ENHANCED VERTICAL SITUATION DISPLAY

• US 20100305783A1
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jason L. Hammack, John Wiedemann, Michael J. Tucker, Sherwin S. Chen
• Original Assignee: Jason L. Hammack, John Wiedemann, Michael J. Tucker, Sherwin S. Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Sherwin S., Hammack, Jason L., Wiedemann, John, Tucker, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/4
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

A vertical situation display system for use in a vehicle such as, for example, an aircraft, is provided. A side view of an intended route of flight may be shown with altitude restrictions, airspace and instrument approach information, a projected flight path and range to airspeed symbol. The system may show terrain, weather, and traffic information along the intended route of flight. The system may be used in conjunction with a navigational display to enhance situational awareness. The system includes a computer, an electronic display device, an electronic entry device, a memory and a database. The database may contain terrain, airspace and flight planning data and may be updatable.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method for managing an aircraft'"'"'s vertical flight path, comprising:

processing aircraft position and terrain information in relation to a planned flight path;

processing energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes without increasing kinetic energy; and

displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the attainable range of altitudes along the planned flight path.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

displaying a top limit of the attainable range of altitudes wherein the top limit indicates an altitude profile with the aircraft'"'"'s engines at idle and speed brakes are stowed; and

displaying a bottom limit of attainable range of altitudes wherein the bottom limit indicates an altitude profile with the aircraft'"'"'s engines at idle and speed brakes deployed.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising displaying waypoint information, the planned flight path, and terrain information along the planned flight path for descent management using the attainable range of altitudes.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising depicting the attainable range of altitudes as a shaded area on the VSD.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising depicting the top limit and the bottom limit in different colors.

32. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

displaying a top limit of said attainable range of altitudes wherein the top limit indicates an altitude profile with the aircraft'"'"'s engines at idle and speed brakes are stowed; and

displaying a bottom limit of attainable range of altitudes wherein the bottom limit indicates an altitude profile with the aircraft'"'"'s engines at idle and speed brakes deployed.

33. The method of claim 26 further comprising displaying waypoint information, the projected flight path, and terrain information along the planned flight path for descent management using the attainable range of altitudes.

34. The method of claim 26 further comprising depicting the attainable range of altitudes as a shaded area on the VSD.

35. The method of claim 27 further comprising depicting the top limit and the bottom limit in different colors.

31. A method for managing an aircraft'"'"'s vertical flight path, comprising:

processing aircraft position and terrain information in relation to a projected flight path;

processing energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes without increasing kinetic energy; and

displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the attainable range of altitudes along the projected flight path.

36. A method for managing an aircraft'"'"'s vertical flight path, comprising:

processing airplane position and terrain information in relation to a planned flight path;

processing airspace information to calculate a vertical profile of an airspace restriction; and

displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the vertical profile of the airspace restriction along the planned flight path.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising displaying waypoint information, the planned flight path, and terrain information along the planned flight path for vertical navigation management in relation to the airspace restriction.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

processing energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes without increasing kinetic energy along the planned flight path; and

;

displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the attainable range of altitudes to depict the interaction between attainable range of altitudes and the airspace restriction.

39. The method of claim 36 further comprising updating the airspace and weather information by a datalink.

40. The method of claim 37 further comprising displaying updated airspace and weather information on the VSD.

42. The method of claim 36 further comprising displaying waypoint information, the projected flight path, and terrain information along the projected flight path for vertical navigation management in relation to the airspace restriction.

43. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

processing energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes without increasing kinetic energy; and

;

displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the attainable range of altitudes to depict the interaction between attainable range of altitudes and the airspace restriction along the projected flight path.

44. The method of claim 40 further comprising updating airspace and weather information by a datalink.

45. The method of claim 43 further comprising displaying updated airspace and weather information on the VSD.

41. A method for managing an aircraft'"'"'s vertical flight path, comprising:

processing aircraft position and terrain information in relation to a projected flight path;

processing airspace information to calculate a vertical profile of the airspace restriction; and

displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the vertical profile of the airspace restriction along the projected flight path.