Indicator means for collision avoidance systems

Claim 2

An instrument for the cockpit of an aircraft comprising means for indicating whether the pilot should climb, dive or level off to escape being on a collision course with another aircraft, means to indicate rate of change of altitude, and means to indicate approximate maximum safe rates of altitude change to avoid maneuvering into a position of being on a collision course with another aircraft which except for a difference between its altitude and the altitude of the aircraft in which the instrument is located would be on a collision course therewith.

Claim 3

The instrument defined in claim 1 wherein said means to indicate approximate maximum safe rates of altitude change include scale means subdivided into rates of altitude change bands extending above and below the aircraft in which the instrument is installed, means responsive to the altitude difference between the said aircraft and other aircraft which except for their altitude separation would represent threats to said aircraft, said last named means including means for energizing bands in said scale to indicate the maximum safe rates of altitude change.

Claim 4

An aircraft instrument for indicating the approximate maximum safe rate of altitude change the aircraft can make without placing itself on a collision course with another aircraft flying at a different altitude, said instrument including a scale and means cooperative with said scale to indicate the aircraft''s actual rate of altitude change, receiver means including means responsive to information received from other aircraft for determining therefrom the range, range rate and altitude of said other aircraft in order for the receiving aircraft to determine if its course will cross the course of any of the other aircraft in the sky, means in said aircraft for determining the altitude thereat and for comparing its altitude with the altitude of other aircraft whose transmissions it receives, and means on the instrument energizable in response to the altitude separations between the receiving aircraft and other aircraft that are flying on courses that will cross the receiving aircraft''s flight path to provide a visual indication in the cockpit thereof as to the maximum safe rate of altitude change that can be executed without endangering any of the involved aircraft.

Claim 5

An aircraft instrument for indicating the approximate maximum safe rate of altitude change the aircraft can make without placing itself on a collision course with another aircraft flying at a different altitude, said instrument including a scale and means cooperative with said scale to indicate the aircraft''s actual rate of altitude change, receiver means including means responsive to information received from other aircraft for determining therefrom the range, range rate and altitude of said other aircraft in order for the receiving aircraft to determine if its course will cross the course of any of the other aircraft in the sky, means in said aircraft for determining the altitude thereat and for comparing its altitude with the altitude of other aircraft whose transmissions it receives, and means on the instrument energizable in response to the altitude separations between the receiving aircraft and other aircraft that are flying on courses that will cross the receiving aircraft''s flight path to provide a visual indication in the cockpit thereof as to the maximum safe rate of altitude change that can be executed without endangering any of the involved aircraft.

Claim 6

The aircraft instrument defined in claim 3 wherein said scale is subdivided into actuatable bands, and means for selectively activating the bands in response to the altitude separation between the aircraft in which the instrument is installed and other aircraft flying at different altitudes and which are on flight paths that will cross the flight path of the said aircraft within a predetermined time assuming the aircraft involved stay on the same courses.

Claim 7

An instrument for installing in the cockpit of aircraft comprising means for indicating when the aircraft is on a collision course with another aircraft based on an evaluation of range, range rate and altitude information transmitted therebetween, said indicating means including means for indicating what maneuver the pilots should make to escape from being on the collision course, said indicating means including means to indicate whether the pilot should change altitude of level off the escape being on a collision course, said instrument including other means to indicate actual rate of altitude change and means to indicate maximum safe rate of altitude change taking into account the altitude separation between the aircraft in which the instrument is installed and other aircraft which except for an altitude difference would be on collision course with the said instrumented aircraft.

Claim 8

An instrument for installing in the cockpit of aircraft comprising means for indicating when the aircraft is on a collision course with another aircraft based on an evaluation of range, range rate and altitude information transmitted therebetween, said indicating means including means for indicating what maneuver the pilots should make to escape from being on the collision course, said indicating means including means to indicate whether the pilot should change altitude of level off the escape being on a collision course, said instrument including other means to indicate actual rate of altitude change and means to indicate maximum safe rate of altitude change taking into account the altitude separation between the aircraft in which the instrument is installed and other aircraft which except for an altitude difference would be on collision course with the said instrumented aircraft.

Claim 9

The instrument defined in claim 5 wherein the means to indicate maximum safe rate of altitude change include an altitude rate of change scale divided into a plurality of segments, and means for selectively energizing said segments depending upon the altitude separation between the aircraft in which the instrument is installed ant other aircraft which except for their altitude would be on a collision course with the said instrumented aircraft.

Claim 10

The instRument defined in claim 5 wherein the means to indicate the maximum safe rate of altitude change include an altitude rate of change scale and means movable on the instrument adjacent to said scale to positions corresponding approximately to the altitude separation between the aircraft in which the instrument is installed and the nearest other aircraft flying above and below, which other aircraft except for their altitudes would be on collision courses with the aircraft in which the instrument is installed.

Claim 11

The instrument defined in claim 5 including means to inhibit operation of the means to indicate maximum safe rate of altitude change with respect to any other aircraft that is determined to be on a collision course with the instrumented aircraft.

Claim 12

An instrument for the cockpit of aircraft which combines rate of climb, maximum safe rate of climb, and collision avoidance information comprising means for indicating when an aircraft is on a collision course with another aircraft taking into account the altitude proximities of the aircraft involved, said collisions course indicating means including means to indicate whether the aircraft should climb, dive, or fly level to avoid remaining on a collision course, and scale means and associated pointer means on the instrument for continuously indicating the aircraft''s actual rate of altitude change, said means on the instrument for indicating maximum safe rate of climb including means associated with the scale means and actuatable in response to the altitude separation between the aircraft in which the instrument in installed and other aircraft which except for their altitude represent potential collision threats with the said aircraft.

Claim 13

An instrument for the cockpit of aircraft which combines rate of climb, maximum safe rate of climb, and collision avoidance information comprising means for indicating when an aircraft is on a collision course with another aircraft taking into account the altitude proximities of the aircraft involved, said collisions course indicating means including means to indicate whether the aircraft should climb, dive, or fly level to avoid remaining on a collision course, and scale means and associated pointer means on the instrument for continuously indicating the aircraft''s actual rate of altitude change, said means on the instrument for indicating maximum safe rate of climb including means associated with the scale means and actuatable in response to the altitude separation between the aircraft in which the instrument in installed and other aircraft which except for their altitude represent potential collision threats with the said aircraft.

Claim 14

The instrument of claim 9 wherein said means for indicating maximum safe rate of climb include means for establishing a coaltitude band extending a predetermined distance above and below the aircraft in which the instrument is installed, and means establishing at least one other altitude band extending above and below the coaltitude band.

Claim 15

The instrument defined in claim 10 wherein said means for establishing at least one other altitude band extending above and below the coaltitude band include counter means and associated gate circuit means.

Claim 16

The instrument defined in claim 9 wherein said means for establishing at least one other altitude band extending above and below the coaltitude band include means for establishing a plurality of said bands.

Claim 17

The instrument defined in claim 9 wherein a plurality of aircraft are equipped with said instruments, each of said aircraft including means for transmitting a signal coded to represent its altitude and each of said aircraft including means for establishing a coaltitude band for itself and for each altitude signal it receives, said last named means including means for comparing the coaltitude at each receiving aircraft with the coaltitude band of each aircraft whose signal it receives, the presence of any overlapping of two of more altitude bands establishing a coaltitude condition between the said aircraft involved.

Claim 18

The instrument defined in claim 13 including means to inhibit actuation of the means for indicating the maximum safe rate of climb with respect to any signal received from another aircraft that establishes a coaltitude condition at the receiving aircraft.

Claim 19

The instrument defined in claim 13 wherein each aircraft is assigned distinct time periods within which to transmit its coded altitude signals.

Claim 20

The instrument defined in claim 13 including means for determining whether an altitude signal received from another potentially threatening aircraft should actuate means to limit the maximum safe climb or the maximum safe dive rate.

Claim 21

The instrument defined in claim 9 including gate circuit means for actuating the means associated with the scale means to indicate maximum safe rates of climb.

Claim 22

An instrument for installing in the cockpit of aircraft comprising means for indicatiNg when the aircraft is on a collision course with another aircraft and what maneuver the pilot should make to escape from staying on said collision course, said indicating means including means to indicate whether the pilot should climb, dive or remain in level flight, other means on the instrument including a scale and means associated with the scale for indicating the maximum safe rate of climb and dive that the pilot can execute during a change in altitude taking into account the presence of other aircraft whose flight paths will cross the flight path of the said aircraft, and means on the instrument to continuously indicate the aircraft''s actual rate of change of altitude.

Claim 23

An instrument for installing in the cockpit of aircraft comprising means for indicatiNg when the aircraft is on a collision course with another aircraft and what maneuver the pilot should make to escape from staying on said collision course, said indicating means including means to indicate whether the pilot should climb, dive or remain in level flight, other means on the instrument including a scale and means associated with the scale for indicating the maximum safe rate of climb and dive that the pilot can execute during a change in altitude taking into account the presence of other aircraft whose flight paths will cross the flight path of the said aircraft, and means on the instrument to continuously indicate the aircraft''s actual rate of change of altitude.