-repetition frequency based on said information; and    determining a time to closest approach to said obstacle as a ratio of range to said range-rate estimation.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 displaying said information to an operator of the collision alerting and avoidance system, wherein said information enables said operator to take action to avoid said obstacle.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 coupling a flight control system remotely to said processor for processing said information to enable the aerial vehicle to take action to avoid said obstacle.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said aerial vehicle is at least one of a general aviation aircraft and an unmanned aerial vehicle.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 disposing a radome over said at least one antenna array.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 electrically coupling a plurality of communication links to the collision alerting and avoidance system and configured to operate with the collision alerting and avoidance system, said plurality of communication links selected from the group consisting of TCAS, ADS-B, TIS-B, and FIS-B.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a user of the collision alerting and avoidance system is at least one of an operator of an unmanned aerial vehicle, an air traffic controller, and an operator of a manned aerial vehicle.