Patent ID: 7651054
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: B64D

Abstract:
1. An illuminating device for use during one or more in-flight operations involving two or more aircraft, the illuminating device comprising: a housing disposed on a first aircraft, wherein said housing comprises a first planar section and a second planar section, said first planar section being rigidly displaced from said second planar section at a fixed angle between about 120 degrees and 150 degrees; a plurality of emitting devices disposed in said housing and configured to selectively generate an electromagnetic radiation between about 370 nanometers and about 420 nanometers, wherein at least one of said plurality of emitting devices is disposed in said first planar section and at least one of said plurality of emitting devices is disposed in said second planar section; a first emission bank disposed in said housing, said first emission bank having a first group of emitting devices from said plurality of emitting devices, said first group disposed in said first planar section and said second planar section, wherein said first emission bank is configured to selectively generate an electromagnetic radiation between about 370 nanometers and about 420 nanometers such that said electromagnetic radiation is directed to be uniformly incident on a second aircraft during a first in-flight operation; a second emission bank disposed in said housing, said second emission bank having a second group of emitting devices from said plurality of emitting devices, said second group disposed in said first planar section and said second planar section, wherein at least one of said plurality of emitting devices is configured to both said first emission bank and said second emission bank, and wherein said second emission bank is configured to selectively generate an electromagnetic radiation between about 370 nanometers and about 420 nanometers such that said electromagnetic radiation is directed to be uniformly incident on a third aircraft during a subsequent second in-flight operation, the third aircraft being a different type from the second aircraft; and a selecting device for activating one of said first emission bank and said second emission bank.