Patent ID: 9734729
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: G01C,G06K,G06T,G08G

Claim:
1. A system for displaying active stop bar information to an aircrew member of an aircraft, the system comprising: a display subsystem configured to display visual information to the aircrew member of the aircraft; a database comprising information regarding a geographical location of a stop bar at an airport; a position detecting subsystem that detects a current location of the aircraft with respect to a ground surface at the airport and to generate a first signal indicative of the current location of the aircraft; a light detection subsystem that (1) detects that a stop bar is lighted and active by detecting a light signature and pattern emitted from a lighted, active stop bar from an area surrounding the aircraft and that (2) generates a second signal indicative of the presence of the lighted, active stop bar; and a processor operatively coupled with the display subsystem, the position detecting subsystem, and the light detection subsystem, wherein the processor is configured to (1) receive the first signal from the position detecting subsystem, (2) based on the information in the database regarding the geographical location of the stop bar, determine whether the aircraft is within light detection range of the geographical location of the stop bar, (3) when in light detection range, estimate a location of the stop bar with respect to the aircraft based on the first signal and the geographical location of the stop bar, (4) receive the second signal from the light detection subsystem indicating that the stop bar is lighted and active, and (5) generate information regarding the position of the detected lighted, active stop bar, (6) command the display subsystem to display a graphic depiction of the detected lighted, active stop bar on the display subsystem, wherein the graphic depiction is indicative that the lighted, active stop bar is lighted and active, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a motional vector of the aircraft based on a defined fix time interval prediction, wherein the motional vector comprises an area inside which the aircraft is not able to stop, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a caution alert when the motional vector indicates that the aircraft will cross the detected lighted, active stop bar, and wherein the processor is still further configured to generate a warning alert when the aircraft position passes over the position of the detected lighted, active stop bar.