SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AIRCRAFT RUNWAY GUIDANCE

• US 20080109163A1
• Filed: 06/18/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stayton, Gregory T., Manberg, Charles C., Stone, Cyro A., Ridenour, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

There is presented a system and method for providing aircraft runway guidance. One delineated runway alert system for a host aircraft comprises: a processor for executing one or more instructions that implement one or more functions of the runway alert system; a data storage device including geographical runway information; a receiver for obtaining current location data of the host aircraft; an apparatus to provide a current heading of the host aircraft; a data entry device for receiving data indicating a desired runway; memory for storing the one or more instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to: receive the identity of the desired runway; provide an indicia of: the desired runway; and the position of the host aircraft in relation to the desired runway.

Claims

1. A runway alert system for a host aircraft, the system comprising:

a processor for executing one or more instructions that implement one or more functions of the runway alert system;

a data storage device including geographical runway information;

a receiver for obtaining current location data of the host aircraft;

an apparatus to provide a current heading of the host aircraft;

a data entry device for receiving data indicating a desired runway;

memory for storing the one or more instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to;

receive the identity of the desired runway;

provide an indicia of;

the desired runway; and

the position of the host aircraft in relation to the desired runway.

2. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 1, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to determine that the host aircraft is being positioned for traversing an undesired runway.

3. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 2, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to determine from the current location data, the current heading, the identity of the desired runway, and the geographical runway information, that a predetermined threshold has been satisfied, and thereupon, providing within the host aircraft one or more of an aural alert or a visual alert.

4. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 3, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to determine that:

the host aircraft is within a predetermined proximity of an undesired runway; and

the angular difference between the current heading and the heading necessary to traverse on the undesired runway is within a predetermined heading difference threshold.

5. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 3, further comprising an inertial reference configured to provide a current speed of the host aircraft, and wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to determine that:

the host aircraft is within a predetermined proximity of an undesired runway; and

the current speed of the host aircraft drops below a predetermined pre-takeoff threshold.

6. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 3, further comprising a display for illustrating a current position of the host aircraft in relation to at least one runway;

and wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to render on the display a depiction of an undesired runway in a manner graphically distinct from the desired runway.

7. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 6, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to render, on the display, the desired runway in a color different from a default runway color.

8. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 6, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to render, on the display, the desired runway in a color different from a default runway color, and an undesired runway in a color different from the default runway color and the desired runway color.

9. The runway alert system for a host aircraft as defined in claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises an inertial reference system for providing current heading and current speed of the host aircraft.

10. A runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground, the system comprising:

a processor for executing one or more instructions that implement one or more functions of the runway alert system;

a data storage device including at least 2-dimensional geographical airport runway and taxiway information;

a receiver for obtaining current location data of the host aircraft;

means for obtaining a current heading and ground speed of the host aircraft;

a data entry device for receiving data indicating a desired runway;

a transducer for providing aural alerts;

a display for illustrating a current position of the host aircraft in relation to at least one runway; and

memory for storing the one or more instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to;

receive the identity of the desired runway;

render, on the display;

a depiction of an overhead map of an airport including the desired runway;

a position of the host aircraft in relation to the desired runway; and

determine that a predetermined threshold has been satisfied, and thereupon, providing within the host aircraft one or more of an aural alert or a visual alert.

11. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 10, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to determine that:

the host aircraft is within a predetermined proximity of an undesired runway; and

the angular difference between the current heading and the heading necessary to traverse the undesired runway is within a predetermined heading difference threshold.

12. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 10, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to determine that:

the host aircraft is within a predetermined proximity of an undesired runway; and

the current ground speed of the host aircraft drops below a predetermined pre-takeoff threshold.

13. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 10, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to determine a criterion selected from the group consisting of:

the host aircraft is within a predetermined proximity to the entry point of an undesired runway;

the angular difference between the current heading and the heading necessary to traverse on the undesired runway is within a predetermined heading difference threshold;

the current ground speed of the host aircraft drops below a predetermined pre-takeoff threshold; and

combinations thereof.

14. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 10, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to render on the display a predetermined graphical element in proximity to the desired runway.

15. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 14, wherein the graphical element is selected from the group consisting of:

a transparent box surrounding the desired runway;

a cross-hatch applied over the desired runway;

a shaded area applied over the desired runway;

a symbol proximal an appropriate takeoff origin end of the desired runway;

a solid rectangle superimposed over the desired runway;

text indicating the desired runway;

one or more pointer arrows illustrating a direction of takeoff on the desired runway;

an arrow in motion traversing the length of the desired runway in a direction indicated for takeoff;

an arrow indicating which direction the host aircraft needs to turn to arrive at the origin of the desired runway;

one or more arrows in proximity to one or more taxiways guiding the host aircraft to the desired runway; and

combinations thereof.

16. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 10, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of runway alert system to render on the display a predetermined graphical element in proximity to an undesired runway.

17. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 16, wherein the graphical element is selected from the group consisting of:

a transparent box surrounding the undesired runway;

a cross-hatch applied over the undesired runway;

a shaded area applied over the undesired runway;

an enlarged X symbol superimposed over the undesired runway;

a solid rectangle superimposed over the undesired runway;

text indicating the undesired runway;

text indicating no entry onto the undesired runway;

one or more arrows in proximity to one or more taxiways guiding the host aircraft away from the undesired runway and to the desired runway; and

combinations thereof.

18. The runway alert system for a host aircraft on the ground as defined in claim 10, wherein memory stores further instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to render, on the display, the desired runway in a color different from a default runway color, and an undesired runway in a color different from the default runway color and the desired runway color.

19. A method for providing runway guidance for a host aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a desired takeoff or landing runway;

obtaining a current position of the host aircraft;

determining whether a predefined condition is satisfied; and

outputting an alert selected from the group consisting of;

changing an appearance of a display in the host aircraft to indicate that the predefined condition is satisfied;

issuing an aural alert to crewmembers of the host aircraft to indicate that the predefined condition is satisfied; and

combinations thereof.

20. The method as defined in claim 19 further comprising providing an aural alert upon satisfaction of the predetermined condition.

21. The method as defined in claim 19 wherein said determining step further comprises:

accessing a database of airport runways to obtain geographical location information of one or more runways;

designating all runways at an airport that do not match the indication of desired takeoff or landing runway as undesired runways;

obtaining the current location and current heading of the host aircraft;

determining that the host aircraft;

is within a predetermined distance of an entrance to one of the undesired runways; and

is assuming a heading that would allow an aircraft to traverse the one of the undesired runways.

22. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the changing an appearance of a display step further comprises rendering, on the display, a graphical element selected from the group consisting of:

a transparent box surrounding the undesired runway;

a cross-hatch applied over the undesired runway;

a shaded area applied over the undesired runway;

an enlarged X symbol superimposed over the undesired runway;

a solid rectangle superimposed over the undesired runway;

text indicating the undesired runway;

text indicating no entry onto the undesired runway;

one or more arrows in proximity to one or more taxiways guiding the host aircraft away from the undesired runway and to the desired runway; and

combinations thereof.

23. The method as defined in claim 19, further comprising rendering, on the display, a graphical element selected from the group consisting of:

a transparent box surrounding the desired takeoff or landing runway;

a cross-hatch applied over the desired takeoff or landing runway;

a shaded area applied over the desired takeoff or landing runway;

a symbol proximal an appropriate origin end of the desired takeoff or landing runway;

a solid rectangle superimposed over the desired takeoff or landing runway;

text indicating the desired takeoff or landing runway;

one or more pointer arrows illustrating a direction of takeoff or landing on the desired takeoff or landing runway;

an arrow in motion traversing the length of the desired takeoff or landing runway in a respective direction indicated for takeoff or landing;

an arrow indicating which direction the host aircraft needs to turn to arrive at the origin of the desired takeoff or landing runway;

one or more arrows in proximity to one or more taxiways guiding the host aircraft to the desired runway; and

combinations thereof.