Aircraft performance predictions

• US 10,121,384 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Hale, Ryan D., Bailey, Louis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US14/503,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20160093222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing aircraft flight information and flight plan information are described. Specific techniques are described for managing flight data in real time, sharing flight data between a plurality of systems, dynamically managing flight information, generating flight plan information, providing flight plan information to a user, and closing flight plan discontinuities.

Claims

1. A method of generating flight information messages, the method comprising:

accessing one or more flight objects on a computing device configured with an efficiency and operational flight object system, the one or more flight objects accessed via at least one network communicatively coupled to the computing device, the one or more flight objects associated with a planned flight;

extracting, by the efficiency and operational flight object system, flight information from the one or more flight objects, processing and rendering the extracted flight information for viewing, the extracted flight information comprising user notes;

receiving, via at least one input mechanism of the computing device, one or more filtering criteria pertaining to the planned flight;

determining, by the efficiency and operational flight object system, flight information pertaining to the planned flight and associated airspace environment information based on the filtering criteria and the extracted flight information;

generating, by the efficiency and operational flight object system, a forecast prediction for the planned flight based on the determined flight information;

generating, by the efficiency and operational flight object system, a probability distribution for the forecast prediction based on the determined flight information, wherein the probability distribution is indicative of an expected likelihood of the forecast prediction; and

generating, by the efficiency and operational flight object system, predictive flight information with the user notes and aircraft performance information using the generated probability distribution and the forecast prediction;

wherein the user notes are recorded according to a selected level of significance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight information further comprises one or more of flight history information, flight actuals, planned flight information, the user notes and advisory information;

current planned flight, flight history, flight events, predicted performance, weather, environmental conditions, or flight trajectory information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a time period for the flight information is selectable via at least one input mechanism of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the flight information includes real time, forecast and flight predicted environmental conditions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predictive flight information includes aircraft performance information and a probability distribution function.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, via at least one input mechanism of the computing device, changes to the one or more filtering criteria pertaining to the planned flight and updating the generated predictive flight information with the user notes and aircraft performance information in response to flight information changes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability distribution and forecast predictions are determined based on historical, real time and planned flight information, and business considerations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability distribution and forecast predictions includes one or more of predicted fuel at selected waypoints, and a probability of a hold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user notes are generated at least in part from predefined categories for common classifications of user notes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the forecast prediction for the planned flight comprises predicted flight predictions.

11. A computing device for managing flight information in real time, the device comprising at least one processor and memory, the memory having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least:

access one or more flight objects on a computing device configured with an efficiency and operational flight object system, the one or more flight objects accessed via at least one network communicatively coupled to the computing device, the one or more flight objects associated with a planned flight;

extract flight information from the one or more flight objects, the flight information comprising user notes wherein the user notes are generated at least in part from predefined categories for common classifications of user notes;

process and render the extracted flight information for viewing;

receive, via at least one input mechanism of the computing device, one or more filtering criteria pertaining to the planned flight;

determine the planned flight and associated airspace environment information based on the one or more filtering criteria and the flight information;

generate a forecast prediction for the planned flight based on the determined planned flight and associated airspace environment information;

generate a probability value for the forecast prediction based on the determined planned flight and associated airspace environment information, wherein the probability value is indicative of an expected likelihood of the forecast predictions; and

generate predictive flight information using the user notes, aircraft performance information, and using the generated probability value and forecast prediction;

wherein the user notes are recorded according to a selected level of significance.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the flight information further comprises real time information and flight history information.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the flight information further comprises flight plan and advisory information.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the flight information further comprises one or more of planned flight, flight history, flight events, predicted performance, weather, environmental conditions, or flight trajectory information.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein a time period for the flight information is selectable via at least one input mechanism of the computing device.

16. A system comprising at least one processor and memory, the memory having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

access one or more flight objects on a computing device configured with an efficiency and operational flight object system, the one or more flight objects accessed via at least one network communicatively coupled to the computing device, the one or more flight objects associated with a planned flight, and comprising user notes;

process and render flight information extracted from the one or more flight objects for viewing;

receive, via at least one input mechanism of the computing device, one or more filtering criteria pertaining to the planned flight;

determine flight information pertaining to the planned flight and associated airspace environment information based on the filtering criteria;

generate a forecast prediction for the planned flight based on the determined flight information;

generate a probability value for the forecast prediction based on the determined flight information, wherein the probability value is indicative of an expected likelihood of the forecast prediction; and

generate predictive aircraft performance information using the generated probability value and forecast prediction;

wherein the user notes are recorded according to a selected level of significance.