Emergency autoload system
First Claim
1. An aircraft Autoland device comprising:
- a memory operable to store one or more modules, terrain data including at least one terrain characteristic, and obstacle data including at least one obstacle characteristic; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the processor to;
identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft, each of the plurality of destinations having at least one attribute;
calculate a merit for each of the plurality of potential destinations based on the at least one attribute;
select a destination based upon the merit;
receive at least one of terrain data or obstacle data;
create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the selected destination, the route accounting for the at least one of the at least one terrain characteristic or the at least one obstacle characteristic;
cause the aircraft to traverse the route; and
cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Autoland systems and processes for landing an aircraft without pilot intervention are described. In implementations, the autoland system includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft. The processor can also calculate a merit for each potential destination identified, select a destination based upon the merit; receive terrain data and/or obstacle data, the including terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s); and create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the destination, the route accounting for the terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s). The processor can also cause the aircraft to traverse the route, and cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention.
26 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. An aircraft Autoland device comprising:
-
a memory operable to store one or more modules, terrain data including at least one terrain characteristic, and obstacle data including at least one obstacle characteristic; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the processor to; identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft, each of the plurality of destinations having at least one attribute; calculate a merit for each of the plurality of potential destinations based on the at least one attribute; select a destination based upon the merit; receive at least one of terrain data or obstacle data; create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the selected destination, the route accounting for the at least one of the at least one terrain characteristic or the at least one obstacle characteristic; cause the aircraft to traverse the route; and cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An aircraft autoland system comprising:
-
a memory operable to store one or more modules, terrain data including at least one terrain characteristic, and obstacle data including at least one obstacle characteristic; and a processor coupled to the memory and operably coupled to at least one of an engine of an aircraft, a braking system of the aircraft, or an aerodynamic control of the aircraft, the processor operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the processor to; identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft, each of the plurality of destinations having at least one attribute; calculate a merit for each of the plurality of potential destinations based on the at least one attribute; select a destination based upon the merit; receive at least one of terrain data or obstacle data; create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the selected destination, the route accounting for the at least one of the at least one terrain characteristic or the at least one obstacle characteristic; cause the aircraft to traverse the route by actuating at least one of the engine or the aerodynamic control in accordance with the route; and cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A process for autolanding an aircraft:
-
identifying a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft, each of the plurality of destinations having at least one attribute; calculating a merit for each of the plurality of potential destinations based on the at least one attribute; selecting a destination based upon the merit; receiving at least one of terrain data or obstacle data, the terrain data including at least one terrain characteristic and the obstacle data including at least one obstacle characteristic; creating a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the selected destination, the route accounting for the at least one of the at least one terrain characteristic or the at least one obstacle characteristic; causing the aircraft to traverse the route; and causing the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
Specification