How Aircraft Automatically Adjust Exterior Lights Using Computer Vision
An automated system for airplanes that turns on landing and taxi lights based on altitude and uses AI to adjust brightness depending on real-time visibility conditions.
Original patent title: “Automated pilot visibility lights”
An automated system for airplanes that turns on landing and taxi lights based on altitude and uses AI to adjust brightness depending on real-time visibility conditions. Granted to Goodrich Corp in 2024 with 21 claims and 1 forward citation.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system that manages an aircraft's exterior lights, such as landing or taxi lights, without requiring a pilot to flip switches. It uses a controller to monitor the plane's altitude; once the plane is below a certain height, the system automatically activates the lights. To ensure the lights are effective, the system captures images from exterior cameras and feeds them into a trained machine learning model. This model classifies the current visibility (e.g., fog, rain, or clear) and automatically adjusts the intensity of the light output to maximize visibility for the pilot.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover manual control of lights by a pilot.
- Does not cover systems that rely solely on GPS or weather station data without using image classification.
- Does not cover lighting systems that only toggle on/off without adjusting the magnitude of the light output.
- Does not cover interior cabin or cockpit lighting.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system uses a 'max-magnitude' logic: if the AI processes multiple images, it automatically selects the visibility classification that results in the brightest light output, ensuring the pilot always has the best possible view.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Automated landing light activation during final approach
Dynamic taxi light dimming or brightening based on runway fog density
Runway turnoff light adjustment during low-visibility ground operations
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Managing aircraft lighting during taxiing and takeoff is a routine but critical task that can distract pilots during high-workload phases of flight. By automating this, the system reduces human error and ensures optimal lighting conditions in varying weather, which is essential for safety on busy runways and during low-visibility operations.
Filed
March 30, 2022
Granted
March 5, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Goodrich Corp (a subsidiary of Collins Aerospace/RTX) is the primary assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →. Major aerospace manufacturers and avionics suppliers like Honeywell and Garmin are actively integrating similar computer vision and automated flight deck systems to reduce pilot workload.
Market impact
This patent represents a shift toward 'smart' avionics where sensor-driven AI replaces manual checklists. It enables manufacturers to offer advanced safety features that comply with increasing automation requirements in modern commercial and regional aircraft.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system that manages an aircraft's exterior lights, such as landing or taxi lights, without requiring a pilot to flip switches. It uses a controller to monitor the plane's altitude; once the plane is below a certain height, the system automatically activates the lights. To ensure the lights are effective, the system captures images from exterior cameras and feeds them into a trained machine learning model. This model classifies the current visibility (e.g., fog, rain, or clear) and automatically adjusts the intensity of the light output to maximize visibility for the pilot.
The clever bit
The system uses a 'max-magnitude' logic: if the AI processes multiple images, it automatically selects the visibility classification that results in the brightest light output, ensuring the pilot always has the best possible view.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover manual control of lights by a pilot.
- Does not cover systems that rely solely on GPS or weather station data without using image classification.
- Does not cover lighting systems that only toggle on/off without adjusting the magnitude of the light output.
- Does not cover interior cabin or cockpit lighting.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
14/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$42K – $135K
Midpoint $84K · 15.8 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
21 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Pendeyala, A. R., & Chunchu, B. (2024). How Aircraft Automatically Adjust Exterior Lights Using Computer Vision (U.S. Patent No. 11,919,658). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11919658/starship-payload-bay
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Aircraft Automatically Adjust Exterior Lights Using Computer Vision cover?
An automated system for airplanes that turns on landing and taxi lights based on altitude and uses AI to adjust brightness depending on real-time visibility conditions.
Who owns patent US 11919658?
Goodrich Corp owns this patent, granted in 2024.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 5, 2044, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11919658 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Managing aircraft lighting during taxiing and takeoff is a routine but critical task that can distract pilots during high-workload phases of flight. By automating this, the system reduces human error and ensures optimal lighting conditions in varying weather, which is essential for safety on busy runways and during low-visibility operations.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover manual control of lights by a pilot.
Patent monitoring