Patent ID: 7307579
Filing Date: 2007-12-11
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. A collision alerting and avoidance system for use in an aerial vehicle comprising: at least one low profile antenna array disposed on the aerial vehicle, said at least one low profile antenna array including a plurality of horns, said plurality of horns including at least one polar horn, a plurality of 45-degree horns, and a plurality of equatorial horns; at least one transmitter/receiver probe coupled to each of said at least one polar horn, said 45-degree horns, and said equatorial horns, each said transmitter/receiver probe configured to operate in a transmit mode to transmit electromagnetic waves and a receive mode to receive an echo signal reflected from an obstacle in the area of the aerial vehicle; a plurality of transmitter/receiver modules coupled to each of said transmitter/receiver probes, each said transmitter/receiver module configured to operate in a transmit mode to produce electromagnetic waves for transmission and a receive mode to receive said echo signal; and a processor coupled to said plurality of transmitter/receiver modules, said processor configured to control transmission of said electromagnetic waves from said horns and to process said echo signal to provide an output signal containing information regarding said obstacle.