PATROLL Winning Submission

U.S. Patent No. 6,480,789

The patent-at-issue, U.S. Patent No. 6,480,789 (“Lin”), which was filed on December 4,
2000 without any claim to an earlier priority date, is directed to positioning and proximity
warning system for collision avoidance with nearby objects involving the processing of acquired
and calculated data relating to an one or more objects’ positions, dynamic data such as an object
or vehicle’s position tracked over a certain period or predetermined intervals, including vehicle
performance and configuration data from an onboard vehicle control and management system.

U.S. Patent No. 5,111,400 (“Yoder”), filed on November 13, 1990 and claims a March
16, 1987 priority date, relates to an integrated data dissemination and processing system for
aircraft position tracking, navigation, object proximity analysis, and early collision avoidance
warning.

Yoder makes use of position and dynamic data, as well as data pertaining to aircraft
performance or configuration data that includes the aircraft instrumentation's data (e.g., the
aircraft’s low velocity measurements) to calculate its position on the airport, aircraft flight
trajectory data, and a first aircraft’s orientation relative to that of a second aircraft.

A sample claim chart comparing Lin to Yoder is provided below.

US 6,480,789 (“Lin”) US 5,111,400 (“Yoder”)

22.pre. A positioning and proximity Yoder discloses that “[t]his invention relates to a system

PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing

http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
warning system for obtain collision
avoidance with near objects,
comprising
22.a. a navigation provider providing
position data of a vehicle;
for disseminating and displaying information to the flight
crew of aircraft in commercial or private aviation. In
particular, this invention focuses on combining
information derived from ground-based and airborne
sources to aid in the navigation, air traffic control,
and collision avoidance aspects of aviation.” Yoder at
col. 1:9-15.
Yoder makes the following corresponding disclosures:
“This linking feature allows for high resolution data to
be transmitted, such as would be garnered by satellite
position determination systems.” Yoder at col. 7:53-54.
“In another aspect of the present invention, the airborne
display can be actuated to display navigation aid
(Navaid) information in real time.” Id. at col. 20:42-44.
“Optional navigation inputs from Loran-73 or GPS-74
can be used to cross-check the X-Y position and
altitude data transmitted from the ground station.” Id. at
col. 12:15-18.
“The information includes continuously updated
position data corresponding to the position of every
one of a plurality of aircraft.” Id. at col. 2:11-13.
“The ground station includes a transmitter for
omnidirectionally continuously transmitting a data
PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing
http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com

22.b. an object detection system
providing position and dynamic data
of near objects; and
signal, including the aircraft position data, at a
predetermined time interval corresponding, for
instance, to the primary radar sweep rate.” Id. at col.
2:13-17.
Yoder makes the following corresponding disclosures:
“18. An airborne air traffic monitoring system for a
subject aircraft within range of an air traffic control
facility (ATC) providing a generalized broadcast of
updated position data corresponding to the position of
every one of a plurality of aircraft, said system
comprising:
receiver means in the subject aircraft for receiving
the position data at predetermined periodic
time intervals;
...
a computer including conflict warning means
for using the position data to detect a potential
collision between the subject aircraft and a
target aircraft of the plurality of aircraft and
for providing a warning therefor; …”
Yoder, claim 18.
“The receipt of disseminated data by the airborne
avionics of this system and the review of the data by the
avionics is a continuous process. When analysis shows
that a target is not receding but is, in fact, closing in its
PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing
http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
relative position with the subject aircraft, analysis of
that target is pursued.” Id. at col. 18:22-27.

“A program resident in the computer use the stored

position data to predict a point of closest approach of a
target aircraft to the subject aircraft and calculate a
path of potential collision between the subject aircraft
and the target aircraft.” Id. at col. 2:63-68.
“By referring to data arranged according to the data
structures shown in FIG. 12, the algorithm makes a
determination (geometrically as illustrated in FIGS. 13b-
c) as to what distance the target will be from the
subject aircraft at its closest encounter. (If the target
is on a collision course with the subject aircraft, this
distance is zero). The bearing to the target aircraft at this
closest encounter is also calculated. Similarly, the time
that will pass until the target arrives at this point is
calculated. An assessment is then made as to the "threat"
of the particular target. This threat is categorized into
three classifications, based both on "distance at closest
encounter" and "time to arrive at closest encounter". Id. at
col. 18:27-40.

“To accomplish these objectives, one embodiment of the

invention comprises an airborne integrated real-time
information dissemination system for aircraft within a
predetermined range of an air traffic control facility
(ATC), which includes a ground station having an
information collection system, such as primary radar,
for collecting information corresponding to dynamic
conditions within the range of the ATC relative to the
ATC.” Id. at col. 2:3-11.

PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing

http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
22.c. an object tracking and collision
avoidance processor receiving
a vehicle performance and
configuration data
from an onboard vehicle
control and management
system,
(NOTE: According to Lin, “[t]he
warning decision 633 receives the
projected flight path from the flight
path prediction 632, the vehicle
performance and configuration data
from the onboard flight control and
management system 90, such as glide
slope, landing gear, etc., and the
surrounding terrain data from the terrain
database 50.”)
(cont. of 22.c.)
position data of said vehicle,
and
position and dynamic data of
said near objects to provide
an optimal proximity warning
information.
Yoder makes the following corresponding disclosures:
“The aircraft's computer combines information from
ATC surveillance with the aircraft instrumentation's
data (such as the low velocity measurement) to
calculate its position on the airport so the moving map
retains accuracy.” Yoder at col. 15:21-25.
“A velocity sensor on one of the landing gear provides
accurate low velocity indication utilized by the runway
and taxiway moving map display at airports.” Id. at col.
12: 13-15.
“Referring again to FIG. 5, the computer and display 67
also receives data from the aircraft instrumentation,
such as the aircraft heading at input 71, and aircraft
velocity at input 72. The heading data is provided to the
display to allow orientation of the display corresponding
to the direction of travel of the subject aircraft.” Id. at
col. 12:5-10.
“The information includes continuously updated
position data corresponding to the position of every
one of a plurality of aircraft. The ground station
includes a transmitter for omnidirectionally continuously
transmitting a data signal, including the aircraft
position data, at a predetermined time interval
corresponding, for instance, to the primary radar sweep
rate.” Id. at col. 2:11-17.
“18. An airborne air traffic monitoring system for a
subject aircraft within range of an air traffic control
facility (ATC) providing a generalized broadcast of
updated position data corresponding to the position of
PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing
http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
every one of a plurality of aircraft, said system
comprising:
receiver means in the subject aircraft for
receiving the position data at predetermined
periodic time intervals;
...
a computer including conflict warning means
for using the position data to detect a potential
collision between the subject aircraft and a
target aircraft of the plurality of aircraft and
for providing a warning therefor; …”
Id. at claim 18.

“The subject aircraft further includes a collision

avoidance system having a computer with a memory
for storing the position data for the plurality of aircraft
for a most recent number of predetermined time
intervals.”

“A program resident in the computer use the stored

position data to predict a point of closest approach of a
target aircraft to the subject aircraft and calculate a
path of potential collision between the subject aircraft
and the target aircraft.” Id. at col. 2:63-68.

“In another aspect of this embodiment, the computer

includes an algorithm for issuing different levels of
warnings based upon a calculated time until closest
approach. When an evasion warning is issued, the
system causes the representation of the target aircraft to
flash on the display screen and a display of the time and
separation distance, as well as a collision avoidance
maneuver, is displayed. When a potential collision is
detected, the display automatically switches to a mode
in which only the target and subject aircraft

PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing

http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
 representations are displayed along with the relative
track of the target aircraft. The collision avoidance
system of the invention also generates collision warnings
for terrain and other static features associated with
moving map data.” Id. at col. 3:3-17.

Some Highlights from Lin And Yoder

Based on several prior art relating to position tracking and object proximity sensing, and
collision warning systems, it may not seem apparent which of the one or more elements of Lin’s
Claim 22 correspond to an inventive feature.

Lin provides some clues from the following sections of the ‘789 specification:

“. . . it is a another objective of the present invention to provide an integrated method and system for
positioning and preventing Controlled Flight Into Terrain flight accidents for aircraft to obtain
improved performances, such as navigation accuracy, high degree of tolerance to loss of a global
positioning system signal, global positioning system integrity monitoring, precise and reliable ground
proximity warning information, and to make air travel safer in increasingly busy skies, as follows:

“In order to maximize safety of the vehicle operation for future commercial application, it is highly
desired to develop an integrated system capable of providing optimal navigation solution, optimal
ground/water/object collision avoidance capabilities.”

“In current developing degree of the positioning systems and the ground proximity warning systems,
the positioning system and the ground proximity warning system are two separated independent
systems, wherein another external positioning system is required to support the ground proximity
warning system.”

“Compared with the conventional enhanced ground proximity warning systems, in the system of the
present invention, an external navigation system is not required to support the ground proximity
warning solution. This is especially affordable for small commercial aircraft vehicle.”

PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing

http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
 “Furthermore, an integrated process for position solution and ground proximity warning solution can
provide better performance than an independent positioning system and an independent ground
proximity warning system, because the information from the radio altimeter, the baro altimeter, and the
terrain database which are employed by conventional ground proximity warning systems has potential
capability for improving the accuracy and reliability of conventional positioning systems, and improved
position information in turn improve the performance of conventional ground proximity warning systems.”

Based on the above-cited excerpts from Lin, the novel feature of Lin’s claimed invention is based
on combining position tracking/navigation and object proximity detection or collision avoidance
warning systems. In addition, claim element 22.c. recites “an object tracking and collision
avoidance processor receiving a vehicle performance and configuration data from an
onboard vehicle control and management system.”

The middle figure in Fig. 1 labeled “Integrated Positioning/Ground Proximity Warning

System Processor” further highlights this particular feature of the claimed invention.

PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing

http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
Lin also describes some disadvantages of known conventional integrated global
positioning/inertial navigation systems:

“However, there are still some drawbacks in conventional integrated global

positioning/inertial navigation systems as follows:
...
(2) Insufficient reliability. When a low cost, low accuracy inertial navigation system is employed
to integrate with a global positioning system receiver, long-term navigation accuracy is mostly
dependent on the global positioning system. If global positioning system signals are lost for
a short period of time, or if the malfunction of a global positioning system satellite occurs,
the navigation accuracy diverges very fast.“

Lin’s Integrated Data Processor Receiving Data from an Onboard Vehicle Control and
Management System
The following excerpts from Lin relates to the portion of claim 22.c “object tracking and
collision avoidance processor receiving vehicle performance and configuration data from an
onboard vehicle control and management system” portion of element 22.c.:

“The enhanced ground proximity warning system computer uses information provided by
the onboard navigation system and terrain database.”

“The enhanced ground proximity warning system computer uses aircraft position,
performance, and configuration data to calculate an envelope along the projected flight path
of the aircraft and compares that to the terrain database.”

PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing

http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com
Similarly, Yoder discloses the following:

“An integrated real-time information dissemination system for aircraft within a

predetermined range of an air traffic control facility (ATC), includes airborne components for
receiving ground-disseminated data concerning dynamic conditions, such as air traffic and
meteorological conditions, and for storing data concerning static features, such as terrain
and moving map features, within the range of the ATC. An airborne computer and display is
provided in a subject aircraft for generating a continuously updated integrated graphic
display of representations of the dynamic and static conditions.” (Abstract)

“In another embodiment of the invention an airborne integrated real-time air traffic control
system for aircraft within a predetermined range of the ATC comprises a receiver tuned to the
ground station for receiving the data signal and a display screen on which a representation of
the current positions of the plurality of aircraft is graphically displayed. The display is
egocentric with respect to the subject aircraft. The subject aircraft further includes a collision
avoidance system having a computer with a memory for storing the position data for the
plurality of aircraft for a most recent number of predetermined time intervals.”

“A program resident in the computer use the stored position data to predict a point of closest
approach of a target aircraft to the subject aircraft and calculate a path of potential collision
between the subject aircraft and the target aircraft. Another program is provided for
displaying a representation of the path integrated on the display screen with the display of the
current position of the subject aircraft.

“In another aspect of this embodiment, the computer includes an algorithm for issuing
different levels of warnings based upon a calculated time until closest approach. When an
evasion warning is issued, the system causes the representation of the target aircraft to flash on
the display screen and a display of the time and separation distance, as well as a collision
avoidance maneuver, is displayed.”

“When a potential collision is detected, the display automatically switches to a mode in which
only the target and subject aircraft representations are displayed along with the relative track of
the target aircraft. The collision avoidance system of the invention also generates collision
warnings for terrain and other static features associated with moving map data.”

PATROLL – Prior Art Crowdsourcing

http://patroll.unifiedpatents.com