The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 23, 2026
Filed:
Oct. 02, 2023
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Brian O. Helfrecht, Wilsonville, OR (US);
Carlo L. Tiana, Goldendale, WA (US);
Nicolas Veltmaat, Duluth, GA (US);
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Abstract
An aircraft-based system for providing forward-looking terrain profiling and downward-looking altimetry via a single active electronically scanned array (AESA) orients the AESA through a sequence of desired directions, e.g., according to a predetermined scan pattern. At each desired direction, the AESA scans for ground-based targets, determining a range and Doppler velocity to each detected target. The AESA additionally orients downward, e.g., during a dedicated altimetry frame and with the assistance of inertial sensors to determine the orientation of the AESA, to scan terrain directly below the aircraft and provide a precise estimate of the altitude of the aircraft. Based on the determined ranges and velocities, the radar system determines a pointing angle and vertical/horizontal distances between the aircraft and each identified ground-based target.