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:
Oct. 07, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 12, 1995
Dennis C Richman, Irvine, CA (US);
Daniel C Lorti, Newport Beach, CA (US);
Bradley D Ostman, Los Altos, CA (US);
Rolf Krumes, Anaheim, CA (US);
Eden Y Mei, Brea, CA (US);
Gilberto Di Benedetto, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An aircraft docking system is installed at a point of convenience within the dock in full view of the approaching aircraft and in view of the pilot, and has a display which is readily seen by the pilot through the cockpit windshield as the aircraft proceeds along a taxiway and during a turning of the aircraft from the taxiway into the dock. Operation of the docking system is based on the use of feature extraction templates of three-dimensional images of candidate aircraft for the dock. An image of the approaching aircraft is obtained by use of ranging circuitry of an optical laser radar. By comparing the image with the rotated and scaled model, the image can be interpreted to show the present location and orientation of the approaching aircraft. As the image is updated by the radar, the aircraft travel path, as represented by successive locations and orientations of the aircraft, is determined and is compared with the required travel path for the specific aircraft. Deviations between the two travel paths are noted and result in the generation of corrective display signals, in the manner of arrows by way of example, which are presented to the pilot.