Aircraft Obstacle Collision Warning System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current terrain awareness and warning systems for aircraft do not effectively predict collisions with obstacles like man-made structures, due to the complexity of dealing with numerous obstacles and varying accuracy of topographic data, leading to potential false alarms and inadequate crew notification.
Innovation Solution
A method that extracts lists of pointlike and linear obstacles from a database based on their proximity and accuracy, using an obstacle clearance sensor to calculate risks and generate warnings, optimizing integration with existing onboard systems and accounting for obstacles' height and accuracy levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terrain awareness and warning systems include comprehensive obstacle databases, then obstacle detection capability is improved, but system complexity and false alarm rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments obstacles into two distinct categories: pointlike obstacles (individual structures such as towers or buildings) and linear obstacles (extended structures such as power lines or fences). This segmentation allows the system to apply different detection and evaluation methods to each category, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive obstacle detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and processes only the most relevant obstacle data needed for collision prediction, rather than processing all available topographic data. By extracting specific obstacle characteristics (position, height, type) and filtering out unnecessary information, the system achieves reliable obstacle detection without being overwhelmed by data complexity.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive obstacle data is processed, then collision prediction accuracy is improved, but false alarm rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality standards and processing methods to different obstacle types. Pointlike obstacles are evaluated based on their vertical clearance from the aircraft path, while linear obstacles are evaluated based on their horizontal and vertical proximity. This localized quality approach ensures accurate collision prediction for each obstacle type without generating false alarms from inappropriate evaluation criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the evaluation parameters based on obstacle type and aircraft state. During takeoff and landing phases, different clearance thresholds and evaluation criteria are applied compared to cruise phases. This dynamic parameter adjustment maintains high collision prediction accuracy while minimizing false alarms by adapting to current flight conditions.
3Reliability
If all obstacles are considered regardless of coordinate accuracy, then detection completeness is improved, but calculation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial processing to obstacles with lower coordinate accuracy. Rather than performing exhaustive calculations on all obstacles regardless of data quality, the system processes obstacles with high-confidence coordinates in full detail while applying simplified evaluation methods to obstacles with uncertain coordinates. This approach maintains detection completeness while reducing unnecessary calculation complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention notably relates to a method of detecting obstacles on the ground receiving an obstacle clearance sensor and a zone for extracting map data. The method comprises the following steps:extraction from an obstacle database of a list of pointlike obstacles;extraction from an obstacle database of a list of linear obstacles;determination, according to the obstacle clearance sensor, of the risks associated with the extracted pointlike obstacles and generation of a warning;determination, according to the obstacle clearance sensor, of the risks associated with the extracted linear obstacles, and generation of a warning.In particular, the invention applies to the calculation of the warnings relating to the risks of collision with pointlike or linear obstacles taking into account the path of the aircraft and the altitude of the obstacles.