Inventors:
Long Bui - Palos Verdes Estates CA, US
David C Vacanti - Renton WA, US
Catherine L Freeman - Peachtree Corners FL, US
Assignee:
Honeywell International Inc. - Morristown NJ
International Classification:
G01S 13/93
Abstract:
Systems and methods for creating a narrow vertical pathway of detection that permits the enforcement of a fixed “exclusion zone” that is narrow and does not widen with range. An advantage to this approach is that the zone or corridor does not widen with range, permitting a fixed exclusion zone that will ignore items that will pass above or below the wing. An exemplary system located on a vehicle includes at least two vertically separated antennas that receive radar reflection signals, a processor, and an output device. The processor receives the radar reflection signals received by the antennas, determines vertical position of any obstacles identified in the radar reflection signals and determines if the obstacles are within a predefined alert zone. The output device outputs an alert if any obstacle is within the alert zone. The predefined alert zone is related to a protruding portion of the vehicle.