Low altitude aircraft identification system
Example implementations associated with the aspects of the present invention include a low altitude aircraft identification system composed by three components: a small aircraft electronic identification box with an embedded logger, a ground identification equipment to automatically identify the aircraft just pointing at it, and an identification code database. The identification code can be transmitted by a visible light color sequence or by a radio frequency signal. The ground identification device is capable of recognizing both kinds of code.
1. A device configured to communicate identification information associated with low-altitude aircraft, the device comprising:
one or more light arrays each including color light emitters that generate a defined color sequence in response to an instruction received from a light controller configured to control the color light emitters, wherein the one or more light arrays are coupled to the low-altitude aircraft;
a radio frequency communication antenna coupled to a radio communication module that transmits information associated with the low-altitude aircraft through a transmitted radio signal, wherein the radio communication module is configured to receive a received radio signal and store the information in a storage, wherein the radio frequency communication antenna is coupled to the low-altitude aircraft and the radio communication module is configured to utilize a secure identifier, and the radio communication module is configured for two-way communication;
a light detection sensor coupled to a light receiver module configured to detect external excitation of the color light emitters based on a light beam with a wavelength and an intensity; and
a location module configured to log a flight path in the storage and transmit positioning data, wherein the location module is coupled to a location system antenna, and the device is coupled to the low-altitude aircraft and configured to utilize the secure identifier.
2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an external power connector configured to recharge an internal power storage and supply power to all internal and external components.
3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing that protects the device against impact and weather, wherein the light detection sensor is attached to the low-altitude aircraft, and the secure identifier associated with the communication module and the location module comprises a rotating Service Set Identifier (SSID) attached to the header of packets sent over a wireless local-area network.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the color sequence identifies an identification (ID) code using a visible light sequence.
5. The device of claim 1 , where the color sequence comprises a sequence of different colors in a loop.
6. The device of claim 1 , where the color sequence comprises one or more colors with different blink times.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the light emitters comprises one or more of LEDs, OLEDs, quantum dots, light bulbs and laser beams, and the color sequence includes infrared light.
8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an external light detection sensor.
9. The device of claim 1 , where the information is transmitted together with the identification information of the low-altitude aircraft, and the information is transmitted by the communication module via at least one of cellular, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, near field communication (NFC), or Bluetooth connection.
10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a location receiver.
11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a GPS receiver.
12. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a cellular network modem.
13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless data link.
14. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a defined light beam emitter.
15. A device configured to communicate with low-altitude aircraft, the device being remote from the low-altitude aircraft, the device comprising:
an image capture device configured to receive one or more images associated with a plurality of colors of light emitted from the low-altitude aircraft as detected by the image capture device;
an image processing module coupled to image capture device and configured to analyze the one or more images;
a user interface configured to receive a command from a user and provide information to the user associated with the low-altitude aircraft, wherein a request is provided to a server to obtain the information associated with the low-flying aircraft;
a location module configured to determine a position of the low-altitude aircraft, including by identifying a detected ID and a location position, wherein the location module utilizes a secure identifier and is configured to transmit instructions to a server via a data communication antenna connected to a data communication module;
the data communication module configured to utilize the secure identifier, and is configured for two-way communication with the low-altitude aircraft; and
a light beam emitter configured to activate a sensor coupled to the low-altitude aircraft, and to provide light beam information to the sensor coupled to the low-altitude aircraft.
16. The device of claim 15 , where a code is received at the data communication module via a signal transmitted from the low-altitude aircraft.
17. The device of claim 15 , where extra data is transmitted together with an ID comprising the information, wherein the extra data is transmitted using at least one of cellular, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, near field communication (NFC), or Bluetooth connection.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein a defined wavelength is detected, and an intensity light beam is generated to change the extra data transmitted.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the low-altitude aircraft detects a defined light beam generated by the device.
20. A system for communicating identification information associated with low-altitude aircraft with a device being remote from the low-altitude aircraft, the system comprising:
an identification box attached to the low-altitude aircraft comprising:
one or more light arrays each including color light emitters that generate a defined color sequence in response to an instruction received from a light controller configured to control the color light emitters;
a radio antenna coupled to a radio communication module configured to transmit information associated with the low-altitude aircraft via a radio signal, and the radio communication module is configured to receive a received radio signal and store the information in a storage;
a light detection sensor coupled to a light receiver module configured to detect external excitation of the color emitters based on a light beam with a wavelength and an intensity;
a location module configured to log a flight path in the storage, and to transmit positioning data by the RF module together with the information, wherein the location module is coupled to a location system antenna, and the location module is configured to utilize a rotating secure identifier; and
a device being remote from the low-altitude aircraft comprising:
an image capture device configured to receive one or more images associated with a plurality of colors emitted from the low-altitude aircraft as detected by the image capture device;
an image processing module coupled to the image capture device and configured to analyze the one or more images, to detect that the identification box blinks and to capture the blink sequence;
a user interface configured to receive a command from a user and provide information to the user associated with the low-altitude aircraft, wherein a request is provided to a server to obtain the information associated with the low-flying aircraft;
a location module configured to determine a position of the low-altitude aircraft, including by identifying a detected ID and a location position, wherein the location module utilizes a secure identifier and is configured to transmit instructions to a server via a data communication antenna coupled to a data communication module;
the data communication module configured to utilize the secure identifier, and is configured for two-way communication with the low-altitude aircraft; and
a light beam emitter configured to activate the light detection sensor coupled to the low-altitude aircraft, and to provide light beam information to the light detection sensor coupled to the low-altitude aircraft.