Controlling aircraft from collisions with off limits facilities

Abstract

A signal is received from an off limits facility and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of the off limits facility. The course and/or flight of the aircraft is changed if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility. A signal is received from an airport and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport. The aircraft is prevented from taking off if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off. A signal is received from a satellite and it is determined from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility. The course and/or flight of the aircraft if the aircraft is changed if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a receiver; and    a processor connected by a communications link to the receiver;    wherein the receiver receives a signal from an off limits facility and provides the signal to the processor;    wherein the processor determines from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of the off limits facility;    and wherein the processor changes a course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein 
 The off limits facility is a building.  
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein 
 The off limits facility is a military installation.  
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising 
 a pilot input device;  
 wherein the pilot input device allows a pilot on the aircraft to change the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility;  
 and wherein the processor disables the pilot input device, so that the pilot on the aircraft cannot control the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.  
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein 
 the pilot input device includes a device for manually controlling flight of the aircraft and a device for automatically controlling flight of the aircraft by setting a course for an automatic pilot to follow.  
 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus comprising 
 a receiver; and    a processor connected by a communications link to the receiver;    wherein the receiver receives a signal from an airport and provides the signal to the processor;    wherein the processor determines from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport;    and wherein the processor prevents the aircraft from taking off, if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising 
 a transmitter; and  
 wherein the transmitter sends a signal from the aircraft indicating that the aircraft has an operational device for altering the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility.  
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein 
 the processor prevents the aircraft from taking off, at least in part, by disabling a pilot input device so that a pilot on the aircraft cannot control the flight of the aircraft.  
 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a global positioning satellite receiver located on an aircraft; and    a processor connected by a communications link to the receiver;    wherein the global positioning satellite receiver receives a signal from a satellite, wherein the signal indicates the position of the aircraft, and the global positioning satellite receiver provides the signal to the processor;    wherein the processor determines from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility;    and wherein the processor changes a course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein 
 the off limits facility is a building.  
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein 
 the processor prevents a pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.  
 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a signal from an off limits facility;    determining from the signal whether an aircraft is within a distance of the off limits facility;    and changing the course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein 
 the off limits facility is a building.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein 
 the off limits facility is a military installation.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 preventing a pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft when the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.  
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein 
 the pilot is prevented from controlling the flight of the aircraft by disabling a pilot input device which when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility allows the pilot to control the flight of the aircraft.  
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16   wherein the pilot input device allows the pilot to control the flight of the aircraft either manually or by setting a course for an automatic pilot to follow when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility.    
     
     
         18 . A method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a signal from an airport;    determining from the signal whether an aircraft will be allowed to take off from the airport;    preventing the aircraft from taking off, if the signal from the airport indicates that the aircraft should be prevented from taking off.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising 
 sending a signal from the aircraft indicating that the aircraft has an operational device for altering the course of the aircraft when the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising the steps of 
 receives a signal from a satellite, wherein the signal can be used to determine a position of an aircraft;    determining from the signal whether the aircraft is within a distance of an off limits facility;    and changing the course of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising 
 preventing a pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft if the aircraft is within the distance of the off limits facility.  
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein 
 the step of preventing the pilot on the aircraft from controlling the flight of the aircraft included disabling a flight control device which allows a pilot to control the flight of the aircraft when the aircraft is not within the distance of the off limits facility.