Pilot warning indicator system

Claim 2

An indicator system for an aircraft comprising: control and logic means, flight condition responsive means joined to the control and logic means for providing signals thereto which have relationship to the flight condition of the aircraft, flashlamp means joined to the control and logic means for providing spaced-apart pulses of light energy in which the time spacing of the pulses is in relationship to the flight condition of the aircraft, detector means for sensing light energy, the detector means being joined to the control and logic means for providing pulse signals in accordance with pulses of light energy received by the detector means from another aircraft, alarm means joined to the control and logic means, the control and logic means including means for comparing the flight condition of said other aircraft with the flight condition of the first said aircraft and for providing a signal to the alarm means if the possibility of a collision between said other aircraft and the first said aircraft exists.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 in which the flight condition responsive means includes altitude responsive means.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 in which the flight condition responsive means includes heading responsive means.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 in which the flight condition responsive means includes altitude responsive means and heading responsive means.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 in which the alarm means comprises both audible and visual alarm means.

Claim 7

The system of claim 1 in which the alarm means comprises audible alarm means.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1 in which the alarm means comprises visual alarm means.

Claim 9

The system of claim 1 in which the control and logic means includes means for comparing the heading and altitude of said other aircraft with the heading and altitude of the first said aircraft and for providing a signal to the alarm means if the possibility of a collision between said other aircraft and the first said aircraft exists.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 in which the alarm means includes a plurality of lamps arranged in annular formation, each of the lamps having an upper portion to indicate a position above the first aircraft and a lower portion to indicate a position below the first aircraft, the lamps being arranged to indicate bearing of another aircraft.

Claim 11

The system of claim 1 in which the detector means comprises a plurality of light sensitive members, each of which is arranged to receive light energy from a portiOn of 360 degree field.

Claim 12

Apparatus for generating and transmitting pulsed optical signals indicative of the heading of an aircraft which supports the apparatus, said apparatus comprising: omni-directionally radiating high intensity electrical-to-optical transducer means mounted upon the exterior of said aircraft, heading sensing means sensing the heading of said aircraft, said heading sensing means having a signal output which includes an electrical signal indicative of the heading of said aircraft, a first electrical timing circuit having an output of periodically occuring first electrical timing signals, a second electrical timing circuit joined to the first electrical timing circuit and to the heading sensing means, the second electrical timing circuit receiving signals from the first electrical timing circuit and discharging a second electrical timing signal delayed in time from said first electrical timing signal by a time interval related to the signal output received from the heading sensing means, electrical power supply means joined to the transducer means and conducting a pulse of electrical energy to said electrical-to-optical transducer means upon receipt of said first electrical timing signal and upon receipt of said second electrical timing signal, flashlamp means, a first capacitor, means connecting the first capacitor to the flashlamp means, a firing device, means connecting the firing device to the flashlamp means, a second capacitor, the second capacitor having a much larger electrical capacity than the first capacitor, means joining the second capacitor to a source of electrical energy, electronic switch means, the switch means having a control element, means joining the electronic switch means to the first capacitor and to the second capacitor, electronic time delay means having an output portion and an input portion, means joining the output portion of the time delay means to the firing device, flash control means, means joining the input portion of the time delay means and the control element of the electronic switch means to the flash control means.

Claim 13

Apparatus for generating and transmitting pulsed optical signals indicative of the heading of an aircraft which supports the apparatus, said apparatus comprising: omni-directionally radiating high intensity electrical-to-optical transducer means mounted upon the exterior of said aircraft, heading sensing means sensing the heading of said aircraft, said heading sensing means having a signal output which includes an electrical signal indicative of the heading of said aircraft, a first electrical timing circuit having an output of periodically occuring first electrical timing signals, a second electrical timing circuit joined to the first electrical timing circuit and to the heading sensing means, the second electrical timing circuit receiving signals from the first electrical timing circuit and discharging a second electrical timing signal delayed in time from said first electrical timing signal by a time interval related to the signal output received from the heading sensing means, electrical power supply means joined to the transducer means and conducting a pulse of electrical energy to said electrical-to-optical transducer means upon receipt of said first electrical timing signal and upon receipt of said second electrical timing signal, flashlamp means, a first capacitor, means connecting the first capacitor to the flashlamp means, a firing device, means connecting the firing device to the flashlamp means, a second capacitor, the second capacitor having a much larger electrical capacity than the first capacitor, means joining the second capacitor to a source of electrical energy, electronic switch means, the switch means having a control element, means joining the electronic switch means to the first capacitor and to the second capacitor, electronic time delay means having an output portion and an input portion, means joining the output portion of the time delay means to the firing device, flash control means, means joining the input portion of the time delay means and the control element of the electronic switch means to the flash control means.

Claim 14

The circuitry of claim 11 in which the firing device is a transformer.

Claim 15

The circuitry of claim 11 in which the electronic switch device is a silicon controlled rectifier having a cathode, an anode, and a gate, the gate being the control element, the anode of the silicon controlled rectifier being connected to the second capacitor, the cathode of the silicon controlled rectifier being connected to the first capacitor, and the gate being connected to the flash control means.

Claim 16

The circuitry of claim 11 in which the electronic time delay means is a multivibrator.

Claim 17

The circuitry of claim 11 in which the flashlamp means includes a flashlamp having a trigger electrode, an anode, and a cathode, the first capacitor being connected between the anode and the cathode of the flashlamp, the firing device being connected to the trigger electrode of the flashlamp.

Claim 18

The circuitry of claim 11 in which the flash control means includes rate generator means and delay multivibrator means.

Claim 19

The circuitry of claim 16 which includes altitude sensitive means, means joining the delay multivibrator means to the altitude sensitive means.

Claim 20

The circuitry of claim 16 which includes heading sensitive means, and means joining the delay multivibrator means to the heading sensitive means.

Claim 21

Apparatus for generating and transmitting pulsed optical signals indicative of the heading of an aircraft which supports the apparatus, said apparatus comprising: omni-directionally radiating high intensity electrical-to-optical transducer means mounted upon the exterior of said aircraft, heading sensing means sensing the heading of said aircraft, said heading sensing means having a signal output which includes an electrical signal indicative of the heading of said aircraft, a first electrical timing circuit having an output of periodically occurring first electrical timing signals, a second electrical timing circuit joined to the first electrical timing circuit and to the heading sensing means, the second electrical timing circuit receiving signals from the first electrical timing circuit and discharging a second electrical timing signal delayed in time from said first electrical timing signal by a time interval related to the signal output received from the heading sensing means, electrical power supply means, means joining the electrical power supply means to the transducer means and conducting a pulse of electrical energy to said electrical-to-optical transducer means upon receipt of said first electrical timing signal and upon receipt of said second electrical timing signal, flashlamp means, capacitor means, firing means, means connecting the firing means to the flashlamp means, means joining the capacitor means to the electrical power supply means, electronic switch means, means joining the electronic switch means to the capacitor means, electronic time delay means, means joining the time delay means to the firing means, flash control means, means joining the time delay means and the electronic switch means to the flash control means.

Claim 22

Apparatus for generating and transmitting pulsed optical signals indicative of the heading of an aircraft which supports the apparatus, said apparatus comprising: omni-directionally radiating high intensity electrical-to-optical transducer means mounted upon the exterior of said aircraft, heading sensing means sensing the heading of said aircraft, said heading sensing means having a signal output which includes an electrical signal indicative of the heading of said aircraft, a first electrical timing circuit having an output of periodically occurring first electrical timing signals, a second electrical timing circuit joined to the first electrical timing circuit and to the heading sensing means, the second electrical timing circuit receiving signals from the first electrical timing circuit and discharging a second electrical timing signal delayed in time from said first electrical timing signal by a time interval related to the signal output received from the heading sensing means, electrical power supply means, means joining the electrical power supply means to the transducer means and conducting a pulse of electrical energy to said electrical-to-optical transducer means upon receipt of said first electrical timing signal and upon receipt of said second electrical timing signal, flashlamp means, capacitor means, firing means, means connecting the firing means to the flashlamp means, means joining the capacitor means to the electrical power supply means, electronic switch means, means joining the electronic switch means to the capacitor means, electronic time delay means, means joining the time delay means to the firing means, flash control means, means joining the time delay means and the electronic switch means to the flash control means.