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. 17, 2014
Filed:
Sep. 27, 2007
Patrick D. Mccusker, Walker, IA (US);
Joel M. Wichgers, Urbana, IA (US);
Richard D. Jinkins, Rewey, WI (US);
Richard M. Rademaker, Rijswijk, NL;
Daniel L. Woodell, Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Patrick D. McCusker, Walker, IA (US);
Joel M. Wichgers, Urbana, IA (US);
Richard D. Jinkins, Rewey, WI (US);
Richard M. Rademaker, Rijswijk, NL;
Daniel L. Woodell, Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Abstract
A system and methods for generating alerts in a terrain awareness and warning system ('TAWS') in an aircraft, using data acquired from a forward-looking radar The system comprises a forward-looking imaging device, an airport database, a navigation system, a forward-looking terrain alert ('FLTA') processor, and a crew alerting system. The FLTA processor determines a measured clearance altitude of a highest cell within an area and compares it with a required minimum clearance altitude; if the measured altitude is equal or less than the required altitude, the crew is alerted. Alternatively, a terrain database may be used. with the FLTA processor for determining if the aircraft descends below the minimum operating altitude or is predicted to do so and then generating an alert. A method is disclosed for generating TAWS alerts using elevation angle measured by the forward-looking radar and terrain data retrieved from a terrain database.