Aircraft Ground Anti-Collision Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft ground anti-collision systems face challenges such as vision blind areas due to limited view angles and hardware issues like low accuracy in position detection and spatial resolution, leading to increased collision risks.
Innovation Solution
The proposed system integrates multiple sensors, including on-board and off-board sensors, with an obstacle detection processing unit that fuses sensing ranges and unifies information in a common coordinate system, generating a view-angle fused view to eliminate blind spots and enhance scene awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a portable sensor system is attached to a trailer to detect surrounding obstacles, then the system can be easily deployed and moved, but the view angle is limited and creates a vision blind area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (cameras, radar, ADS-B) with different detection capabilities and viewing angles into an integrated sensor system. This merging allows the system to compensate for individual sensor limitations and eliminate blind spots through data fusion from multiple sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces multiple spatial dimensions for sensor placement by mounting sensors at different heights and angles on both the aircraft and trailer. This multi-dimensional arrangement ensures comprehensive coverage of the surrounding environment, eliminating the single-point blind spots inherent in portable trailer-mounted systems.
2Reliability
If radar detection technology is used to detect obstacles around the aircraft, then the system can be realized with low cost and is less affected by light and bad weather, but the spatial resolution is low and cannot accurately identify the shape of objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges radar detection with vision sensors (cameras) to create a hybrid detection system. The radar provides reliable obstacle detection in all weather conditions, while the vision sensors add spatial detail and shape recognition capabilities, compensating for radar's low resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different sensor types to different detection needs: radar is used for general obstacle detection and positioning where weather resistance is critical, while vision sensors are deployed in areas requiring detailed spatial resolution and shape identification, such as near the wingtips.
3Measurement precision
If a vision sensor is used to detect obstacles around the aircraft, then the system can provide good spatial resolution and shape identification, but the image quality and sensing accuracy are greatly negatively affected under poor light and bad weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines vision sensors with radar and ADS-B systems to create a complementary detection network. When vision sensors provide high-resolution data in good conditions, other sensors take over or provide backup when lighting or weather deteriorates, ensuring continuous reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensor sources to dynamically adjust and validate detections. When vision sensor quality degrades due to poor lighting or weather, the system receives feedback from radar and ADS-B systems to maintain accurate obstacle detection and positioning.
4Extent of automation
If ADS-B technology is used to track aircraft position, then the aircraft can be trackable and routing can be provided to avoid collision, but the accuracy of position detection is low with errors reaching 10 m or more
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges ADS-B satellite-based tracking with ground-based radar and onboard vision sensors. The ADS-B system provides continuous automatic tracking at low cost, while the other sensors provide high-precision position verification and correction, reducing the 10m+ errors inherent in standalone ADS-B systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft ground anti-collision system and method is disclosed including multiple sensors including an on-board sensor and an off-board sensor, and an obstacle detection processing unit, which is configured to: process data received from the multiple sensors to detect an object around the aircraft and/or a trailer for towing the aircraft, and fuse sensing ranges of the multiple sensors and unify information about the object detected by the multiple sensors in a same coordinate system, to generate a view-angle fused view indicating the detected object. Hence, vision blind areas of a pilot and a ground operator during ground movement of the aircraft can be advantageously eliminated, and the cooperation and scene awareness of the pilot and the ground operator can be improved, thereby reducing the accident rate and improving the safety of the ground movement.