Patent ID: 6157876
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: G01S,G05D

Abstract:
A method for providing navigational information for navigating an aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:receiving first image data generated by an image sensor attached to the aircraft, wherein the first image data represents a first image comprising a runway and other objects captured by the image sensor, wherein the first image data comprises digital signal samples, and wherein each of the digital signal samples corresponds to a brightness value at one of a plurality of grid coordinates on a grid representing the first image;predicting the grid coordinates defining a first set of at least three edges of the runway by using the aircraft's Nav Data, to produce predicted coordinates;detecting a second set of at least three edges of the runway in the first image data, to produce detected edges;determining the grid coordinates defining said detected edges, to produce edge coordinates; andcorrelating said predicted coordinates with said edge coordinates, to produce runway coordinates for navigating the aircraft.