Aircraft exterior anti-collision light system, aircraft, and method of operating an exterior anti-collision light system
An aircraft exterior anti-collision light system includes a plurality of anti-collision lights and a bus, wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is coupled to the bus. Each of the plurality of anti-collision lights comprises at least one light source and is configured to emit a sequence of light flashes (R, W). Each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to carry out an initialization routine in response to an activation command. Each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to transmit an activation status message on the bus, after the initialization routine has been carried out. Each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to listen on the bus for activation status messages and to log activation status messages received on the bus. Each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to set a timing of (R, W) depending on the activation status messages.
1. Aircraft exterior anti-collision light system, comprising:
a plurality of anti-collision lights; and
a bus;
wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is coupled to the bus;
wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights comprises at least one light source and is configured to emit a sequence of light flashes (R, W);
wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to carry out an initialization routine in response to an activation command;
wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to transmit an activation status message on the bus, after the initialization routine has been carried out;
wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to listen on the bus for activation status messages and to log activation status messages received on the bus;
wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to set a timing of the sequence of light flashes (R, W) depending on the activation status messages received on the bus.
2. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to start the sequence of light flashes (R, W) a pre-set time period after the last one of respective activation status messages have been received from a predefined set of the plurality of anti-collision lights.
3. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anti-collision lights comprise a plurality of red-flashing beacon lights and/or a plurality of white strobe anti-collision lights.
4. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 1 , comprising
a first group of anti-collision lights, and
a second group of anti-collision lights,
wherein each of the first group of anti-collision lights is configured to start the sequence of light flashes (R, W) a pre-set first time period (T 1 ) after the last one of respective activation status messages have been received from the first group of anti-collision lights; and
wherein each of the second group of anti-collision lights is configured to start the sequence of light flashes (R, W) a pre-set second time period (T 2 ) after the last one of respective activation status messages have been received from the second group of anti-collision lights.
5. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 4 , wherein each of the first group of anti-collision lights is configured to re-start the sequence of light flashes (R, W) the pre-set first time period (T 1 ) after the last one of respective activation status messages have been received from the second group of anti-collision lights.
6. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 4 , wherein the anti-collision lights of the first and second groups are configured to emit the respective sequences of light flashes (R, W) with the same frequency,
wherein a difference (ΔT) between the pre-set first time period (T 1 ) and the pre-set second time period (T 2 ) is in the range between 25% and 75% of a time interval (T flash ) between successive light flashes (R, W), and
wherein the difference (ΔT) between the pre-set first time period (T 1 ) and the pre-set second time period (T 2 ) is between 25% and 75% of the time interval (T flash ) between successive light flashes (R, W).
7. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first group of anti-collision lights comprises a plurality of red flashing beacon lights, in particular an upper beacon light, which is to be installed in an upper portion of an aircraft, and a lower beacon light, which is to be installed in a lower portion of an aircraft;
or
wherein the second group of anti-collision lights comprises a plurality of white strobe anti-collision lights, in particular a left wing white strobe anti-collision light, a right wing white strobe anti-collision light, and a tail white strobe anti-collision light.
8. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to emit the sequence of light flashes (R, W) with a flash frequency (f flash ) in a range of between 45 flashes and 90 flashes per minute.
9. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 8 , wherein the flash frequency (f flash ) is in the range of between 55 flashes and 65 flashes per minute.
10. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 1 , wherein the bus has a bus clock signal and wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights is configured to track the bus clock signal and to use said bus clock signal for maintaining a constant flash frequency (f flash ) for the sequence of light flashes (R, W).
11. The aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of anti-collision lights comprises a timer circuit and is configured to use said timer circuit for maintaining a constant flash frequency (f flash ) for the sequence of light flashes (R, W).
12. An aircraft comprising:
an aircraft exterior anti-collision light system according to claim 1 .
13. A method of operating an aircraft exterior anti-collision light system, comprising a plurality of anti-collision lights that are coupled to a common bus, wherein the method includes for each of the plurality of anti-collision lights:
carrying out an initialization routine in response to an activation command;
transmitting an activation status message on the bus, after the initialization routine has been carried out;
listening on the bus for activation status messages and logging activation status messages received on the bus; and
emitting a sequence of light flashes (R, W), with a timing of the sequence of light flashes (R, W) being set depending on the activation status messages received on the bus.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said emitting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) includes starting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) a pre-set time period (T 1 , T 2 ) after the last one of respective activation status messages have been received from a predefined set of the plurality of anti-collision lights.
15. The method according to claim 13 , further including:
issuing a first activation command to a first group of anti-collision lights, wherein the first group of anti-collision lights are in particular a plurality of red flashing beacon lights;
wherein, for each of the first group of anti-collision lights, said emitting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) includes:
starting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) a pre-set first time period (T 1 ) after the last one of respective activation status messages have been received from the first group of anti-collision lights.
16. The method according to claim 15 , further including:
issuing a second activation command to a second group of anti-collision lights, wherein the second group of anti-collision lights are in particular a plurality of white strobe anti-collision lights;
wherein, for each of the second group of anti-collision lights, said emitting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) includes starting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) a pre-set second time period (T 2 ) after the last one of respective activation status messages have been received from the second group of anti-collision lights;
wherein, for each of the first group of anti-collision lights, said emitting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) includes in particular re-starting the sequence of light flashes (R, W) the pre-set first time period (T 1 ) after the last one of respective activation status messages has been received from the second group of anti-collision lights.