FLIGHT CONTROL METHOD

• US 20100049382A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AVTECH Sweden AB
• Original Assignee: AVTECH Sweden AB
• Inventors: Palm, Anders, Forsberg, Christer, Lindberg, Lars GV, Akalinli, Serdar
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0005 with arrangements to save energy
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

The invention involves a method comprising the steps of

• • providing (S3) a wind data set (3) including wind data of a plurality of positions,
  • receiving (S4) data for a predicted airplane trajectory (311),
  • providing (S5), based on the wind data set (3), a set of wind data elements (302), each including data concerning wind at a position along the predicted airplane trajectory (311),
  • repeating steps of selecting a subset of wind data elements (302S), creating a wind profile (303), and comparing the wind profile (303) to the set of wind data elements (302), and
  • selecting (S10) to be sent to a subscriber (2, 4) a subset of wind data elements (302S) based at least partly on which a wind profile (303) was created corresponding to the largest extent to the set of wind data elements (302).

Claims

1. :

A method comprising the steps of

providing data related to wind, and sending data related to wind to a subscriber,

wherein the step of providing data related to wind comprises providing a wind data set including wind data of a plurality of positions, and in that the method further comprises the steps of

receiving data for a predicted airplane trajectory,

providing, based on the wind data set, a set of wind data elements, each including data concerning wind at a position along the predicted airplane trajectory,

selecting from the set of wind data elements a subset of wind data elements,

creating, based at least partly on the selected subset of wind data elements, a wind profile along the predicted airplane trajectory,

comparing the wind profile to the set of wind data elements,

repeating the steps of selecting a subset of wind data elements, creating a wind profile, and comparing the wind profile to the set of wind data elements, and

selecting to be sent to the subscriber a subset of wind data elements based at least partly on which a wind profile was created corresponding to the largest extent to the set of wind data elements,

wherein the step of sending data related to wind to the subscriber comprises sending to the subscriber the subset of wind data elements selected to be sent.

2. :

A method according to claim 1, wherein the predicted airplane trajectory includes at least a portion of a descent to an airport of an airplane.

3. :

A method according to claim 2, wherein a position and/or a time of a start of the descent is determined or adjusted based at least partly on the subset of wind data elements sent to the subscriber.

4. :

A method according to claim 2, wherein a speed of descent of the airplane is determined or adjusted based at least partly on the subset of wind data elements sent to the subscriber.

5. :

A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing, based on the wind data set, a set of wind data elements, comprises selecting from the wind data set a wind data subset such that the wind data subset includes wind data of positions in a vicinity of the predicted airplane trajectory, and providing, based on the wind data subset, the set of wind data elements.

6. :

A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of providing, based on the wind data subset, a set of wind data elements, includes interpolation of wind data of the wind data subset to the predicted airplane trajectory.

7. :

A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of creating, from the selected subset of wind data elements, a wind profile along the predicted airplane trajectory, includes interpolation of the selected subset of wind data elements.

8. :

A method according to claim 1, wherein the wind profile includes head and/or tail wind components.

9. :

A method according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to the data for the predicted airplane trajectory, time data correlated to the data for the predicted airplane trajectory is received.

10. :

A method according to claim 1, comprising adjusting the predicted airplane trajectory based at least partly on the subset of wind data elements selected to be sent.

11. :

A computer program comprising computer readable code means causing a computer to perform the steps of

providing, based on a wind data set including wind data of a plurality of positions, a set of wind data elements, each including data concerning wind at a position along a predicted airplane trajectory,

selecting from the set of wind data elements a subset of wind data elements,

creating, based at least partly on the selected subset of wind data elements, a wind profile along the predicted airplane trajectory,

comparing the wind profile to the set of wind data elements,

repeating the steps of selecting a subset of wind data elements, creating a wind profile, and comparing the wind profile to the set of wind data elements, and

selecting to be sent to a subscriber a subset of wind data elements based at least partly on which a wind profile was created corresponding to the largest extent to the set of wind data elements.

12. :

A computer program according to claim 11, wherein the predicted airplane trajectory includes at least a portion of a descent to an airport of an airplane.

13. :

A computer program according to claim 11, wherein the step of providing, based on the wind data set, a set of wind data elements, comprises selecting from the wind data set a wind data subset such that the wind data subset includes wind data of positions in a vicinity of the predicted airplane trajectory, and providing, based on the wind data subset, the set of wind data elements.

14. :

A computer program according to claim 13, wherein the step of providing, based on the wind data subset, a set of wind data elements, includes interpolation of wind data of the wind data subset to the predicted airplane trajectory.

15. :

A computer program according to claim 11, wherein the step of creating, from the selected subset of wind data elements, a wind profile along the predicted airplane trajectory, includes interpolation of the selected subset of wind data elements.

16. :

A computer program according to claim 11, wherein the wind profile includes head and/or tail wind components.

17. :

A computer program according to claim 11, wherein, in addition to the data for the predicted airplane trajectory, time data correlated to the data for the predicted airplane trajectory is received.

18. :

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having stored thereon a computer program according to claim 11.