Patent Publication Number: US-10766634-B1

Title: Ground proximity warning system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
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     REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
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     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of instruments including the control of non-electric variables, more specifically, a device for the measurement and control of altitude of an aircraft. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The ground proximity warning system is an instrument. The ground proximity warning system is configured for use with a private aviation aircraft. The private aviation aircraft further comprises landing gear and a cockpit. The ground proximity warning system measures the altitude of the private aviation aircraft from a landing strip when the private aviation aircraft is within 3 meters of the landing strip. The ground proximity warning system generates an audible series of clicks within the cockpit to indicate the altitude to a pilot. A higher click frequency indicates a lower altitude. The ground proximity warning system comprises a trigger circuit, a selection circuit, a pulse generator, a detector circuit, a dividing circuit, a buffer, and a cockpit speaker. The trigger circuit, the selection circuit, the pulse generator, the detector circuit, the dividing circuit, the buffer, and the cockpit speaker are electrically interconnected. 
     These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the ground proximity warning system will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the ground proximity warning system in detail, it is to be understood that the ground proximity warning system is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the ground proximity warning system. 
     It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the ground proximity warning system. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. They are meant to be exemplary illustrations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. 
         FIG. 1  is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments of the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Detailed reference will now be made to one or more potential embodiments of the disclosure, which are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . 
     The ground proximity warning system  100  (hereinafter invention) is an instrument. The invention  100  is configured for use with a private aviation aircraft  161 . The private aviation aircraft  161  further comprises landing gear  162  and a cockpit  163 . The invention  100  measures the altitude of the private aviation aircraft  161  from a landing strip  164  when the private aviation aircraft  161  is within three meters of the landing strip  164 . The invention  100  generates an audible series of clicks within the cockpit  163  to indicate the altitude to a pilot. A higher click frequency indicates a lower altitude. The invention  100  comprises a trigger circuit  101 , a selection circuit  102 , a pulse generator  103 , a detector circuit  104 , a dividing circuit  105 , a buffer  106 , and a cockpit  163  speaker  107 . The trigger circuit  101 , the selection circuit  102 , the pulse generator  103 , the detector circuit  104 , the dividing circuit  105 , the buffer  106 , and the cockpit  163  speaker  107  are electrically interconnected. 
     The invention  100  is a device that measures the altitude of a private aviation aircraft  161  from a landing strip  164  when the private aviation aircraft  161  is within three meters of the landing strip  164 . The invention  100  measures the altitude of the private aviation aircraft  161  by measuring the reflected pulse  143  from an ultrasonic pulse  133  of energy directed towards the landing strip  164 . The invention  100  generates a series of audible clicks within the cockpit  163  of the private aviation aircraft  161  to indicate the altitude. The frequency of the series of clicks generated by the invention  100  increases as the altitude decreases. 
     The trigger circuit  101  is a timing circuit. The trigger circuit  101  generates a series of initiation signals  111  to initiate the operation of the invention  100  after deployment. The trigger circuit  101  further comprises the initiation signal  111  and a trigger reset  112 . 
     The initiation signal  111  is an electrical signal that is generated by the trigger circuit  101 . The initiation signal  111  is electrically connected to the selection circuit  102 . The initiation signal  111  is generated at regular intervals by the trigger circuit  101  unless the trigger reset  112  is activated. The trigger reset  112  is an input into the trigger circuit  101 . The trigger reset  112  resets the interval timer of the trigger circuit  101  which effectively delays the generation of the initiation signal  111 . 
     The generation of an initiation signal  111  is a feature commonly available on commercially available timing circuits such as a “555” timer. The functionality of the trigger reset  112  is a feature commonly available on commercially available timing circuits such as a “555” timer. 
     The selection circuit  102  is a logic circuit. The selection circuit  102  further comprises a first input  121 , a second input  122 , and a first output  123 . 
     In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, the selection circuit  102  is a well-known and documented electrical circuit known as an “or” gate. The first input  121  is electrically connected to the initiation signal  111  of the trigger circuit  101 . The second input  122  is electrically connected to the detection signal  144  of the detector circuit  104 . When the selection circuit  102  detects a signal selected from the group consisting of the initiation signal  111  and the detection signal  144 , the selection circuit  102  activates the first output  123  of the selection circuit  102 . 
     The pulse generator  103  is an electric circuit. The first output  123  of the selection circuit  102  triggers the generation of the ultrasonic pulse  133  by the pulse generator  103 . The pulse generator  103  is attached to the landing gear  162 . The ultrasonic pulses  133  generated by the pulse generator  103  are directed towards the landing strip  164  when the landing gear  162  is deployed. In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, the pulse generator  103  generates ultrasonic pulses within a frequency range of 40 kHz to 60 kHz. The pulse generator  103  further comprises a trigger input  131 , a pulse generating transducer  132 , and an ultrasonic pulse  133 . 
     The first output  123  is electrically connected to the trigger input  131  of the pulse generator  103 . The first output activates the trigger input  131  such that the pulse generator  103  generates and transmits an ultrasonic pulse  133  in the direction of the landing strip  164 . 
     The pulse generating transducer  132  is an electrical circuit that drives a transducer similar to a speaker. The pulse generating transducer  132  creates a burst of energy referred to in this disclosure as the ultrasonic pulse  133 . The ultrasonic pulse  133  is transmitted as a wave through the atmosphere. The pulse generating transducer  132  generates the ultrasonic pulse  133  at ultrasonic frequencies. The pulse generating transducer  132  generates each ultrasonic pulse  133  over a previously specified duration. 
     The detector circuit  104  is an electric circuit. The detector circuit  104  is a device that detects a reflected pulse from the ultrasonic pulse  133  off the landing strip  164 . The detector circuit  104 : 1) receives the reflected pulse  143 ; and upon detection of the reflected pulse  143 , 2) generates a detection signal  144  indicating that the reflected pulse  143  has been received. The field of view of the detector circuit  104  is selected such that the private aviation aircraft  161  can move up to five feet during the pulse and detection process. The detector circuit  104  further comprises a detection signal  144 , a pulse detection transducer  142 , and a reflected pulse  143 . The detector circuit  104  is attached to the landing gear  162 . 
     The detection signal  144  is an electrical voltage that is generated by the detector circuit  104 . The detection signal  144  indicates that a reflected pulse  143  has been detected. The detection signal  144  electrically connects to the second input  122  of the pulse generator  103 , the trigger reset  112  of the trigger circuit  101 , and the dividing circuit  105 . 
     The pulse detection transducer  142  is an electrical circuit that operates a transducer similar to a microphone. The pulse detection transducer  142  detects the energy generated by the reflected pulse  143 . The detection of the reflected pulse  143  causes the pulse detection transducer  142  to generate the detection signal  144 . The reflected pulse  143  refers to a portion of the energy contained in the ultrasonic pulse  133  that is reflected from the landing strip  164  back to the pulse detection transducer  142 . 
     The dividing circuit  105  is an electric circuit. The dividing circuit  105  is an electrical circuit that receives the detection signal  144 . The dividing circuit  105  is a counting circuit that generates the cockpit indication signal  151 . Specifically, the dividing circuit  105  generates the cockpit indication signal  151  after a previously determined number of detection signals  144  have been received. The dividing circuit  105  further comprises a cockpit indication signal  151 . The cockpit indication signal  151  refers to an electrical signal generated by the dividing circuit  105  that is amplified by the buffer  106 . In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, the dividing circuit  105  comprises a well-known and documented “555” timing circuit operating as a frequency divider. 
     The buffer  106  is an amplifier. The cockpit indication signal  151  is a voltage pulse that is received by the buffer  106 . The cockpit indication signal  151  is amplified by the buffer  106 . The buffer  106  amplifies the voltage pulse of the cockpit indication signal  151  and transfers the amplified voltage pulse to the cockpit  163  speaker  107 . 
     The cockpit  163  speaker  107  is a transducer that is mounted in the cockpit  163 . The cockpit  163  speaker  107  generates an audible sound that can be heard in the cockpit  163 . The amplified voltage pulse from the buffer  106  produces a clicking sound through the cockpit  163  speaker  107 . As the private aviation aircraft  161  moves closer to the landing strip  164 , the frequency of the generation of the detection signal  144  increases which increases the frequency of the clicks generated by the cockpit  163  speaker  107  during the landing process. This increase in the frequency of the clicks generated by the cockpit  163  speaker  107  allows a pilot to judge the altitude of the private aviation aircraft  161  relative to the landing strip  164 . 
     The following definitions were used in this disclosure: 
     Altitude: As used in this disclosure, the altitude, refers to the span of the distance between a first object and a second object that is: 1) parallel to the force of gravity; or, 2) perpendicular to the azimuth. 
     Amplifier: As used in this disclosure, an amplifier refers to an electronic component that increases voltage, current, or power of an input signal. Specifically, within this disclosure, an amplifier refers to a differential amplifier. A differential amplifier is a device two input electrical device with a single output. A difference amplifier amplifies the voltage difference between the two inputs. 
     Field of View: As used in this disclosure, a field of view refers to one or more angles which delimits an area from which electromagnetic radiation will be sensed by a person or an image sensor. 
     Frequency: As used in this disclosure, frequency is a count of the number of repetitions of a cyclic process has been completed within a set period of time. 
     Instrument: As used in this disclosure, an instrument is a device used for taking a measurement of a physical phenomenon. 
     Logic Circuit: As used in this disclosure, a logic circuit is non-programmable electrical device that receives one or more digital or analog inputs and uses those digital or analog inputs to generate one or more digital or analog outputs. 
     Microphone: As used in this disclosure, a microphone is a transducer that converts the energy from vibration into electrical energy. The sources of vibrations include, but are not limited to, acoustic energy. 
     Private Aviation Aircraft: As used in this disclosure, a private aviation aircraft that is civilian aircraft intended for non-commercial use. 
     Sensor: As used in this disclosure, a sensor is a device that receives and responds in a predetermined way to a signal or stimulus. As further used in this disclosure, a threshold sensor is a sensor that generates a signal that indicates whether the signal or stimulus is above or below a given threshold for the signal or stimulus. 
     Speaker: As used in this disclosure, a speaker is an electrical transducer that converts an electrical signal into an audible sound. 
     Timing Circuit: As used in this disclosure, a timing circuit refers to an electrical network of interconnected electrical elements, potentially including but not limited to, resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, and integrated circuit devices. The purpose of the timing circuit is to generate an electrical control signal after a predetermined amount of time. In common usage, a timing circuit is also referred to as timing circuitry. 
     Transducer: As used in this disclosure, a transducer is a device that converts a physical quantity, such as pressure or brightness into an electrical signal or a device that converts an electrical signal into a physical quantity. 
     Ultrasonic: As used in this disclosure, ultrasonic is understood to be the transmission of energy using waves through a medium wherein the frequency of the wavelength is greater than 20 kHz. This disclosure assumes that the range of the wavelength is between 20 kHz and 20 MHz. By medium is meant a substance in a gas, liquid or solid phase. 
     With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationship for the various components of the invention described above and in  FIGS. 1 through 4  include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the invention. 
     It shall be noted that those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.