Abstract:
A system for monitoring a volume of space surrounding an aircraft having a plurality of extremity portions includes a plurality of sensors. Each sensor is disposed at a respective corresponding one of the aircraft extremity portions. Each sensor is configured to generate an image of a monitored area covering a predetermined distance from the extremity portion at which the sensor is disposed. A processing device is configured to determine, from an image generated by a first sensor of the plurality, a characteristic of an object within the monitored area covering the predetermined distance from the extremity portion at which the first sensor is disposed. The processing device is further configured to generate a signal in response to determining the object characteristic.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Although runway incursions are an NTSB top-ten safety issue, collisions that occur in the ramp, run-up, holding, and gate areas is a top-priority ramp safety and economic issue for the airlines. According to some figures, 43% of these collisions occur in the gate area, 39% in the gate entry/exit area, with the remaining in the ramp and taxiway areas. Conservative annual economic costs for aircraft damage (FSF, ATA, 1995) are approximately $4 billion for air carriers, $1 billion for corporate/business aircraft, with indirect costs (flight cancellation, repositioning, and aircraft out of service) at three times the direct damage costs. Currently there are no technologies available to provide the pilot with aided guidance while maneuvering the aircraft in tight quarters with structures, aircraft and other vehicles literally feet away. The pilot is required to taxi these large aircraft with an unaided eye. 
     Emerging technologies such as ADS-B &amp; Multi-lateralization may help to positively identify aircraft position with a greater degree of accuracy but provide no information on the aircraft&#39;s shape footprint or the proximity of the aircraft&#39;s wings and tail to other structures. These emerging technologies will be of little help as an onboard maneuvering system where aircraft in the ramp area (such as an A380) must maneuver in close proximity to other wingtips, often with just feet to spare. Short of providing handlers for each and every aircraft at airports worldwide, an onboard maneuvering system is necessary to allow an aircraft to maneuver in spaces where the margins are measured in feet. 
     A secondary but no less important problem is the safety, security and surveillance of unattended or unoccupied aircraft. Security systems for aircraft, around the world, tend to be very unreliable and porous. The threat of hijacking of unsecured aircraft is on the rise which creates a market for additional, low cost aircraft security systems. Security systems are needed that can provide additional layers of security so that parked, unattended aircraft can be under surveillance with autonomous warning and alerting systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment, a system for monitoring a volume of space surrounding an aircraft having a plurality of extremity portions includes a plurality of sensors. Each sensor is disposed at a respective corresponding one of the aircraft extremity portions. Each sensor is configured to generate an image of a monitored area covering a predetermined distance from the extremity portion at which the sensor is disposed. A processing device is configured to determine, from an image generated by a first sensor of the plurality, a characteristic of an object within the monitored area covering the predetermined distance from the extremity portion at which the first sensor is disposed. The processing device is further configured to generate a signal in response to determining the object characteristic. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a sensor-placement approach in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary operating environment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , and according to an embodiment of the invention, illustrated is an approach to minimizing or eliminating the likelihood of collision of an aircraft  100  with obstacles in the vicinity of the aircraft. Detection sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  are placed at points of extremity (i.e., those portions of the aircraft  100  most likely to collide with an obstacle) of the aircraft. For example, and as illustrated, sensors  110 - 1  and  110 - 3  may be placed on opposite sides of the aircraft vertical stabilizer, sensor  110 - 2  may be placed on the aircraft horizontal stabilizer, sensors  110 - 4  and  110 - 5  may be placed on the wing tips, sensor  110 - 6  (cross-hatched) may be placed on the bottom-most portion of the aircraft fuselage, and the sensor  110 - 7  may be placed on the nose of the aircraft. By placing the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  at the points of extremity and orienting the respective fields of view of the sensors, the arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 1  offers a full 360-degree effective field of view  120  for the aircraft  100 . 
     The sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  each include an image capture apparatus (not shown) such as a video camera and an illumination apparatus (not shown) that enable the utilization of structured-light analysis for object detection and evaluation. The structure and function of the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7 , and principles under which they operate, incorporate concepts described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,780, U.S. Pat. No. 7,176,440, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/465,267, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/675,117, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. In an embodiment, because a typical aircraft includes an exterior lighting system employing illuminating elements positioned at one or more of the points of extremity described above, the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  may be positioned close to such illuminating elements so as to use light emitted by the elements and be powered by the power source of the exterior lighting system. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a suitable operating environment in which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. The operating environment is only one example of a suitable operating environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Other well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. 
     The invention may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. 
     The operating environment illustrated in  FIG. 2  typically includes at least some form of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by one or more components of such operating environment. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by one or more components of such operating environment. Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , illustrated are components of a subsystem  200 , the entirety of which may be onboard the aircraft  100 , and that operates in conjunction with the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  to accomplish objectives in accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention. Subsystem  200  includes a processor  210  configured to generate a sensor-control user interface  220  to a display device, such as, for example, a cockpit display  230 . The user interface  220  may be configured to allow the flight crew of the aircraft  100  to adjust the field of view of one or more of the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7 , and control the type and frequency of status messages and alarms pertaining to the sensors. The user interface  220  may further provide the flight crew a digital readout of the distance of a particular sensor  110  from a detected object and provide an indication of the location of the sensor and detected object with reference to a map of the aircraft&#39;s vicinity. 
     The subsystem  200  further includes a sensor-processing component  240 , such as, for example, a processing card, that may be external to, or integral with, the processor  210 . The component  240  may be configured to process images (e.g., raw camera data) received from the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  so as to determine movement of an object, range of an object from one or more of the sensors, and azimuth of the object relative to one or more of the sensors. This data can be used by the processor  210  to perform one or more predetermined tasks as described more fully below. 
     The subsystem  200  may also include a monitoring/warning component (MWC)  250  operable to generate an audio alarm to a cockpit speaker  260  in response to a determination by the processor  210  that a potentially hazardous object has been detected by the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  as approaching, or being approached by, the aircraft  100 . In an embodiment, and in response to a determination by the processor  210  that a potentially hazardous object has been detected by the sensors  110 - 1 - 110 - 7  as approaching, or being approached by, the aircraft  100 , the MWC  250  may also signal a transceiver (VHF, UHF, Mode S, or other)  270 . The transceiver  270 , in turn, may then transmit a signal to a remote site  280  monitoring the security of the aircraft  100 , thereby providing an alert as to the presence of the hazardous object. 
     The subsystem  200  further includes aircraft systems components  290  that provide the processor  210  and/or other components of the subsystem electrical power, aircraft position, groundspeed, track/heading, and other stored data (e.g., airport surface structures and taxiway/ramp survey information). The taxiway/ramp and surface structures information may be part of an onboard database that would include location, orientation, dimensions, and signage associated with each of the structures or surface areas. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.