Patent ID: 8907798
Filing Date: 2014-12-09
Classification: B64D

Abstract:
1. An ice detection system for detecting a plurality of in-flight icing conditions comprising: a first group of sensors located in a first group of locations on an aircraft, wherein the first group of sensors in the first group of locations is configured to detect a first type of icing condition for the aircraft, wherein the first group of locations is selected to be on first areas of the aircraft where collision with water drops of a first size range is expected to occur more frequently during flight of the aircraft than collision with water drops of a second size range, and wherein the first type of icing condition is associated with water drops of the first size range; and a second group of sensors located in a second group of locations on the aircraft, wherein the second group of sensors in the second group of locations is configured to detect a second type of icing condition for the aircraft, wherein the second group of locations is selected to be on second areas of the aircraft where collision with water drops of the second size range is expected to occur more frequently during flight of the aircraft than collision with water drops of the first size range, wherein the second type of icing condition is associated with water drops of the second size range, and wherein the first size range is less than the second size range; and a processor unit configured to monitor in-flight data from the first group of sensors and responsive to the first group of sensors detecting the first type of icing condition for the aircraft, perform a first action in response to the data indicating a presence of at least one of the first type of icing condition, wherein the first action comprises generating, during flight, a first alert on a flight deck interface for the aircraft, wherein the processor unit is further to monitor in-flight data from the second group of sensors and responsive to the second group of sensors detecting the second type of icing condition for the aircraft, perform a second action in response to the data indicating a presence of at least one of the first type of icing condition, wherein the second action comprises generating, during flight, a second alert on the flight deck interface for the aircraft.