Patent ID: 11912420
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 19:
20. An aircraft comprising:
a first icing detector configured to detect a first icing condition in relation to one or more portions of the aircraft, wherein the first icing detector is configured to output a first icing signal indicative of the first icing condition, and wherein the first icing detector is proximate to a nose of the aircraft below a window and above a front landing gear;
a second icing detector configured to detect a second icing condition in relation to the one or more portions of the aircraft, wherein the second icing detector is configured to output a second icing signal indicative of the second icing condition, wherein the second icing detector is proximate to the nose of the aircraft below the window and above the front landing gear, and wherein the second icing detector is located aft in relation to the first icing detector;
a control unit in communication with the first icing detector and the second icing detector, wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive the first icing signal from the first icing detector and the second icing signal from the second icing detector,
distinguish between a presence of supercooled liquid water and ice crystal icing in response to receiving one or both of the first icing signal or the second icing signal,
determine the presence of the supercooled liquid water and the ice crystal icing in response to receiving both the first icing signal and the second icing signal,
determine the presence of the ice crystal icing in response to receiving the first icing signal but not the second icing signal, and
determine an error condition in response to receiving the second icing signal but not the first icing signal;

one or more deicers in communication with the control unit, wherein the one or more deicers are configured to deice the one or more portions of the aircraft, wherein the control unit is further configured to automatically operate the one or more deicers in response to receiving one or both of the first icing signal or the second icing signal; and
a user interface having one or both of a display or a speaker, wherein, based on the icing conditions, the control unit is further configured to one or both of show information on the display or broadcast the information from the speaker.