796results about "Landing aids" patented technology

Systems and methods are provided for swapping the battery on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV may be able to identify and land on an energy provision station autonomously. The UAV may take off and / or land on the energy provision station. The UAV may communicate with the energy provision station. The energy provision station may store and charge batteries for use on a UAV.

A lighting device and system for illuminating the interior of a vehicle, aircraft or building is provided. The lighting device and system includes a channel case made from a thermally conductive material, including aluminum. The channel case has a bottom edge and two opposed side edges forming an interior space. A circuit board is disposed within the interior space of the channel case and the circuit board includes circuit traces on the top, bottom or both sides of the circuit board. A heat transfer device is attached to the bottom of the circuit board and is further attached to the bottom of the channel case. A plurality of light-emitting diodes and resistors are mounted on the circuit board in series and generate light through a lens which is attached to the two opposed side edges of the channel case.

A runway and taxiway lighting system (of FIG. 1). The system (100) includes a housing (105) as part of a light assembly (102), which light assembly (102) includes a light source (120) for emitting light (123), and a light pipe (126). The light pipe (126) has a first end (124) in close association with the light source (120) for coupling the light (123) thereinto, and a second end (128) from which the light (123) is dispersed. The system (100) also includes a power source encased in a power box (108), and operatively connected to the light assembly (120) for providing power thereto.

An exemplary aircraft anticollision beacon is constructed around a faceted aluminum support cylinder and base. The support cylinder has an outside surface with ten vertically oriented substantially planar faces. An array of LEDs is mounted in thermally conductive relationship on each face of the support cylinder. Each LED is partially surrounded by a trough-shaped reflecting surface that re-directs off axis light into a horizontal plane. Axially aligned, radially adjacent reflecting troughs combine to form the circumferential reflecting troughs. The support cylinder and base are connected in thermally conductive relationship to define a thermal pathway from the LEDs to a heat radiation surface on the base. The base is also configured to act as a heat sink for heat generating components of the LED driver circuits. The exemplary beacon employs a distributed energizing circuit in which each driver is configured to energize two of the ten arrays of LEDs.

An aerially deployed illumination system is provided which may be remotely operated or preprogrammed to illuminate a designated target, such as a geographic area, vehicle, or personnel. In particular, a remotely controlled UAV having an illumination system disposed thereon is provided, the illumination system comprised of a concentrated light source and light movement apparatus operable to rapidly scan the target with the light source, thereby providing an illusion of a large area of illumination. Preferably, a line is created from the light source, the line being rapidly moved over the target in specific patterns and at specific frequencies. The system may further include a plurality of UAV's capable of ad hoc networking, so as to illuminate both large areas, as well as stationary and moving targets. In addition, the UAV's having an illumination system disposed thereon may be disposed within a projectile, the projectile tube or gun launched, and the UAV ejected from the projectile over a designated target, thereby enabling quick delivery of the UAV to an area of interest.

A light emitting apparatus includes a light source, a light transformer, a hemispherical optical window, a circuit and a base. The light transformer includes a truncated hollow conical reflector, a curved reflective surface, and an optical element. The conical reflector has a truncated end facing the light source and a cone base opposite the truncated end. The conical reflector axis is coincident with a light source axis, and light passes through an opening on the truncated end. The curved reflective surface is between the truncated end and the cone base. The surface reflects light from the light source in a limited angle omnidirectional pattern with precalculated intensity distribution. The optical element is adjacent the cone base in a plane perpendicular to the conical reflector axis, and disperses the light passing through the truncated hollow cone reflector.

A system and method for automating Air Traffic Control operations at or near an airport. as a complete standalone automated system replacing the need for a human controller to make aircraft movement decisions nor the need communicate with pilots, or as semi-automated, where a controller controls how the system operates. The system with related methods and computer hardware and computer software package, automatically manages manned aircraft, remote controlled UAV and airborne-able vehicles traffic at or near an airport, eliminates ATC-induced and reduce pilot-induced runway incursions and excursions, processes control messages related to aircraft or Pilots, communicates with Pilot over ATC radio frequency, receives aircraft positions, communicates control messages with the aircraft avionics, provides pilots a dynamic map with continuous display of nearby traffic operations, shows clearance and information related to runway operations, warns pilot of runway conditions and turbulence from other operations, warns when landing gear is not locked, displays the pilot emergency exits during takeoff roll, shows the pilot when and where to exit from the runway, shows the pilot where and when to cross a junction, calculates and displays pilot optimal speed and timing on taxiways and junctions for saving fuel, calculates congestions, calculates best taxiway routes, calculates when aircraft can cross a runway, provides directives and information to pilot over CPDLC display or dynamic map for airside operations, alerts and triggers breaks of the aircraft on wrong path or when hold-short bar is breached, displays emergency personnel with routing map and final aircraft resting position for emergency operations, takes over an aircraft operation when aircraft is hijacked or deviates from the flight plan, provide standalone or manned Remote Tower functionality, Records and retains all information related to airport airside operations including aircraft positions and conditions from sensors and reports for runways, junctions and taxiways, Records and retains aircraft data and cockpit voice to ground-based servers to eliminate black-box requirements, calculate future weather and airport capacity from aircraft at or nearby airport, coordinates handoff operations with other ATC positions, interfaces with ACDM systems, airport operations center, flow center and network operations center.

A multi-zone battery station is provided, comprising a plurality of landing areas configured to support a UAV. The battery station may permit battery life to be reloaded onto a UAV, which may include recharging a battery of the UAV or exchanging the UAV battery for a new battery. The different zones may accommodate different UAV types, different battery types, or operate in accordance with different energy provision rules. A marker may be provided on a landing area to aid in guiding the UAV to an appropriate landing area.

An in-pavement high intensity LED-based luminaire includes a housing, a power controller, a light module and a thermoelectric cooling device. The housing includes a generally flat top surface having at least one transparent window for output light passage. The power controller has an input and an output, wherein the input is electrically connected to an airfield power infrastructure and the output is electrically connected to a light module. The light module includes multiple high flux LEDs and a non-imaging light transformer. The non-imaging light transformer includes an input end opposite an output end, a refractive member located around the LED optical axis, and a total internal reflection member. The thermoelectric cooling device provides LED temperature control for emitted luminous flux, color and spatial intensity distribution stabilization, and is electrically connected to the power controller.

A high intensity solid-state lighting apparatus is disclosed for the application of navigational aids. In various embodiments based on the approach of chip-on-board packaged semiconductor light emitting elements, unidirectional, bidirectional as well as omni-directional navigational lights are configured to meet high luminous intensity requirements. They also provide additional utilities for generating multiple colors and flash patterns with the same light unit for lighting reconfiguration as well as creating new means of signaling. Another purpose of the current invention is to provide a light source which will not cause vertigo effects.

An illumination system has a mounting plate, a plurality of thermally conductive circuit boards in thermal contact with the mounting plate, a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically and thermally communicating with the circuit board strips, an optical lens formed as a translucent dome covering the circuit boards and light emitting diodes, and a lamp base operatively coupled to the mounting plate and circuit boards. The light emitting diodes receive power from an external electrical source entering the system through the base and the circuit boards.

An aircraft rear position light device (1) has a modular configuration. The device utilizes solid-state light sources. In an exemplary embodiment, the light sources are side-emitting light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (40), which are attached to a heat sink (30). A reflector (200) is positioned next to each of the LEDs. The device further includes an outer lens (10) with an integrated cut-off shield (110) and optical treatments (120). The configuration of LEDs and reflectors, in conjunction with the cut-off shield and optical treatments, allows the emitted light to satisfy predetermined minimum and maximum angular intensity requirements. An electronics module (50) is also attached to the heat sink to connect the LEDs to a power source in the aircraft. Electronic updates may be made by replacing the electronics module.

A rotationally symmetrical anti-collision light (100, 200) for an aircraft utilizing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is mounted to the fuselage of an aircraft. The LEDs (10, 10′, 20, 20′) may be configured in one or more concentric rings. The anti-collision light includes a reflector (30, 30′) configured to redirect the light emitted by at least one of the rings, so that the light pattern satisfies predetermined specifications.

Multi-mode exterior lighting architectures for aircraft are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, an illumination system for illuminating a plurality of positions exterior to an aircraft includes a first light assembly coupled to the aircraft. The first light assembly is configured to produce a first light beam and direct the first light beam at a first position during a first operational mode and at a second position during a second operational mode. A second light assembly also is coupled to the aircraft and is configured to produce a second light beam and direct the second light beam at a third position during the first operational mode and at a fourth position during the second operational mode.

An apparatus for lighting or illuminating spaces, bodies or surfaces, which is formed from a plurality of light emitting diodes (1). The light emitting diodes (1) are radially enclosed by a casing body (14) which is adjoined at the end by a tubular element (15) which bears against a lens (4). A set spacing is thereby established between the light emitting diode (1) and the lens (4). All light spots issuing from the light emitting diode (1) are projected to form a single light spot of a high level of brightness by virtue of the superimposed relationship at a spacing in front of the lens (4).

A quickly deployable and reconfigurable light emitting diode (LED) lighting apparatus with high output intensity and precisely controlled beam property is disclosed for navigational aids. The lighting apparatus comprises an array of high intensity LED units with their light beams individually controlled by secondary optical systems. The transformed light beams mix in a pre-determined manner to produce an illumination pattern with desired intensity distribution. The LED lighting apparatus may further comprise a micro-controller, a plurality of sensor elements, and a wireless transceiver for remote monitoring and control. The lighting apparatus can be powered by rechargeable batteries for temporary or semi-permanent lighting. It can also be powered by standard power lines for permanent lighting.

A lighting device having multiple light emitter assemblies 10 containing a light source 22, a light source mounting block 20, a heat dissipater 30, a reflector mounting block 40 and a mirror 70 attached to the reflector mounting block 40.

A light emitting diode (LED) light unit is disclosed. For example, the LED light unit includes at least one support plate having one or more inner openings. At least one LED array may be coupled to an LED board. The LED light unit also includes at least one heat pipe coupled to the LED board, wherein said LED board is coupled to the at least one support plate.

A high intensity light is disclosed. A first circular lighting array having a plurality of reflectors and light emitting diodes is provided. A second circular lighting array is mounted on the first circular lighting array. The second circular lighting array has a second plurality of reflectors and light emitting diodes. Each reflector includes a tulip-shaped reflective surface having a symmetrical vertical cross section and a different symmetrical horizontal cross section. The reflective surface creates a uniform beam reflecting from a corresponding LED at horizontal angles relative to the reflective surface and a narrow beam in vertical angles relative to the reflective surface.

A light module including a single light emitting diode (LED) and a rotationally symmetrical reflective light transformer providing an omnidirectional pattern with a pre-calculated intensity distribution. In alternative embodiments the light module may consist of a plurality of LEDs and the reflective light transformer, having plurality of identical segments, provides an omnidirectional pattern with a pre-calculated intensity distribution as a result of superposition of the limited angle pattern reflected by each segment. In order to provide high efficiency the light transformer reflective surface profile is designed using a given LED's spatial intensity distribution and required intensity distribution across the emitted omnidirectional pattern as a design parameters.

An interior component having an illuminated portion comprises a trim cover positioned over a substrate. At least one light conductive element is in communication with an illumination source. A carrier engages the trim cover. The carrier further secures the light conductive element to the trim cover. The carrier has a plurality of windows formed therethrough such that the light conductive element is visible through the plurality of windows. The illuminated portion may further include an emblem in communication with the light source. The illuminated interior component may be formed by a method that includes the steps of forming a light conductive element that includes extruding an optical guide and a carrier having a mounting tab thereon.