Comprehensive flight planning tool for a mobile device

• US 10,068,487 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association
• Original Assignee: Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association
• Inventors: Shorter, Jr., Douglas Nolen, Hamilton, John Dennis, Ocasek, Kimberly Lynn, Rush, Eric John, Tenberg, Brian Michael, Whitehouse, John Vance, Krilov, Sergey
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US14/929,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20160125742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

a mobile application is disclosed for providing a flight planning tool on a client device. The mobile application may include a data input module configured to receive, via interface hardware on the client device, a selection of one of a plurality of selectable tools. The mobile application may further include a graphics module configured to display, via the interface hardware, a user interface associated with the selection. The mobile application may further include a flight planning communication module configured transmit a request for information associated with the selection, via an API, to a flight planning system, and receive, from the flight planning system via the API, responsive information that fulfills the request, wherein the responsive information was generated by the flight planning system based on information from a third-party device.

Claims

1. A mobile application for providing a flight planning tool on a client device, comprising:

a data input module configured to receive, via interface hardware on the client device, a selection of one of a plurality of selectable tools included in a first user interface, wherein the plurality of selectable tools in the first interface include a flight planning tool, a weather tool, and an airport tool;

a graphics module configured to display, via the interface hardware, a second user interface associated with the tool corresponding to the selection received via the first user interface; and

a flight planning communication module configured to;

transmit a request for information associated with the tool selection received via the first user interface, via an Application Program interface (API), to a flight planning system;

receive, from the flight planning system via the API, responsive information that fulfills the request, wherein the responsive information was generated by the flight planning system based on information from a third-party device;

transmit, via the API, an aviation flight plan generated using the flight planning tool based on the responsive information generated by the flight planning system, the flight plan being configured for display via the interface hardware; and

transmit the flight plan via the API to an official organization for filing.

2. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the the official organization is a governmental or intergovernmental agency.

3. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the official organization is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

4. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable tools includes an airports tool having an airports directory that lists a plurality of airports, wherein the airports directory includes one or more of a runway diagram, an airport procedure, available fuel, or a runway length associated with each of the plurality of airports.

5. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable tools includes a weather tool configured to display weather information based on user-provided criteria.

6. The mobile application of claim 5, wherein the weather tool includes a plurality of selectable weather forecasts, each being associated with one or more of a country, a state, a region, an ocean, a data type, and an airport.

7. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the flight planning tool is configured to show a plurality of available flight plans or flight routes.

8. The mobile application of claim 7, wherein the plurality of available flight plans or flight routes includes flight plans or flight routes generated by the flight planning system.

9. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the flight planning tool is configured to allow a user to create a flight plan, modify an existing flight plan, or recall a saved flight plan, and file a flight plan with the official organization via the flight planning system.

10. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the mobile application is one of a web-based application configured to be accessed via the client device and a self-contained application configured to be stored on the client device.

11. A method of planning a flight, comprising:

receiving, via interface hardware on a client device, a tool selection of one of a plurality of selectable tools included in a first user interface provided via the interface hardware, wherein the plurality of selectable tools in the first interface include a flight planning tool, a weather tool, and an airport tool;

displaying, via the interface hardware, a second user interface associated with the tool corresponding to the selection received via the first user interface;

transmitting a request for information associated with the tool selection received via the first interface, via an API, to a flight planning system;

receiving, from the flight planning system via the API, responsive information that fulfills the request, wherein the responsive information was generated by the flight planning system based on the request and information from a third-party device;

transmitting, via the API, an aviation flight plan generated using the flight planning tool based on the responsive information generated by the flight planning system, the flight plan being configured for display via the interface hardware; and

transmitting the flight plan via the API to an official organization for filing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the official organization is a governmental or intergovernmental agency.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the official organization is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

14. The method of claim 11, further including displaying, on the user interface an airports tool having an airports directory that lists a plurality of airports, wherein the airports directory includes one or more of a runway diagram, an airport procedure, available fuel, or a runway length associated with one or more of the plurality of airports associated with the airports directory.

15. The method of claim 11, further including displaying, on the user interface, in response to the tool selection, a weather tool configured to display weather information based on user-provided criteria.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the weather tool is configured to display a plurality of weather forecasts is associated with one or more of a country, state, a region, an ocean, a data type, and an airport of a plurality of airports in an airports directory provided by the airports tool.

17. The method of claim 11, further including:

displaying on the client device, in response to the tool selection, a plurality of selectable flight routes, waypoints, or flight plans from the flight planning system in conjunction with the flight planning tool.

18. The method of claim 11, further including receiving, via the interface hardware on the client device, one of a request to create a flight plan, a request to modify an existing flight plan, or a request to recall a saved flight plan, and a request to file the flight plan with the official organization via the flight planning system.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the tool selection is received via one of a web-based application accessed via the client device and a self-contained application stored on the client device.

20. A flight planning tool, comprising:

a flight planning system having an Application Program Interface (API);

a third party device configured to communicate information with the flight planning system via the API;

a client device having interface hardware and configured to communicate with the flight planning system and the third party device; and

a mobile application configured to be accessible via the client device, wherein the mobile application is one of a web-based application and a self-contained application stored on the client device, the mobile application including;

a data input module configured to receive, via interface hardware, a selection of one of a plurality of selectable tools included in a first user interface, wherein the plurality of selectable tools in the first interface include a flight planning tool, a weather tool, and an airport tool;

a graphics module configured to display, via the interface hardware, a second user interface associated with the tool corresponding to the selection received via the first user interface; and

a flight planning communication module configured to;

transmit a request for information associated with the tool selection received via the first user interface, via an Application Program interface (API), to a flight planning system;

receive, from the flight planning system via the API, responsive information that fulfills the request, wherein the responsive information was generated by the flight planning system based on information from a third-party device;

transmit, via the API, an aviation flight plan generated using the flight planning tool based on the responsive information generated by the flight planning system, the flight plan being configured for display via the interface hardware; and

transmit the flight plan via the API to an official organization for filing.