Title of Invention	A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING AIR BORNE MOVING VEHICLES TO LAND WITHIN A PRESCRIBED LANDING AREA
Abstract	The invention relates to a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area or a landing grid which is on a ship deck. The invention provides an integrated tracking and pilot guidance system comprising a - plurality of optical sources and optical cameras placed on either side of the ship deck. Optical detectable images of various shapes and sizes are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle. These optical detectable images are captured by the optical cameras when the moving vehicle is within the field of view of said optical cameras. The field of view usually covers the entire deck area of the ship. The images which are captured by the optical cameras are used to estimate the position of the mo¥ing vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area by calculating centroid information of the images captured.

Title of Invention

A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING AIR BORNE MOVING VEHICLES TO LAND WITHIN A PRESCRIBED LANDING AREA

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area or a landing grid which is on a ship deck. The invention provides an integrated tracking and pilot guidance system comprising a - plurality of optical sources and optical cameras placed on either side of the ship deck. Optical detectable images of various shapes and sizes are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle. These optical detectable images are captured by the optical cameras when the moving vehicle is within the field of view of said optical cameras. The field of view usually covers the entire deck area of the ship. The images which are captured by the optical cameras are used to estimate the position of the mo¥ing vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area by calculating centroid information of the images captured.

Full Text	FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method to assist air borne moving vehicles like air crafts or helicopters for precise landing within a prescribed landing grid area on a ship deck. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area or a landing grid which is on a ship deck. The invention provides an integrated tracking and pilot guidance system comprising a plurality of optical sources and optical cameras placed on either side of the ship deck. Optical detectable images of different shapes and sizes are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle. These optical detectable images are captured by the optical cameras when the moving vehicle is within the field of view of said optical cameras. The field of view usually covers the entire deck area of the ship. The images which are captured by the optical cameras are used to estimate the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area by calculating centroid information of the images captured. Accordingly the present invention provides a system for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area, comprising a plurality of optical cameras placed on either side of the prescribed landing area, for capturing images of optical detectable images which are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle; a plurality of optical sources for illuminating field of view of the optical cameras when the moving vehicle is within said field of view; an image processing means for receiving images from the optical cameras and for estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area; a display for visual guidance, having an array of light emitting diodes arranged for representing the prescribed landing area; and a control system for receiving data from the image processing means and for transmitting said data to driver units which are provided for controlling illumination of the light emitting diodes . Accordingly the present invention also provides a method for assisting air home moving vehicles to land within a prescribed area, comprising the steps of placing optical detectable images on both surfaces of the moving vehicle; capturing images of said optical detectable images by a plurality of optical cameras placed on either side of the prescribed landing area; illuminating field of view of the optical cameras by a plurality of optical sources, when the moving vehicle is within said field of view; receiving said images and estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area, in an image processing means; receiving data from the image processing means and transmitting the data to driver units by a control system; controlling illumination of an array of light emitting diodes present in a display by the driver units; indicating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area by a particular cluster of light emitting diodes in the display. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the system for assisting air home moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area, according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the system for assisting air home moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area on a ship deck, according to the present invention. Figure 3 shows the field of view of the optical cameras illuminated by the optical sources. Figure 4 shows a guidance display consisting of an array of light emitting diodes (LED's) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area. The prescribed landing area is a landing pad on a ship deck. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the system according to the invention. Optical detectable images (1) of various shapes and sizes are placed on both surfaces of air borne moving vehicles. These moving vehicles may be helicopters or small aircrafts which are capable of landing on a ship deck. A plurahty of optical cameras (2) and optical sources (3) are placed on either side of the ship deck (5) having the prescribed landing area (6) as shown in figure 2. Preferably four optical cameras (2) and four optical sources (3) are placed on the ship deck (5). The optical cameras (2) are infra-red cameras and the optical sources (3) are infra-red sources. The field of view of the optical cameras (2) as shown in figure 3 usually covers the entire area of the ship deck (5). The optical detectable images (1) which are placed on both surfaces of the air borne moving vehicle are infra -red detectable images (1). When the moving vehicle is within the field of view of the optical cameras (2), the optical sources (3) illuminate the field of view area. The optical cameras (2) capture images of the optical detectable images (1) which are on either sides of the moving vehicle by photographing them. The image information which is captured is sent from the optical cameras (2) to an image processing means (4). The image processing means (4) then computes the centroid of the area formed by the images captured by the optical cameras (2) from both sides of the moving vehicle. This centroid information determines the deviation of the moving vehicle with respect to the center line of the ship deck (5). With the computed centroid, the position of the moving vehicle is estimated with reference to the center of the prescribed landing area (6) on the ship deck. Then, the offset distance of the computed centroid from the prescribed landing area (6) is measured along the x-plane, y-plane and z-plane. All the afore mentioned information is processed in the image processing means (4). A guidance display (7) is placed on the ship's hangar in a position that can be easily viewed by a pilot approaching the ship deck (5) for landing an air borne moving vehicle, as shown in figure 2. The display (7) consists of an array of light emitting diodes (LED's) (8). These LED's (8) are arranged in clusters (9) as shown in figure 4. Each cluster of LED's (9) represent a particular position on the prescribed landing area (6) on the ship deck (5). The display (7) is controlled by a control system (10) which is a microprocessor. The information which is processed in the image processing means (4) is transmitted to the control system (10) through an interface. This maybe be a standard serial port interface like RS232/RS485. The control system (10) then transmits this information to driver units (11) which are provided to control the illumination of the LED's (8) in the display (7). During landing approach all the LED's (8) are illuminated continuously, except a particular cluster (9). This one cluster (9) will be flashing in order to denote the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area (6). The display (7) serves as a visual guidance aid for an aircraft or helicopter pilot approaching the ships deck (5) since it gives the pilot a visual cue as to where the position of the vehicle is with respect to the prescribed landing area (6). The LED's (8) on the display (7) are preferably blue in colour to facilitate clear vision during bad whether and poor light conditions. WE CLAIM: 1. A system for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area (6), characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of optical cameras (2) placed on either side of the prescribed landing area (6) for capturing images of optical detectable images (1) which are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle; a plurality of optical sources (3) for illuminating field of view of the optical cameras (2) when the moving vehicle is within said field of view; an image processing means (4) for receiving images from the optical cameras (2) and for estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area (6); a display (7) for visual guidance, having an array of light emitting diodes (8) arranged for representing the prescribed landing area; and a control system (10) for receiving data from the image processing means (4) and for transmitting said data to driver units (11) which are provided for controlling illumination of the light emitting diodes (8). 2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of optical cameras (2) is infra-red cameras. 3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of optical sources (3) are infra-red sources. 4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said optical detectable images (1) which are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle are infra-red detectable images. 5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control system (10) is a microcontroller. 6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said prescribed landing area (6) is a landing pad a ship deck (5). 7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the array of light emitting diodes(8) in the display (7) are arranged in clusters (9). 8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes (8) are blue in colour. 9. A method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed area, comprising the steps of placing optical detectable images on both surfaces of the moving vehicle; capturing images of said optical detectable images by a plurality of optical cameras placed on either side of the prescribed landing area; illuminating field of view of the optical cameras by a plurality of optical sources, when the moving vehicle is within said field of view; receiving said images and estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area in an images processing means; receiving data from the image processing means and transmitting the data to driver units by a control system; controlling illumination of an array of light emitting diodes present in a display by the driver units; and indicating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area by a particular cluster of light emitting diodes in the display. 10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plurality of optical cameras are infra-red cameras. 11. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plurality of optical sources are infra-red sources. 12. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said optical detectable images placed on either sides of the moving vehicle are infra- red detectable images. 13. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the step of estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area in the image processing means is performed by computing the centroid of the area formed by the images captured by the optical cameras, wherein said centroid determines deviation of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area. 14. The method as claimed in claim 9 and 13 wherein the step of estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area comprises the step of calculating offset distance of the centroid from the prescribed landing area along x-plans, y-plane and z-plane. 15. The method as claimed in claims 9 to 14 wherein said offset distance is given as input to the control system which is provided for controlling illumination of the light emitting diodes in the display. 16. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein a particular cluster of light emitting diodes in the display indicates the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area. 17. A system for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land in a prescribed landing area with reference to the accompanying drawings. 18. A method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land in a prescribed landing area with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method to assist air borne moving vehicles like air crafts or helicopters for precise landing within a prescribed landing grid area on a ship deck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area or a landing grid which is on a ship deck. The invention provides an integrated tracking and pilot guidance system comprising a plurality of optical sources and optical cameras placed on either side of the ship deck. Optical detectable images of different shapes and sizes are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle. These optical detectable images are captured by the optical cameras when the moving vehicle is within the field of view of said optical cameras. The field of view usually covers the entire deck area of the ship. The images which are captured by the optical cameras are used to estimate the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area by calculating centroid information of the images captured.
Accordingly the present invention provides a system for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area, comprising a plurality of

optical cameras placed on either side of the prescribed landing area, for capturing images of optical detectable images which are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle; a plurality of optical sources for illuminating field of view of the optical cameras when the moving vehicle is within said field of view; an image processing means for receiving images from the optical cameras and for estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area; a display for visual guidance, having an array of light emitting diodes arranged for representing the prescribed landing area; and a control system for receiving data from the image processing means and for transmitting said data to driver units which are provided for controlling illumination of the light emitting diodes .
Accordingly the present invention also provides a method for assisting air home moving vehicles to land within a prescribed area, comprising the steps of placing optical detectable images on both surfaces of the moving vehicle; capturing images of said optical detectable images by a plurality of optical cameras placed on either side of the prescribed landing area; illuminating field of view of the optical cameras by a plurality of optical sources, when the moving vehicle is within said field of view; receiving said images and estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area, in an image processing means; receiving data from the image processing means and transmitting the data to driver units by a control system; controlling illumination of an array of light emitting diodes present in a display by the driver units; indicating the position of the moving vehicle with respect

to the prescribed landing area by a particular cluster of light emitting diodes in the
display.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the system for assisting air home moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area, according to the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the system for assisting air home moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area on a ship deck, according to the present invention.
Figure 3 shows the field of view of the optical cameras illuminated by the optical sources.
Figure 4 shows a guidance display consisting of an array of light emitting diodes (LED's)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area. The prescribed landing area is a landing pad on a ship deck. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the system according to the invention. Optical detectable images (1) of various shapes and sizes are placed on both surfaces of air borne moving vehicles. These moving vehicles may be helicopters or small aircrafts which are capable of landing on a ship deck. A plurahty of optical cameras (2) and optical sources (3) are placed on either side of the ship deck (5) having the prescribed landing area (6) as shown in figure 2. Preferably

four optical cameras (2) and four optical sources (3) are placed on the ship deck (5). The optical cameras (2) are infra-red cameras and the optical sources (3) are infra-red sources. The field of view of the optical cameras (2) as shown in figure 3 usually covers the entire area of the ship deck (5). The optical detectable images (1) which are placed on both surfaces of the air borne moving vehicle are infra -red detectable images (1).
When the moving vehicle is within the field of view of the optical cameras (2), the optical sources (3) illuminate the field of view area. The optical cameras (2) capture images of the optical detectable images (1) which are on either sides of the moving vehicle by photographing them. The image information which is captured is sent from the optical cameras (2) to an image processing means (4). The image processing means (4) then computes the centroid of the area formed by the images captured by the optical cameras (2) from both sides of the moving vehicle. This centroid information determines the deviation of the moving vehicle with respect to the center line of the ship deck (5). With the computed centroid, the position of the moving vehicle is estimated with reference to the center of the prescribed landing area (6) on the ship deck. Then, the offset distance of the computed centroid from the prescribed landing area (6) is measured along the x-plane, y-plane and z-plane. All the afore mentioned information is processed in the image processing means (4).
A guidance display (7) is placed on the ship's hangar in a position that can be easily viewed by a pilot approaching the ship deck (5) for landing an air borne

moving vehicle, as shown in figure 2. The display (7) consists of an array of light emitting diodes (LED's) (8). These LED's (8) are arranged in clusters (9) as shown in figure 4. Each cluster of LED's (9) represent a particular position on the prescribed landing area (6) on the ship deck (5). The display (7) is controlled by a control system (10) which is a microprocessor. The information which is processed in the image processing means (4) is transmitted to the control system (10) through an interface. This maybe be a standard serial port interface like RS232/RS485. The control system (10) then transmits this information to driver units (11) which are provided to control the illumination of the LED's (8) in the display (7). During landing approach all the LED's (8) are illuminated continuously, except a particular cluster (9). This one cluster (9) will be flashing in order to denote the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area (6). The display (7) serves as a visual guidance aid for an aircraft or helicopter pilot approaching the ships deck (5) since it gives the pilot a visual cue as to where the position of the vehicle is with respect to the prescribed landing area (6). The LED's (8) on the display (7) are preferably blue in colour to facilitate clear vision during bad whether and poor light conditions.

WE CLAIM:
1. A system for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed landing area
(6), characterized in that it comprises:
a plurality of optical cameras (2) placed on either side of the prescribed landing area (6) for
capturing images of optical detectable images (1) which are placed on both surfaces of the
moving vehicle;
a plurality of optical sources (3) for illuminating field of view of the optical cameras (2) when
the moving vehicle is within said field of view;
an image processing means (4) for receiving images from the optical cameras (2) and for
estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area (6);
a display (7) for visual guidance, having
an array of light emitting diodes (8) arranged for representing the prescribed landing area;
and
a control system (10) for receiving data from the image processing means (4) and for
transmitting said data to driver units (11) which are provided for controlling illumination of
the light emitting diodes (8).
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of optical cameras (2) is infra-red cameras.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of optical sources (3) are infra-red sources.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said optical detectable images (1) which are placed on both surfaces of the moving vehicle are infra-red detectable images.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control system (10) is a microcontroller.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said prescribed landing area (6) is a landing pad a ship deck (5).
7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the array of light emitting diodes(8) in the display (7) are arranged in clusters (9).
8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes (8) are blue in colour.
9. A method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land within a prescribed
area, comprising the steps of
placing optical detectable images on both surfaces of the moving vehicle;
capturing images of said optical detectable images by a plurality of optical cameras
placed on either side of the prescribed landing area;
illuminating field of view of the optical cameras by a plurality of optical sources,
when the moving vehicle is within said field of view;

receiving said images and estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect
to the prescribed landing area in an images processing means;
receiving data from the image processing means and transmitting the data to driver
units by a control system;
controlling illumination of an array of light emitting diodes present in a display by the
driver units; and
indicating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing
area by a particular cluster of light emitting diodes in the display.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plurality of optical cameras are infra-red cameras.
11. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plurality of optical sources are infra-red sources.
12. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said optical detectable images placed on either sides of the moving vehicle are infra- red detectable images.
13. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the step of estimating the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area in the image processing means is performed by computing the centroid of the area formed by the images captured by the optical cameras, wherein said centroid determines deviation of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9 and 13 wherein the step of estimating the
position of the moving vehicle with respect to the prescribed landing area comprises
the step of calculating offset distance of the centroid from the prescribed landing area
along x-plans, y-plane and z-plane.
15. The method as claimed in claims 9 to 14 wherein said offset distance is given
as input to the control system which is provided for controlling illumination of the
light emitting diodes in the display.
16. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein a particular cluster of light emitting
diodes in the display indicates the position of the moving vehicle with respect to the
prescribed landing area.
17. A system for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land in a prescribed landing
area with reference to the accompanying drawings.
18. A method for assisting air borne moving vehicles to land in a prescribed
landing area with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1440-che-2004-abstract.pdf

1440-che-2004-claims.pdf

1440-che-2004-correspondnece-others.pdf

1440-che-2004-correspondnece-po.pdf

1440-che-2004-description(complete).pdf

1440-che-2004-drawings.pdf

1440-che-2004-form 1.pdf

1440-che-2004-form 18.pdf

1440-che-2004-form 26.pdf

1440-che-2004-form 3.pdf

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Patent Number

219165

Indian Patent Application Number

1440/CHE/2004

PG Journal Number

23/2008

Publication Date

06-Jun-2008

Grant Date

25-Apr-2008

Date of Filing

28-Dec-2004

Name of Patentee

LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED

Applicant Address

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	NAGADIKERI KITTAPPA GOWDA HARISH
2	MADAN SIVA PRABU
3	ECHOOR SUBRAMANIAN KUMAR

PCT International Classification Number

G08G 5/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA