Systems for avoiding a collision between an aircraft on a ground surface and an obstacle

Abstract

Systems and aircraft for avoiding a collision between an obstacle an aircraft on a ground surface are provided. In some embodiments, the aircraft includes a wing and a stabilizer and a collision avoidance system includes proximity sensors, video imagers, and a display. Proximity sensors are disposed on the wing and the stabilizer. The respective proximity sensors are configured to transmit first and second obstacle detection signals. A first video imager is disposed on the wing and a second video imager is disposed on a rear portion of the aircraft. The respective video imagers are configured to generate video signals associated with the wing and with the stabilizer. The display is configured to generate video images of the regions in response to detection of objects in the regions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collision avoidance system for a wing and a stabilizer of an aircraft, the collision avoidance system comprising:
 a first proximity sensor disposed on the wing and configured to transmit a first obstacle detection signal;   a second proximity sensor disposed on the stabilizer and configured to transmit a second obstacle detection signal;   a first video imager disposed on the wing and configured to generate a first video signal of a first region associated with the wing;   a second video imager disposed on a rear portion of the aircraft and configured to generate a second video signal of a second region associated with the stabilizer; and   a first display that is configured to:
 generate a first video image from the first video signal of the first region in response to detection of a first object as indicated by the first obstacle detection signal; and 
 generate a second video image from the second video image of the second region from the second video signal in response to detection of a second object as indicated by the second obstacle detection signal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processor operatively coupled with the first proximity sensor, the second proximity sensor, the first video imager, the second video imager, and the first display; and   a braking system operatively coupled with the processor,   wherein the processor is further designed to transmit, in response to detection of at least one of the first object and the second object, a brake activation signal to activate the braking system, wherein the brake activation signal causes the braking system to apply brakes of the aircraft to slow a ground speed of the aircraft to prevent the aircraft from colliding with at least one of the first object and the second object.   
     
     
         3 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the second video imager is disposed on the stabilizer. 
     
     
         4 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second display configured to display an indicator to identify a location of at least one of the first object and the second object.   
     
     
         5 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 4 , wherein the second display is further configured to display a representation of the aircraft along with a representation of at least one of the first object and the second object relative to the representation of the aircraft. 
     
     
         6 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 4 , wherein the second display is further configured to display a representation of one of the first video imager and the second video imager with a respectively positioned one of the first object and the second object. 
     
     
         7 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to enable the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor only when the aircraft is on a ground surface and is moving below a threshold ground speed. 
     
     
         8 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to disable the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor in response to determining that the aircraft is at least one of (1) not on the ground surface, (2) not moving, and (3) moving above the threshold ground speed. 
     
     
         9 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising an audio element and a processor operatively coupled with the audio element, wherein the processor is configured to generate an audio alert signal that causes the audio element to generate an audible alert. 
     
     
         10 . The collision avoidance system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the audio alert signal that causes the audio element to generate the audible alert as at least one of: an alarm, a beeping sound, a siren sound, and a computerized voice that announces a distance between the aircraft and one of the first object and the second object. 
     
     
         11 . A collision avoidance system for a wing and a stabilizer of an aircraft, the collision avoidance system comprising:
 a first proximity sensor disposed on the wing and configured to transmit a first obstacle detection signal;   a second proximity sensor disposed on the stabilizer and configured to transmit a second obstacle detection signal;   a first video imager disposed on the wing and configured to generate a first video signal of a first region associated with the wing;   a second video imager disposed on a rear empennage of the aircraft and configured to generate a second video signal of a second region associated with the stabilizer; and   a first display that is configured to:   generate a first video image from the first video signal of the first region when a first object is detected by the first proximity sensor; and   generate a second video image from the second video image of the second region from the second video signal when a second object is detected by the second proximity sensor.   
     
     
         12 . An aircraft comprising:
 a wing;   a first proximity sensor disposed on the wing and configured to transmit a first obstacle detection signal;   a first video imager disposed on the wing and configured to generate a first video signal of a first region associated with the wing;   a stabilizer at a rear portion of the aircraft;   a second proximity sensor disposed on the stabilizer and configured to transmit a second obstacle detection signal;   a second video imager disposed on the rear portion and configured to generate a second video signal of a second region associated with the stabilizer; and   a first display that is configured to:
 generate a first video image from the first video signal of the first region in response to detection of a first object as indicated by the first obstacle detection signal; and 
 generate a second video image from the second video image of the second region from the second video signal in response to detection of a second object as indicated by the second obstacle detection signal. 
   
     
     
         13 . The aircraft of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a processor operatively coupled with the first proximity sensor, the second proximity sensor, the first video imager, the second video imager, and the first display; and   a braking system operatively coupled with the processor,   wherein the processor is further designed to transmit, in response to detection of at least one of the first object and the second object, a brake activation signal to activate the braking system, wherein the brake activation signal causes the braking system to apply brakes of the aircraft to slow a ground speed of the aircraft to prevent the aircraft from colliding with at least one of the first object and the second object.   
     
     
         14 . The aircraft of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to enable the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor only when the aircraft is on a ground surface and is moving below a threshold ground speed. 
     
     
         15 . The aircraft of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to disable the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor in response to determining that the aircraft is at least one of (1) not on a ground surface, (2) not moving, and (3) moving above a threshold ground speed. 
     
     
         16 . The aircraft of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second display configured to display an indicator to identify a location of at least one of the first object and the second object.   
     
     
         17 . The aircraft of  claim 16 , wherein the second display is further configured to display a representation of the aircraft along with a representation of at least one of the first object and the second object relative to the representation of the aircraft. 
     
     
         18 . The aircraft of  claim 16 , wherein the second display is further configured to display a representation of one of the first video imager and the second video imager with a respectively positioned one of the first object and the second object. 
     
     
         19 . The aircraft of  claim 12 , further comprising an audio element and a processor operatively coupled with the audio element, wherein the processor is configured to generate an audio alert signal that causes the audio element to generate an audible alert. 
     
     
         20 . The aircraft of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the audio alert signal that causes the audio element to generate the audible alert as at least one of: an alarm, a beeping sound, a siren sound, and a computerized voice that announces a distance between the aircraft and one of the first object and the second object.