Functionally similar built-in device replacing navigation pod

Abstract

The invention discloses a device that performs the function of a pod system that is externally connected to a military type fighter aircraft of a certain class, enabling the aircraft to navigate by avoiding ground obstacles without the intervention of the pilot, without the relevant pod. The computing hardware of the device proposed with this invention is connected to the aircraft via the same terminal used by the pod and performs operations that manipulate, in both software and hardware, the internal data communication path of the fighter aircraft.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] FUNCTIONALLY SIMILAR BUILT-IN DEVICE REPLACING NAVIGATION POD Technical Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to automatic navigation of fighter jets with fly-by-wire flight capability.

[0004] Prior Art

[0005] Fly-by-wire flight systems are generally designed to provide safer and more efficient flight by combining the aircraft with an automatic pilot or similar integrated system during low altitude navigation. A low altitude navigation pod system allows the aircraft to navigate safely at low altitudes, as in low flight altitudes. Pods are used to track obstacles on the ground. This feature is usually important in tactical operations, reconnaissance missions or other flight scenarios that require low altitude navigation. The pod system can detect environmental hazards for the aircraft and can automatically or semi-automatically direct the aircraft to avoid these hazards. This can be achieved by using radar or other detection sensors to detect and avoid ground obstacles such as mountains, buildings and trees. The pod is positioned as an additional module outside the aircraft and has electrical and communication connections between the aircraft and the pod. In this way, the pod can provide external information to the systems inside the aircraft and share information inside the aircraft with the outside. The computing hardware inside the pod can calculate a safe course for the aircraft by processing altitude information, terrainfollowing radar data and other sensor information. These calculations are transmitted to the aircraft's onboard systems and the flight control computer. The pod system can be connected to an external control element. This external control can manage the operation of the pod and communicate with the added display to increase the pilot's situational awareness. This type of pod system can be used in military or intelligence aircraft, especially those requiring low-altitude navigation. This system provides operational flexibility by allowing the aircraft to maneuver effectively in various scenarios and avoid ground obstacles. However, there are restrictions for pods, which increase the variety of uses of aircraft and enable them to have different equipment, such as size, weight, limited electricity consumption and suitable operating temperature.

[0006] LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Infrared Targeting for Night) system, which is included in the prior art, is a combined navigation and targeting pod system used in the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 40 / 42 C & D models) fighter jets of the United States Air Force. This system is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. With LANTIRN, aircraft can conduct ground attacks with precision-guided weapons at night, at low altitude and under the influence of difficult weather conditions. LANTIRN consists of a navigation pod and targeting pod mounted externally under the aircraft. The navigation pod contains a terrainfollowing radar and a fixed thermographic camera. This provides visual cues and input to the pilot's flight control system, allowing it to maintain altitude while avoiding obstacles. This sensor presents an infrared image of the terrain that is in front of the aircraft to the pilot via the Head-up Display.

[0007] The device developed within the scope of the invention currently acts like the pod system used in fighter aircraft. Two modules are being developed within this system, acting as the targeting pod and the navigation pod. These two modules work together with the Computing and Routing Unit (D) and the Display Unit (E) developed within the scope of this patent.

[0008] The prior art document KR2260240B1, discloses a method comprising the transmission and reception of a radar signal to detect topographic features in order to determine the flight path and target altitude of an aircraft in real time between its departure point and its arrival point. First, an initial topographic information is obtained by calculating the slope (inclined) distance between a center point of a radar beam formed on the ground using a received radar signal of an aircraft and the aircraft radar. Second, a second topographic information is obtained by means of an image signal obtained in real time by the aircraft radar. The first topographic information and the second topographic information are compared to determine the topographic analysis and risk factors. The flight path and target altitude are defined based on the results of the terrain analysis and risk factor determination. The determined flight path and target altitude are combined and displayed through the radar image.

[0009] The utility model document CN205750549U in the prior art, describes an unmanned aerial vehicle that comprises a terrain tracking system based on a laser radar system. It includes a relative altitute measurement module, a sensor module and a flight control system. The relative altitute measurement module includes a laser radar and a radar data acquisition processing unit; the laser radar obtains the relative height information of the flight environment, the radar data acquisition processing unit includes an ARM main chip responsible for collecting and preprocessing the radar data, and the processing result is transmitted to the flight control system. This useful model solves the problem of measuring the relative height of unmanned, fixed altitude flight and autonomous takeoff and landing.

[0010] There is no device in the prior art that performs a function similar to the invention described.

[0011] Technical Problem That the Invention Aims to Solve

[0012] Pods, while increasing the operational versatility of aircraft and enabling different equipments, are subject to limitations such as size, weight, power consumption, and suitable operating temperature. The invention aims to fulfill the function of the pod system — externally attached to combat aircraft to enable low-altitude navigation while avoiding ground obstacles without pilot intervention — , without the need for such a pod, using only the aircraft's own avionics. The invention processes the measurement values obtained from the avionics used for the navigation of the fighter aircraft. The invention interferes with the electrical and functional use of the internal data communication path of the fighter aircraft. The invention creates an indicator for the situational awareness of the fighter aircraft pilot.

[0013] Explanation of the Figures

[0014] The “Functionally Similar Built-in Device Replacing Low Altitude Navigation Pod” implemented to achieve the purposes of this invention is shown in the attached figure;

[0015] Figure 1. A representation illustrating the operation of the original device within the aircraft. Figure 2. A representation illustrating the placement of the device on the aircraft..

[0016] Explanation of References in the Figures

[0017] The parts in the figures are numbered one by one, and the corresponding numbers are given below.

[0018] (1) Device (Imitation Modules)

[0019] (2) Existing pods and / or pod interface

[0020] (3) Aircraft data bus

[0021] (4) Data meter

[0022] (5) Flight control computer

[0023] (6) Aircraft control panel

[0024] (7) Display (A) Aircraft

[0025] (B) Targeting-pod emulator module (Targeting pod mimic module)

[0026] (C) Navigation-pod emulator module (Navigation pod mimic module)

[0027] (D) Computing and routing unit

[0028] (E) Display unit

[0029] Description of the Invention

[0030] This invention is a device that performs the function of a pod system -externally connected to fighter aircraft to enable low altitude navigation while avoiding ground obstacles without pilot intervention -, without requiring the presence of such pods. The device proposed by the invention is mechanically fixed and mounted to the section where the navigation pod is currently (conventionally) attached, in a way that allows access to the electrical and communication interfaces. It works in accordance with the operational flight programs (OFP) of fighter aircraft operated by fly-by-wire.

[0031] The device provides power and communication requirements via the aircraft's military standard data bus. It includes a display equipment added to the aircraft's control panel. The device proposed with this invention is incorporated both in software and hardware, into the internal data communication path of fighter aircraft. The device is integrated into the aircraft's data bus as a terminal with a specific address. It receives the data required for calculations from a message conforming to a specific communication standard, creates navigation information using data received from aircraft’s radar altimeters, and transmits it to the flight control computer as a message in the relevant communication standard. The computing hardware of the device proposed with this invention is connected to the aircraft via the same terminal as the pod. It receives information from the internally-located altitude radar, barometric altitude meter, IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), GPS (Global Positioning System) and other data meters from a message obtained from the relevant data bus. It processes the relevant data set and converts it into a navigation message with the same structure as that produced in the low altitude navigation pod. It transmits the generated navigation message to the flight control computer via the same path as the pod uses.

[0032] The computing hardware of the device proposed with this invention can also be connected to an external control element via a separate data bus if desired. The external control manages the operation of the computing hardware of the device proposed with this invention, and at the same time creates visual symbology on a display added to the control element to support the pilot's situational awareness.

[0033] The device comprises a targeting pod emulator module (B), navigation pod emulator module (C), Computing and Routing Unit (D) and a Display Unit (E) connected to the combat aircraft (A) to which the pod can already be connected. The device satisfies the MIL-STD 1760 power and MIL-STD-1553 data requirements of the combat aircraft in military standards. The Computing and Routing Unit (D) processes flight and operational information coming from the aircraft (A), aircraft data meters (4), the targeting pod emulator module (B) and the navigation pod emulator module (C), as well as ground (on-board) elevation data and human factors information. By calculating the status information and preventive commands it sends them to the targeting pod emulator module (B) and the navigation pod emulator module (C) to be transmitted to the flight control computer (5). The device displays the information it calculates in this manner to the pilot by sending it to the Display Unit (E) placed in the cockpit and / or directly from the aircraft data bus (3) to the existing display (7). The addition of the targeting pod emulator module (B) and the navigation pod emulator module (C) to the aircraft (A) shall not prevent their simultaneous use with real pods.

[0034] Figure 1 shows the in-flight operation of the device. The device (imitation modules) indicated by reference (1) is inserted between the existing pods and / or the pod interface and the aircraft data bus (3). When there is an externally connected pod, the device transfers the messaging traffic occurring between the pod and the data bus directly to the flight computer (5) as is. When there is no externally connected pod, the device utilizes its pod emulation capability. The computing and routing hardware (D) receives information from onboard sensors such as the altitude radar, barometric altimeter, IMU, GPS and other meters (4) located internally in the aircraft, through the relevant data bus. It processes the relevant data set and converts it into messages of the same structure as those produced by a low altitude navigation pod. The device then transfers these messages — formatted identically to those of the pod — to the flight computer (5) via the data bus as if the actual pod were attached. Simultaneously, the generated message also creates visual symbology for the pilot's situational awareness via a display (E) added to the aircraft's control panel (6). The device is capable of calculating and displaying to pilot the predicted terrain (ground) altitude corresponding to the forward flight path. The device is capable of monitoring, recording and, if necessary, modifying the message traffic between the externally connected low altitude navigation pod and the flight control computer.

[0035] The device is also capable of operating in simulation mode using synthetically generated ground data at high altitudes, close to the flight altitude, to enable training in the use of the low altitude navigation pod.

[0036] The device can also be applicable to other airborne vehicles.

[0037] Industrial Applicability

[0038] The invention can be applied to fighter jets equipped with externally attached pods, performing the same pod function as an internal piece of equipment.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An alternative device performing the function of a navigation pod in aircraft characterized in that it operates as an internal hardware unit utilizing the aircraft's avionics, including the aircraft data bus (3), aircraft data meters (4), flight control computer (5) and aircraft control panel (6), wherein;- When an external navigation pod is connected, the device receives information from the messaging traffic occur between the pod and the data bus and from the onboard data meters (4),- When no external navigation pod is connected, the device receives information from the onboard data meters (4) and the emulator modules (B, C) from the message obtained through the relevant data bus,- The relevant data set, status information and preventive commands are processed by the Computing and Routing Unit (D) and converted into messages having the same structure as those generated by the navigation pod,- The messages generated in the same structure as those of the pod are transmitted to the Flight Control Computer (5) via the data bus as if an actual pod was connected,- The generated messages are transmitted to the pilot through the Display Unit (E) installed within the cockpit and / or through the current display indicators (7) via the aircraft data bus (3).

2. The device according to claim 1, is characterized in that it comprises;- A targeting pod emulator module (B) and a navigation pod emulator module (C) that collect flight and operational information,- A Computing and Routing Unit (D) that calculates the situatus information and preventive commands and transmits to the relevant units, and- A Display Unit (E) that is added to the aircraft's control panel (6) and creates visual symbology for the pilot's situational awareness.

3. The device according to claim 1, is characterized in that when there is an externally connected pod on the aircraft, it is integrated between the pod (2) and the aircraft data bus (3) and transfers the messaging traffic occurring between the pod and the data bus.

4. The device according to claim 1, is characterized in that when there is no externally connected pod on the aircraft, it has the feature of acting as if a pod is attached to the aircraft.

5. The device according to claim 1, is characterized in that it possesses the features of monitoring, recording and, if necessary, changing the message traffic between the externally connected navigation pod and the flight control computer.

6. The device according to claim 1, is characterized in that it operates in simulation mode over synthetically produced earth data.

Images