Aircraft Lighting System Modulating Light Frequency for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased density of aircraft in urban areas leads to both environmental pollution and sight pollution, as traditional navigation lights are ineffective in reducing visibility to both humans on the ground and sensor systems, making collision avoidance challenging and increasing visual clutter.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft lighting system that modulates light intensity at specific frequencies, making the light appear continuous to humans while being detectable by remote collision avoidance systems, thereby reducing aircraft visibility to people on the ground and enhancing detection by other aircraft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional navigation lights are used on aircraft, then aircraft visibility is maintained for safety, but sight pollution increases and collision avoidance becomes difficult in dense air traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by modulating the light intensity at specific frequencies (e.g., 10-50 Hz) to create a flickering pattern that is detectable by sensor systems but perceived as continuous by human observers due to persistence of vision, thereby resolving the contradiction between reducing sight pollution and maintaining collision avoidance capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameter of light emission by introducing frequency modulation, transforming static continuous light into dynamic periodic light with specific frequency characteristics that differentiate between human perception and sensor detection requirements
2Productivity
If aircraft density is increased in urban areas, then transportation efficiency improves, but visual clutter and sight pollution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different types of observers (humans vs. sensors) perceive the same light source differently through frequency-based differentiation, allowing high aircraft density to coexist with reduced visual clutter for human observers while maintaining detectability for collision avoidance systems
3Reliability
If light intensity is increased to improve aircraft detection, then collision avoidance improves, but sight pollution and visibility to ground personnel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic modulation of light intensity at frequencies detectable by sensors but imperceptible to humans, enabling aircraft detection systems to identify aircraft presence through frequency analysis while ground personnel perceive only a steady, less obtrusive light source
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces sight pollution while improving aircraft detection and collision avoidance, particularly in densely populated areas with increased air traffic, by making aircraft less visible to humans while maintaining visibility to other aircraft and sensors.
Implementation Method 1
The controller activates the set of lamps to emit light and modulates an intensity of the light from the set of lamps at a set of frequencies that is detectable by a remote collision avoidance system
Implementation Method 2
The light from the set of lamps at the set of frequencies is perceived as continuous by a person looking at the aircraft in a sky
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and system for automating detection and avoidance for an aircraft. A process activates a set of lamps visible on an exterior of an aircraft to emit light. The process modulates an intensity of light from the set of lamps at a set of frequencies that is detectable by a remote collision avoidance system in a remote aircraft during flight. The light from the set of lamps at the set of frequencies is perceived as continuous by a person looking at the aircraft in a sky, reducing visibility of the aircraft in the sky.