Infrared / ultraviolet strobe device
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing military aircraft technologies struggle to assist pilots in flying in formation and locating other aircraft, airstrips, personnel, and equipment on the ground without being visible to ground personnel, while also increasing the risk of bird strikes during blackout conditions.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft system incorporating ultraviolet (UV) strobes that alternate with infrared (IR) strobes to provide UV illumination for phosphorescent markers and UV reflective materials, allowing pilots to see these elements using night vision equipment without being visible to the human eye, and reducing bird strikes by alerting birds to the aircraft's presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If infrared strobes are used for formation flying and ground illumination, then pilots can see other aircraft and ground objects using night vision equipment, but the aircraft remains invisible to ground personnel and birds may not detect the aircraft's presence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines infrared and ultraviolet strobe systems into a single aircraft lighting system. The infrared strobes provide illumination visible to night vision equipment for formation flying and ground illumination, while ultraviolet strobes simultaneously emit UV light that birds can detect, creating a dual-function system that addresses both visibility and bird strike prevention needs
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the infrared and ultraviolet strobe systems. It manages the alternating operation of the two strobe types, ensuring that when infrared strobes are active for pilot visibility, ultraviolet strobes are also activated to alert birds, thereby mediating between the competing requirements of stealth operation and bird strike prevention
2Reliability
If ultraviolet strobes are added to provide bird strike warning, then birds can detect the aircraft, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft lighting system is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating both infrared and ultraviolet strobes that can operate in different modes. The same physical infrastructure (mounting locations, power supply, control circuitry) supports both functions, allowing the system to serve multiple purposes: formation flying illumination, ground illumination, and bird strike prevention, thereby reducing the need for separate dedicated systems
Solution Approach 2:
The control system implements periodic action by alternating between infrared and ultraviolet strobe activation in coordinated cycles. This periodic switching allows both types of strobes to operate effectively without requiring continuous operation of both simultaneously, managing system complexity through time-based coordination while maintaining both bird strike prevention and pilot visibility functions
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
Enhances formation flying and ground object visibility for pilots using night vision, reduces aircraft visibility to ground personnel, and minimizes bird strikes by utilizing UV strobes that are invisible to the human eye but detectable by night vision and birds.
Implementation Method 1
The strobe device includes a housing, a circuit board mounted in the housing, an ultraviolet light emitting diode (LED) mounted on the circuit board
Implementation Method 2
provide UV illumination for phosphorescent markers
Implementation Method 3
UV reflective materials
Data Source
AI summary
An ultraviolet strobe system for an aircraft having an infrared strobe system and a night vision device includes an ultraviolet strobe device and a controller. The controller causes the ultraviolet strobe device to coordinate with the infrared strobe system to alternate between ultraviolet and infrared strobing. The ultraviolet strobe device causes phosphorescent markers affixed to other aircraft to phosphor in response to the strobe pulses, possibly in a wavelength that is visible using the night vision device. The controller illuminates the ultraviolet strobe just long enough for the human eye to register the illumination.