Terrain data retrieval system
First Claim
1. A warning system for an aircraft comprising:
- first means for receiving signals representative of the flight path angle;
second means for receiving signals from a predetermined satellite-based navigation system representative of the position of the aircraft;
third means for receiving signals representative of the altitude of an aircraft;
means for storing data representative of predetermined terrain information; and
means responsive to said first means, said second means, said third means and said storing means for generating a first warning signal of a hazardous flight condition as a function of the position of the aircraft relative to said predetermined terrain information and the flight path angle of aircraft for a predetermined area relative to the aircraft.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A terrain-awareness system (TAS) provides LOOK-AHEAD/LOOK-DOWN as well as LOOK-UP terrain advisory and warning indications to the pilot of an aircraft of a hazardous flight condition. The TAS includes an airport data base as well as a terrain data base that is structured to provide various resolutions depending on the topography of the particular geographic area of interest. Navigational data from a satellite-based navigational system, such as a global positioning system (GPS), is used to provide a LOOK-AHEAD/LOOK-DOWN and LOOK-UP terrain advisory and terrain warning indications based upon the current position and projected flight path of the aircraft. Since the terrain advisory and the warning signals are a function of the flight path of the aircraft, nuisance warnings are minimized.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A warning system for an aircraft comprising:
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first means for receiving signals representative of the flight path angle;
second means for receiving signals from a predetermined satellite-based navigation system representative of the position of the aircraft;
third means for receiving signals representative of the altitude of an aircraft;
means for storing data representative of predetermined terrain information; and
means responsive to said first means, said second means, said third means and said storing means for generating a first warning signal of a hazardous flight condition as a function of the position of the aircraft relative to said predetermined terrain information and the flight path angle of aircraft for a predetermined area relative to the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A warning system for providing an indication to the pilot of an aircraft of the proximity of terrain to the aircraft, the warning system comprising:
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means for receiving signals representative of the position of the aircraft;
means for storing data representative of terrain elevations, obstacle elevations and one or more predetermined reference points for one or more predetermined geographical areas;
means for receiving signals representative of a flight path angle of the aircraft;
means for determining the distance of the aircraft relative to one of said one or more predetermined reference points;
first comparing means for comparing the flight path angle of the aircraft with a first fixed predetermined datum having a first predetermined angle relative to a horizontal axis; and
first generating means for generating first advisory boundary signals defining a plurality of first advisory boundaries as a predetermined function of said first predetermined angle of said first fixed reference predetermined datum and said distance to said predetermined reference point for a first predetermined distance in front of said aircraft when said flight path angle is less than said first predetermined angle of said first predetermined fixed datum and generating said first advisory boundary signals as a predetermined function of said flight path angle and said distance to said predetermined reference point for said first predetermined distance in front of the aircraft when said flight path angle is not less than said first predetermined angle of said first predetermined fixed datum. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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15. A warning system for providing an indication to the pilot of an aircraft of the proximity of terrain to the aircraft, the warning system comprising:
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means for receiving signals representative of the position of the aircraft;
means for storing terrain data representative of the terrain elevations, obstacle elevations and one or more predetermined reference points for one or more predetermined geographical areas;
means for receiving signals representative of the altitude of the aircraft;
means for determining the current altitude of the aircraft;
first generating means for generating a first advisory envelope, said first advisory envelope having a plurality of segments, one of said segments extending downwardly from the current position and altitude of said aircraft for a predetermined distance which varies as a predetermined function of the distance of the aircraft to a predetermined reference point defining a first segment of said first advisory envelope.
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23. A warning system for an aircraft comprising:
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means for receiving signals representative of the flight path angle of the aircraft;
means for receiving signals representative of the position of the aircraft;
means for receiving signals representative of the altitude of an aircraft;
means for storing data representative of predetermined terrain information; and
means for generating a first warning signal of a hazardous flight condition as a function of the position of the aircraft relative to said predetermined terrain information and the flight path angle of aircraft and a predetermined distance in front of said aircraft.
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Specification