US 11,754,484 B2
Optical air data system fusion with remote atmospheric sensing
Xiao Zhu Fan, Plymouth, MN (US); Timothy A. Peterson, Minneapolis, MN (US); Lee R. Wienkes, Minneapolis, MN (US); and Matthew Wiebold, Mankato, MN (US)
Assigned to Honeywell International Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Honeywell International Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/28,447.
Prior Publication US 2022/0091007 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 15/06 (2006.01); G01C 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 15/06 (2013.01) [G01C 23/00 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0693 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an optical air data system operative to measure aerosol and molecular scattering of light from an interrogation region using a first optical detector;
an optical instrument separate from the optical air data system, the optical instrument operative to measure aerosol and/or molecular scattering of light from the interrogation region using a second optical detector;
wherein the first optical detector and the second optical detector have overlapping fields of view of the interrogation region; and
a processor operative to receive data from the optical air data system and data from the optical instrument, wherein the processor is configured to perform a signal analysis and data fusion method, comprising:
determining an aerosol concentration, or presence thereof, in the interrogation region from the received data from the optical air data system and the optical instrument;
dynamically optimizing detector settings in the optical air data system by modulating the detector settings to enhance a signal level and avoid system saturation; and
outputting enhanced air data parameters.