Rockwell Collins Patente

A radar altimeter is described herein comprising a transmitting antenna (11) and a receiving antenna (12), wherein said transmitting antenna is configured to transmit a first radio frequency "RF" signal (13) and wherein said first RF signal (13) is configured to be reflected back to said radar altimeter as a second, corresponding reflected signal (14). The receiving antenna (12) is configured to receive said second, corresponding reflected signal (14). The radar altimeter further comprises an antenna radome (60) provided relative to said transmitting antenna (11) and said receiving antenna (12) such that said first RF signal (13) passes through said radome (60) after being transmitted from said transmitting antenna (11) and wherein said second, reflected RF signal passes through said FSS radome before being received by said receiving antenna (12). The radome comprises a frequency selective surface "FSS" antenna radome (60).

An aircraft heading estimation system comprising: one or more sensors arranged on the aircraft to detect features in a viewing region and provide feature signals indicative of the detected features; an image processor storing predetermined image information of one or more expected features, being features that might be expected to be present in the viewing region, the image processor configured to compare the features indicated by the feature signals with the one or more expected features to generate an estimated observed image and to derive an estimated heading for the aircraft based on the estimate observed image; wherein the image processor is further configured to incrementally update the estimated observed image with new feature signals generated by the sensors as their distance to the viewing region changes, and to incrementally updated the estimated heading based on the updated estimate observed image.

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A ground-based system for autonomous runway excursion prevention and monitoring stores runway datasets for each runway (or each directional orientation of a runway), each dataset including 1) lengths of the runway's stable/unstable touchdown regions (STR/UTR), the STR defined by a runway aiming point and by touchdown zone markings on either side (and the UTR comprising the remainder of the runway) and 2) an ideal glide slope associated with a stable approach path to the runway by a particular aircraft and a touchdown within the STR, the ideal glide slope and STR defining a stable approach channel (SAC). The system constructs a trajectory based on position reports from each approaching aircraft and, if the aircraft sufficiently deviates from the SAC and the remaining runway length after predicted touchdown is consistent with a likely runway overrun (RO), generates course corrections for the flight crew to resolve the unstable approach path.

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A system and method for sterilizing recirculated airflow in closed environments, as well as certain types of material equipment includes electronically steered antenna (ESA) elements. The ESA elements operate in radio frequencies (RF). The ESA elements produce directed beams of microwave radiation to sterilize surfaces or volumes of air. The directivity gain associated with the beam forming increases RF energy density in the area where the beam is steered.

A system may include a display (902) and a processor (904). The processor may: output a synthetic vision system (SVS) taxi mode exocentric view (102) of an aircraft while the aircraft is performing taxi operations and when the aircraft is not in a predetermined exclusion zone, the predetermined exclusion zone including portions of a runway where the aircraft is able to begin taking off, wherein a width of the predetermined exclusion zone is based at least in part on at least one of a width of the runway or a classification of the runway; and output an SVS flight mode egocentric view from the aircraft when the aircraft is in the predetermined exclusion zone. The display may display the SVS taxi mode exocentric view until the aircraft is in the predetermined exclusion zone and display the SVS flight mode egocentric view when the aircraft is in the predetermined exclusion zone.

A display includes a split night visions imaging system (NVIS) filter, including a first and second interference filter (208). The first interference filter (204) is disposed between a backlight (202) and a diffuser (206) of the display. The second interference filter (208) is disposed between the diffuser (206) and an LCD stack of the display. A cutoff wavelength of the second interference filter (208) is between cutoff wavelengths of the first interference filter (204).

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A system and method for continuous real-time assessment of the situational awareness of an aircraft operator incorporates gaze sensors (118) to determine the current gaze target (or sequence of gaze targets) of the operator, e.g., which interfaces the operator is looking at. The system receives operational context from aircraft systems indicative of current events and conditions both internal and external to the aircraft (e.g., operational status, mission or flight plan objectives, weather conditions). Based on the determined gaze targets and coterminous operational context, the system evaluates the situational awareness of the operator relative to the operational context, e.g., perceptive of the operational context; comprehending the operational context and its implications, and projecting the operator's perception and comprehension into responsive action and second-order ramifications according to task models indicative of expected behavior.

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An imaging system for an aircraft is disclosed. The imaging system comprises one or more image sensors (150) configured to image a surrounding environment of the aircraft, an artifact pattern (200) on an optical component in an optical path of the one or more image sensors, and a controller (160) communicatively coupled to the one or more image sensors. The controller includes one or more processors (163) configured to execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to: receive an image of the surrounding environment of the aircraft from the one or more image sensors, wherein the image includes features of the artifact pattern, extract the features of the artifact pattern from the image, and determine an orientation of the features of the artifact pattern in the image with respect to a calibration artifact pattern.

A cabin management control device is disclosed for automating cabin features (e.g., shades, lights) and/or a GUI based on flight data. The cabin management control device may include a computing device having a touchscreen. The computing device may be in communication with an aircraft network and cabin controller. The computing device may be configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI) configured to control cabin features. The computing device may be configured to: receive flight data; receive camera feed data; determine whether to display the camera feed data based on the flight data; and direct, based on the flight data, an automatic adjustment of the cabin features. The cabin features may include at least one of: a window level of one or more window shades; or a cabin lighting level of one or more lights.

A method and system for converting a filled shape to a run length encoded RLE vector is disclosed. The method includes creating a virtual pixel array (212) of pixel cells corresponding to a graphical array (208) of pixels (216) comprising the filled shape. The method includes determining a border (200) on the virtual pixel array corresponding to the filled shape, storing a pixel-type value within each pixel cell that corresponds to a border line element (222) within the pixel, and creating a shape RLE group corresponding to a line of pixels (216) aligned along a first axis of the virtual pixel array. Once created, the position and length of the shape RLE group is stored as an RLE vector. The method for clipping filled shapes is also disclosed, which includes converting a clipping region to a clip RLE group, then comparing the clip RLE group to the shape RLE group, forming a clipped image RLE vector.

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A system and method for high integrity head pose estimation receives a 2D image including medium-density fiducials (302) and low-density fiducials (304). The system then detects the medium-density fiducials (302) and compares them with a 3D constellation to form an initial head pose estimate. The initial head pose estimate is then checked for possible alternative correspondences. A selection from a set of candidate initial head pose estimates is made. The selected head pose estimate then has search areas established for the medium-density fiducials (302) and low-density fiducials (304). The system then determines whether or not the head pose is valid and accurate based on whether or not the fiducials appear in their respective search areas.

An aircraft-based pilot safety system (PSS) includes cameras or other gaze sensors (118) fixed at an aircraft pilot and configured to capture an image stream focused on the pilot's eyes. The gaze sensors continually assess the gaze direction of the pilot (e.g., toward a display, instrument panel, and/or indicator within the cockpit that the pilot is currently looking at or focusing on) and thereby can establish when the pilot is executing a scan pattern and if that scan pattern is nominal for the current flight context by comparing the scan pattern to context-specific reference scan patterns. If, for example, the pilot's gaze deviates from where it should be (e.g., as determined by the current flight segment) or the current scan pattern is interrupted, the system may prompt the pilot to redirect their gaze or resume the scan pattern.

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A system and method for performing a self-diagnostic test on an electronically scanned array is disclosed. The system includes an array of emitter antenna (108) and receiver antenna (110) elements, a controller (104) configured to control the modulation of transmitting and received signals, and a monitoring processor (220) configured to receive a signal quality input based on the transmitting and received signal, generate a control profile based on the signal quality input, compare at least one control profile to at least one of a predicted result signal or to control profiles from at least two other sets of control profiles, and determine a faulty set of individually addressable components that includes at least one faulty individually addressable component. The controller is configured to enhance one or more individually addressable components to compensate for the faulty addressable component.

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The present disclosure is generally directed to the use of mixed reality to provide safety information as well as infotainment during flight. Demonstrations of the safety information for the aircraft are augmented in a 3-D way with a virtual representation of the aircraft. The virtual representation provides the safety instructions to the passengers. The mixed reality concept provides the safety information with the help of video-see through mixed reality by way of a head-mounted display (102) worn by the passengers. The safety instructions are provided with a complete working view of locations and operations for the safety jackets, emergency exits, and oxygen passenger service units.

A radio frequency (RF) transmission line (100) is described. The RF transmission line includes a first ground line (106a), a second ground line (106b), and a signal line (104) disposed on a substrate (102) and forming a coplanar waveguide. A plasma limiter feature (108) is integrated into an internal surface of one or more of the first ground line (106a), the second ground line (106b), and the signal line (104). The plasma limiter (108) decreases a gap distance between the signal line (104) and the associated ground line. The gap distance is selected, together with a gas pressure, to control a voltage at which the gas within the gap breaks down, targeted at a breakdown power of 1 W across a wide bandwidth. The plasma limiter (108) thus limits a power transmitted by way of the RF transmission line (100) for protecting a sensitive integrated circuit (306).

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A method for detecting a threat to an avionics system includes an Embedded Threat Detector (ETD) (100) providing a non-bypassable module which compares run time signatures (124) of each running application with pre-defined database of signatures. Any variation outside of pre-defined bounds implies an existence of malware. The ETD is located in a root Virtual Machine (VM0) and has two modes of operation. A learning mode (110) in a controlled environment generates a database of controlled signatures for each software thread as the software is executed. Conversely, in the run mode (120) during operations, the ETD generates signatures in real time and compares the real time signatures with the controlled signatures. A mismatch exceeding specified limits generates an alert and notifies a user.