Automated aircraft ground threat avoidance system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016247406-A1
Application number	US-201514629017-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2015
Priority date	Feb 23, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to methods, systems, and computer program products for automated avoidance of ground threats by an aircraft. In one example, a method includes determining, by one or more processing devices, whether a sufficient evasive maneuver for an aircraft to avoid a detected ground surface threat is performed via pilot controls of the aircraft within a selected threshold after an alert of the ground surface threat is outputted via one or more cockpit systems of the aircraft. The method further includes, in response to determining that a sufficient evasive maneuver via the pilot controls is not performed within the selected threshold, controlling, by the one or more processing devices, one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform an automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
determining, by one or more processing devices, whether a sufficient evasive maneuver for an aircraft to avoid a detected ground surface threat is performed via pilot controls of the aircraft within a selected threshold after an alert of the ground surface threat is outputted via one or more cockpit systems of the aircraft; and in response to determining that a sufficient evasive maneuver via the pilot controls is not performed within the selected threshold, controlling, by the one or more processing devices, one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform an automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to the determining whether the sufficient evasive maneuver for the aircraft to avoid the detected ground surface threat is performed via the pilot controls, detecting, by the one or more processing devices, the ground surface threat to the aircraft during a landing, taxiing, or takeoff of the aircraft.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to the determining whether the sufficient evasive maneuver for the aircraft to avoid the detected ground surface threat is performed via the pilot controls, generating, by the one or more processing devices, the alert of the ground surface threat via the one or more cockpit systems of the aircraft.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform the automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat comprises controlling, by the one or more processing devices, engines of the aircraft to enter a Takeoff/Go-around (TOGA) mode or to throttle up.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform the automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat comprises controlling, by the one or more processing devices, engines and flight surfaces of the aircraft to pursue a procedural missed approach trajectory or a procedural go-around trajectory.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform the automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat comprises:
determining a trajectory for the automated evasive maneuver based on criteria comprising one or more of: a layout of an airport, local terrain and obstacles, trajectories of any proximate air traffic, and a state of the detected ground surface threat: and controlling the aircraft to pursue the determined trajectory.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform the automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat comprises applying, by the one or more processing devices, changes to one or more of: one or more flaps, one or more elevators, one or more ailerons, and landing gear.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform the automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat comprises at least one of: applying, by the one or more processing devices, brakes of a nose wheel of the aircraft, and steering, by the one or more processing devices, a nose wheel of the aircraft.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected threshold comprises an interval of time or of distance traveled.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected threshold comprises a threshold of separation distance or separation time between the aircraft and the detected ground surface threat.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected threshold comprises a threshold of altitude change or a threshold of vertical speed change.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected threshold comprises a threshold of deceleration or a threshold of heading change.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected threshold comprises criteria combining two or more of an interval of time, a threshold of distance traveled, a threshold of separation distance or separation time between the aircraft and the object of the threat, a threshold of altitude change, a threshold of vertical speed change, a threshold of deceleration, and a threshold of heading change.

14 . A system comprising:
one or more processors configured to determine whether a sufficient evasive maneuver for an aircraft to avoid a detected ground surface threat is performed via pilot controls of the aircraft within a selected threshold after an alert of the ground surface threat is outputted via one or more cockpit systems of the aircraft; and one or more processors configured to control, in response to determining that a sufficient evasive maneuver via the pilot controls is not performed within the selected threshold, one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform an automated evasive maneuver to avoid the ground surface threat.

15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
one or more processors configured to detect, prior to the determining whether the sufficient evasive maneuver for the aircraft to avoid the detected ground surface threat is performed via the pilot controls, the ground surface threat to the aircraft during a landing, taxiing, or takeoff of the aircraft; and one or more processors configured to generate, prior to the determining whether the sufficient evasive maneuver for the aircraft to avoid the detected ground surface threat is performed via the pilot controls, the alert of the ground surface threat via the one or snore cockpit systems of the aircraft.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors configured to control the one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform the automated evasive maneuver are configured to control the aircraft to execute one or more of a Takeoff/Go-around (TOGA) mode, a procedural go-around trajectory, and a determined trajectory based on criteria comprising one or more of: a layout of an airport, local terrain and obstacles, trajectories of any proximate air traffic, and a state of the detected ground surface threat.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors configured to control the one or more flight systems of the aircraft to perform the automated evasive maneuver are configured to control the aircraft to execute one or more of: applying brakes of a nose wheel of the aircraft, and steering a nose wheel of the aircraft.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors configured to determine whether a sufficient evasive maneuver for the aircraft to avoid the detected ground surface threat is performed via the pilot controls of the aircraft within the selected threshold after the alert of the ground surface threat is outputted are configured such that the selected threshold comprises one or more of: an interval of time, a threshold of distance traveled, a threshold of separation distance or separation time between the aircraft and the object of the threat, a threshold of altitude or vertical speed change, a threshold of deceleration, and a threshold of heading change.

19 . A computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory data storage device; executable instructions stored on the data storage device to cause the one or more processing devices to determine whether a sufficient evasive maneuver for an aircraft to avoid a detected ground surface threat is performed via pilot controls of the aircraft within a selected threshold after an alert of the ground surface threat is outputted via o

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Khatwa Ratan
• B Jayasenthilnathan

Classifications

• B64D45/04

  Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface · CPC title

• G01S13/93

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• G01S19/51

  Relative positioning · CPC title

• G08G5/51

  for control when on the ground, e.g. taxiing or rolling · CPC title

• G08G5/21

  located onboard the aircraft · CPC title