Linear Illumination System for Aircraft Collision Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial aircraft face significant risks of collisions during ground operations due to limited visibility of objects outside the cockpit, particularly wingtips and engines, leading to costly repairs and downtime.
Innovation Solution
A system that projects a linear beam of light onto distant objects using a configuration of laser diodes and cylindrical lenses to create a controlled field of view, allowing for triangulation and distance calculation of objects, thereby enhancing collision detection and minimizing pilot distraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If pilots rely on direct visual observation from the cockpit, then objects directly in front of the cabin are visible, but objects outside the field of view (wingtips and engines) cannot be observed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of cameras and processing devices that capture and analyze visual information from areas outside the pilot's direct field of view. These intermediaries detect objects near wingtips and engines, then relay this information to the pilot through the existing audio communication system, eliminating the need for the pilot to directly observe these blind spots while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical limitation of direct visual observation with an automated detection system. Instead of relying on the pilot's physical position and line of sight, the system uses cameras and image processing algorithms to detect objects in blind spots, substituting automated electronic detection for manual visual observation.
2Reliability
If the aircraft is equipped with comprehensive collision detection systems, then collision risk is reduced, but pilot distraction increases due to additional information processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors for objects in blind spots and provides selective alerts to the pilot only when potential collision risks are detected. The system processes visual information from cameras, determines whether detected objects pose a collision risk, and provides audio feedback through the existing communication system, maintaining reliability while minimizing unnecessary pilot distraction through intelligent filtering of information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by implementing selective alerting rather than continuously presenting all detected objects to the pilot. The system processes comprehensive visual data but only communicates information that is relevant to collision risk, avoiding information overload while maintaining thorough monitoring capability.
3Productivity
If aircraft taxi at high speed on dedicated taxiways, then operational efficiency increases, but collision risk with distant objects increases due to reduced reaction time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by detecting objects at a distance before the aircraft reaches them during high-speed taxiing. The system uses cameras to identify potential obstacles in the forward path early in the taxi sequence, providing advance warning to the pilot through the audio system, thereby enabling timely reaction and maintaining both high speed and safety.
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 the risk of collisions by providing accurate distance and location information of external objects, reducing repair costs and downtime through improved visibility and alerting mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
One or more laser diodes are configured to emit one or more laser beams of light
Implementation Method 2
A first cylindrical lens is configured to receive the emitted beam(s) and to collimate each of the emitted beam(s) in the fast-axis direction
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to projecting a linear beam 54 onto a distant object. The linear beam can be a pulse of light projected in a linear pattern. Simultaneously emitted pulses of optical energy are emitted from emission facets located along transverse axis 52 within emission plane PE. One or more laser diodes 44 emit one or more elliptical beams of light in an emission direction DE. If more than one laser diode is used, they are aligned so as to have coplanar emission facets and common slow-axis and fast-axis directions DSA, DFA, which are perpendicular to one another and to the emission direction DE. A first cylindrical lens 45, 46 receives the emitted beam(s) and collimates the emitted beam(s) in the fast-axis direction DFA. A second, preferably concave, cylindrical lens 48 receives the emitted beam(s) and diverges the emitted beam(s) in the slow-axis direction DSA such that if more than one beam is emitted, they are diverged so as to overlap one another in the slow-axis direction. First concave cylindrical lens 46 receives linear emission beam 54 after it is refracted by first convex cylindrical lens 45 which may be mounted directly onto laser diode bar 44. Preferably, first convex cylindrical lens 45, first concave cylindrical lens 46 and second convex cylindrical lens 50 focus linear emission beam 54 in the fast-axis direction DFA so that at a predetermined distance, linear emission beam 54 has small width in the fast-axis direction DFA and large length in the slow-axis direction DSA. Such a projector can be used in broad daylight to determine range and or location information of objects external to an aircraft.