Navigation chart information generating and presenting system, device, and method

• US 10,061,480 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: McCusker, Patrick D., Barber, Sarah, Schultz, Bryan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Klicos, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US14/811,115
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A system, device, and method for generating and presenting navigation chart information are disclosed. The navigation chart information presenting system may include a display system comprised of one or more display units receiving image data set representative of an image of navigation chart information from an image generator (IG). The IG may be configured to acquire navigation chart data and generate the image data set as a function of the navigation chart data. The navigation chart data could be representative of a plurality of sections shown in a first visual format of a navigation chart, where each section of the plurality of sections is comprised of a plurality of feature names and feature information associated with one of the plurality of feature names. The image data set could be representative of a plurality of page images comprised of at least a portion of the navigation chart information.

Claims

1. A system for presenting navigation chart information, comprising:

a first source of data comprised of a source of instrument approach procedure (IAP) chart data representative of a plurality of IAP charts, where

each IAP chart includes predefined IAP feature information for each IAP feature of a plurality of IAP features appearing in a plurality of sections on one page including a plan view section presenting a lateral pictorial of a flight path and a profile view section presenting a vertical pictorial of the flight path, where

the predefined IAP feature information of a first portion of the plurality of IAP features is repeated in more than one section;

a second source of data comprised of an aircraft-installed source of navigation data including a flight management system, where

the navigation data is representative of real-time IAP feature information of a second portion of the plurality of IAP features;

an image generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code and configured to;

acquire IAP chart data of one IAP chart while in flight from the first source;

acquire navigation data while in flight from the second source;

determine whether there is least one mismatch between the real-time IAP feature information and the predefined IAP feature information of the second portion;

generate an image data set as a function of the acquired IAP chart data and the acquired navigation data, where

the image data set is representative of a plurality of page images comprised of the plurality of IAP features divided among the plurality of page images, where

a pilot controls which one page image of the plurality of page images is presented,

each real-time IAP feature information is presented in a row with one predefined IAP feature information of the same IAP feature of the second portion,

each real-time IAP feature information and each predefined IAP feature of the second portion are presented only once in the plurality of page images,

each IAP feature and predefined IAP feature information is presented in a first visual format,

each real-time IAP feature information for which there is no mismatch is presented in a second visual format,

each real-time IAP feature information for which there is mismatch is presented in a third visual format, and

the lateral and vertical pictorials of the flight path are excluded from the plurality of page images;

provide the image data set to an aircraft-installed display unit; and

the aircraft-installed display unit configured to receive the image data set and present an image represented therein, whereby

an amount of the plurality of predefined IAP features presented on any one page image of the plurality of page images is less than an amount of predefined IAP features presented in the one IAP chart,

the repetitiveness of the predefined IAP feature information of the first portion is eliminated, and

the real-time IAP feature information provides visual redundancy for the predefined IAP feature information of the second portion to enable the pilot'"'"'s ability to visually recognize mismatched IAP feature information while performing the IAP in preparation of landing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image data set is further comprised of a pattern of graphical user interfaces through which the pilot controls which one page image of the plurality of page images is presented.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the pattern of graphical user interfaces is presented as tabs contiguous with the one page image of the plurality of page images being presented.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each row in which each real-time IAP feature information is presented with one predefined IAP feature information is part of a tabular format comprised of a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein

each one of the plurality of cells is formed by an intersection of one column of the plurality of columns and one row of the plurality of rows,

each cell of a first column is populated with a name of one IAP feature, and

each cell of a second column is populated with the feature information of the one IAP feature.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein

the aircraft-installed source of navigation data further includes at least one of a datalink and pilot input device, where

the navigation data is further representative of at least one inoperable IAP feature;

and

the image generator is further configured to;

determine an effect on at least one predefined IAP feature information as a function of the at least one inoperable IAP feature, such that

at least the determined effect on the at least one predefined IAP feature information is presented in a fourth visual format in lieu of the first visual format, thereby

enabling the pilot'"'"'s ability to visually recognize an existence of the at least one inoperable IAP feature and the effect on at least one predefined IAP feature information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein

at least one inoperable IAP feature represented in the navigation data is provided in a Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), such that

a link to the NOTAM is presented in a row with the inoperable IAP feature of the NOTAM.

8. A device for generating navigation chart information, comprising:

an image generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code and configured to;

acquire instrument approach procedure (IAP) chart data of one IAP chart while in flight from a source of IAP chart data representative of a plurality of IAP charts, where

each IAP chart includes predefined IAP feature information for each IAP feature of a plurality of IAP features appearing in a plurality of sections on one page including a plan view section presenting a lateral pictorial of a flight path and a profile view section presenting a vertical pictorial of the flight path, where

the predefined IAP feature information of a first portion of the plurality of IAP features is repeated in more than one section;

acquire navigation data while in flight from an aircraft-installed source of navigation data including a flight management system, where

the navigation data is representative of real-time IAP feature information of a second portion of the plurality of IAP features;

determine whether there is least one mismatch between the real-time IAP feature information and the predefined IAP feature information of the second portion;

generate an image data set as a function of the acquired IAP chart data and the acquired navigation data, where

the image data set is representative of a plurality of page images comprised of the plurality of IAP features divided among the plurality of page images, where

a pilot controls which one page image of the plurality of page images is presented,

each real-time IAP feature information is presented in a row with one predefined IAP feature information of the same IAP feature of the second portion,

each real-time IAP feature information and each predefined IAP feature of the second portion are presented only once in the plurality of page images,

each IAP feature and predefined IAP feature information is presented in a first visual format,

each real-time IAP feature information for which there is no mismatch is presented in a second visual format,

each real-time IAP feature information for which there is mismatch is presented in a third visual format, and

the lateral and vertical pictorials of the flight path are excluded from the plurality of page images; and

provide the image data set to an aircraft-installed display unit, whereby

an amount of the plurality of predefined IAP features presented on any one page image of the plurality of page images is less than an amount of predefined IAP features presented in the one IAP chart,

the repetitiveness of the predefined IAP feature information of the first portion is eliminated, and

the real-time IAP feature information provides visual redundancy for the predefined IAP feature information of the second portion to enable the pilot'"'"'s ability to visually recognize mismatched IAP feature information while performing the IAP in preparation of landing.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the image data set is further comprised of a pattern of graphical user interfaces through which the pilot controls which one page image of the plurality of page images is presented.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the pattern of graphical user interfaces is presented as tabs contiguous with the one page image of the plurality of page images being presented.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein each row in which each real-time IAP feature information is presented with one predefined IAP feature information is part of a tabular format comprised of a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein

each one of the plurality of cells is formed by an intersection of one column of the plurality of columns and one row of the plurality of rows,

each cell of a first column is populated with a name of one IAP feature, and

each cell of a second column is populated with the feature information of the one IAP feature.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein

the image generator is further configured to:

determine an effect on at least one predefined IAP feature information as a function of at least one inoperable IAP feature of which the navigation data is further representative, such that

at least the determined effect on the at least one predefined IAP feature information is presented in a fourth visual format in lieu of the first visual format, thereby

enabling the pilot'"'"'s ability to visually recognize an existence of the at least one inoperable IAP feature and the effect on at least one predefined IAP feature information.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein

at least one inoperable IAP feature represented in the navigation data is provided in a Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), such that

a link to the NOTAM is presented in a row with the inoperable IAP feature of the NOTAM.

15. A method for generating navigation chart information, comprising:

acquiring, by at least one processor executing processor-executable code, instrument approach procedure (IAP) chart data of one IAP chart while in flight from a source of IAP chart data representative of a plurality of IAP charts, where

each IAP chart includes predefined IAP feature information for each IAP feature of a plurality of IAP features appearing in a plurality of sections on one page including a plan view section presenting a lateral pictorial of a flight path and a profile view section presenting a vertical pictorial of the flight path, where

the predefined IAP feature information of a first portion of the plurality of IAP features is repeated in more than one section;

acquiring navigation data while in flight from an aircraft-installed source of navigation data including a flight management system, where

the navigation data is representative of real-time IAP feature information of a second portion of the plurality of IAP features;

determining whether there is least one mismatch between the real-time IAP feature information and the predefined IAP feature information of the second portion;

generating an image data set as a function of the acquired IAP chart data and the acquired navigation data, where

the image data set is representative of a plurality of page images comprised of the plurality of IAP features divided among the plurality of page images, where

a pilot controls which one page image of the plurality of page images is presented,

each real-time IAP feature information is presented in a row with one predefined IAP feature information of the same IAP feature of the second portion,

each real-time IAP feature information and each predefined IAP feature of the second portion are presented only once in the plurality of page images,

each IAP feature and predefined IAP feature information is presented in a first visual format,

each real-time IAP feature information for which there is no mismatch is presented in a second visual format,

each real-time IAP feature information for which there is mismatch is presented in a third visual format, and

the lateral and vertical pictorials of the flight path are excluded from the plurality of page images; and

providing the image data set to an aircraft-installed display unit, whereby

an amount of the plurality of predefined IAP features presented on any one page image of the plurality of page images is less than an amount of predefined IAP features presented in the one IAP chart,

the repetitiveness of the predefined IAP feature information of the first portion is eliminated, and

the real-time IAP feature information provides visual redundancy for the predefined IAP feature information of the second portion to enable the pilot'"'"'s ability to visually recognize mismatched IAP feature information while performing the IAP in preparation of landing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the image data set is further comprised of a pattern of graphical user interfaces through which the pilot controls which one page image of the plurality of page images is presented.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the pattern of graphical user interfaces is presented as tabs contiguous with the one page image of the plurality of page images being presented.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein

each row in which each real-time IAP feature information is presented with one predefined IAP feature information is part of a tabular format comprised of a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, where

each one of the plurality of cells is formed by an intersection of one column of the plurality of columns and one row of the plurality of rows,

each cell of a first column is populated with a name of one IAP feature, and

each cell of a second column is populated with the feature information of the one IAP feature.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining an effect on at least one predefined IAP feature information as a function of at least one inoperable IAP feature of which the navigation data is further representative, such that

at least the determined effect on the at least one predefined IAP feature information is presented in a fourth visual format in lieu of the first visual format, thereby

enabling the pilot'"'"'s ability to visually recognize an existence of the at least one inoperable IAP feature and the effect on at least one predefined IAP feature information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

at least one inoperable IAP feature represented in the navigation data is provided in a Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), such that

a link to the NOTAM is presented in a row with the inoperable IAP feature of the NOTAM.