Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that a leading edge of a wing of the aircraft is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to predict a likelihood of foreign object collision with the leading edge of the wing, or detect damage or deformation to the leading edge.

Abstract: A biometric sensing system for an aircraft cockpit includes an infrared camera, infrared illuminators, and a CPU. The infrared camera is mounted in a flight deck display surface of the cockpit and has a field of view including an upper body region of a flight crew member when the flight crew member is seated in the cockpit. The infrared illuminators are mounted in the flight deck display surface and directed to illuminate the upper body region of the flight crew member when the flight crew member is seated in the cockpit. The CPU can communicate instructions to the infrared camera and infrared illuminators, receive image data captured by the infrared camera, and process the image data captured by the infrared camera in order to determine an alertness level of the flight crew member based on at least one biometric characteristic within the captured image data.

Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that a wheel of a main landing gear of the aircraft is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to monitor the landing gear.

Abstract: A method of monitoring an aircraft interior includes capturing an image using at least one camera mounted within the fuselage of the aircraft, the image being a captured image including individual image frames. The method further includes modifying the captured image and generating an optimized image using an image processing module, detecting an animate object within the optimized image and identifying features of the animate object using an object detection module, and displaying the optimized using a display module.

Abstract: A vision-based aircraft cabin light monitoring/control system is used to maintain the light intensity level within the aircraft cabin at a desired level. The system uses video cameras to continuously monitor the ambient light entering the passenger cabin windows, analyzes the video stream/feed to identify the light intensity level within the cabin, identifies the window whose state should be controlled, and generates commands to control the window through central cabin controllers. The system further compensates for light sources internal to the cabin and monitors the phase of flight to ensure compliance to specific light conditions within the aircraft cabin.

Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that a ground surface is within the field of view of the camera during taxiing of the aircraft. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera for docking guidance by identifying, within the captured image data, a region on the ground surface corresponding to an alignment fiducial indicating a parking location for the aircraft, determining, based on the region of the captured image data corresponding to the alignment fiducial indicating the parking location, a relative location of the aircraft with respect to the alignment fiducial, and outputting an indication of the relative location of the aircraft to the alignment fiducial.

Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that an engine inlet of an engine of the aircraft is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to determine whether persons or foreign objects are present near the engine inlet, or detect damage or deformation of the engine inlet.

Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that a wheel of a main landing gear of the aircraft is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to monitor the landing gear.

Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that a jet bridge cabin is within the field of view of the camera when the aircraft is within a docking distance of the jet bridge cabin. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device.

Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that a leading edge of a wing of the aircraft is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to predict a likelihood of foreign object collision with the leading edge of the wing, or detect damage or deformation to the leading edge.

Abstract: A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that an evacuation slide deployment path is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to identify a region within the captured image data that corresponds to the evacuation slide deployment path, determine whether the evacuation slide deployment path will generate a failed deployment outcome, and produce a warning associated with the evacuation slide deployment path in response to determining that the evacuation slide deployment path will generate the failed deployment outcome.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to ranging object(s) nearby an aircraft using triangulation. A light projector mounted at a projector location on the aircraft projects pulses of polarized light onto the scene external to the aircraft. The projected pulses of polarized light are polarized in a first polarization state. A camera mounted at a camera location on the aircraft has a shutter synchronized to the projector output pulse and receives a portion of the projected pulses of polarized light reflected by the object(s) in the scene and polarized at a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. Location(s) and/or range(s) of the object(s) is calculated, based on the projector location, the camera location, and pixel location(s) upon which the portion of light is imaged.

Abstract: A method of monitoring an aircraft interior includes capturing an image using at least one camera mounted within the fuselage of the aircraft, the image being a captured image including individual image frames. The method further includes modifying the captured image and generating an optimized image using an image processing module, detecting an animate object within the optimized image and identifying features of the animate object using an object detection module, and displaying the optimized using a display module.

Abstract: A system includes at least one light projector, at least one image sensor, and at least one controller. The at least one light projector is attachable to an aircraft at a first location. The at least one light projector is configured to emit a first beam of light in a first direction at a first intensity. The at least one image sensor is attachable to the aircraft at a second location. The at least one image sensor is configured to capture a first image of a scene including reflections of the first beam of light and a second image of the scene without the at least one projector emitting a beam of light. The at least one controller is configured to determine a maximum detection range of the first beam of light based upon the light intensity of the light beam, the first location, and the second location.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to ranging object(s) nearby an aircraft using triangulation. A light projector mounted at a projector location on the aircraft projects pulses of polarized light onto the scene external to the aircraft. The projected pulses of polarized light are polarized in a first polarization state. A camera mounted at a camera location on the aircraft has a shutter synchronized to the projector output pulse and receives a portion of the projected pulses of polarized light reflected by the object(s) in the scene and polarized at a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. Location(s) and/or range(s) of the object(s) is calculated, based on the projector location, the camera location, and pixel location(s) upon which the portion of light is imaged.

Abstract: A system includes a camera mounted on an aircraft, one or more processors, and computer readable memory, for determining a location of an aircraft relative to fiducial markings of airport byways. The method includes the steps of capturing, by a camera disposed on the aircraft, a time-sequence of images of a scene external to the aircraft, wherein the scene includes the byways and the fiducial markings; identifying, by image processing circuitry, pixel coordinates within each of the time sequence of captured images corresponding to the fiducial markings; and determining, by the image processing circuitry, the location of the aircraft relative to the fiducial markings based on the identified pixel coordinates.

Abstract: A system includes a first smart sensor, a second smart sensor, and at least one image processor. The first smart sensor is configured to sense light in a forward direction and to capture an image during a first time period. The second sensor is configured to sense light in the forward direction and to capture a second image during the first time period. The at least one image processor is configured to identify at least one object in the first and second image, to determine a first size of the at least one object in the first image and a second size of the at least one object in the second image, and to determine a distance of the at least one object from the aircraft based upon the first size and the second size.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to ranging an object nearby an aircraft by triangulation using two simultaneously-captured images of the object. The two images are simultaneously captured from two distinct vantage points on the aircraft. Because the two images are captured from distinct vantage points, the object can be imaged at different pixel-coordinate locations in the two images. The two images are correlated with one another so as to determine the pixel-coordinate locations corresponding to the object. Range to the object is calculated based on the determined pixel-coordinate locations and the two vantage points from which the two images are captured. Only a subset of each image is used for the correlation. The subset used for correlation includes pixel data from pixels upon which spatially-patterned light that is projected onto the object by a light projector and reflected by the object.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to rendering an image of objects in a region of an airport taxiway. The image is rendered from data provided by multiple sources. Three-dimensional models of static airport structures located within the region of an airport taxiway are provided. Rendered image data of the region of the airport taxiway if formed based on the retrieved three-dimensional models of the static airport structures. Data indicative of locations of dynamic objects within the region of the airport taxiway is also provided. Symbols identifying the dynamic objects within the region of the airport taxiway are mapped into the rendered image data at the locations indicated by the provided data. The rendered image data is sent to a display device configured to display the rendered image data.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to ranging object(s) nearby an aircraft using triangulation of pulses of linearly-patterned light projected upon and reflected by the object(s). A light projector projects the pulses of linearly-patterned light in a controllable direction onto the scene external to the aircraft. A reflected portion of the projected pulses is focused onto a selected row or column of light-sensitive pixels of a two-dimensional array, thereby forming a row or column of image data. The direction of projected light and the row or column of pixels selected are coordinated so that the portion of the projected pulses reflected by the scene is received by the camera and focused on the selected one of the rows or columns of light-sensitive pixels. Location(s) and/or range(s) of object(s) in the scene are calculated, based on a projector location, a camera location, and the row or column of image data.