METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR APPROACH DECISION DISPLAY

• US 20100305786A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: BOORMAN, DANIEL J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

Approach Decision Display and associated methods and systems are disclosed. A method and system in accordance to one embodiment of the disclosure includes a display of operationally-relevant information for final approach and landing on a cockpit graphical display. Approach Decision Display System (ADDS) provides, in a graphical display, dynamic decision parameters as a function of the health of required equipment for the selected approach and the aircraft'"'"'s ability to execute the approach and landing.

Claims

1. A final approach decision display device comprising:

quasi-static referents comprising at least one of a ground level indicator, a runway indicator, a touchdown zone elevation tag, an approach path indicator, a missed approach altitude tag, a required visibility tag, a runway visual range tag, a thrust retard capability indicator, and an autopilot disconnect cue;

dynamic referents comprising at least one of an own-ship symbol, an approach minima tag, an approach minima indicator, an approach minima alert tag, an approach minima alert indicator, a radio altitude tag, a radio altitude indicator, an approach-reference distance tag, an actual runway visual range tag, and a missed approach point symbol; and

status referents comprising at least one of an approach name, a landing clearance status tag, and an autoland status tag wherein said quasi-static, said dynamic, and said status referents are transformed into a graphical depiction of an airplane'"'"'s landing performance capability.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein monitoring landing performance degradation comprises of monitoring for performance and health of onboard and off-board systems and equipment needed for executing the final approach and landing for the selected approach.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising activating an alternate approach plan from a plurality of approach plans.

2. A system comprising:

an approach decision display system, said approach decision display system providing operationally-relevant information for final approach and landing;

a flight management system operatively connected to said approach decision display system;

a cockpit graphics display system operatively connected to said approach decision display system;

an aircraft control system operatively connected to said approach decision display system;

a communications system operatively connected to said approach decision display system

a navigation system operatively connected to said approach decision display system; and

a control input device operatively connected to said approach decision display system; and

a graphical display of operationally-relevant information displayed on said cockpit graphical display system, wherein said operationally-relevant information comprises of a quasi-static referent, a dynamic referent, and a status referent, further wherein said quasi-static referent, said dynamic referent, and said status referent are transformed into a graphical depiction of an airplane'"'"'s landing performance capability.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said quasi-static referent comprises at least one of a ground level indicator, a runway indicator, a touchdown zone elevation tag, an approach path indicator, a missed approach altitude tag, a required visibility tag, a runway visual range tag, a thrust retard capability indicator, and an autopilot disconnect cue.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said dynamic referent comprises at least one of an own-ship symbol, an approach minima tag, an approach minima indicator, an approach minima alert tag, an approach minima alert indicator, a radio altitude tag, a radio altitude indicator, an approach-reference distance tag, an actual runway visual range tag, and a missed approach point symbol.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said approach-reference distance comprises at least one of distance to a navigation transmitting station, distance to runway threshold, and distance to a geographically relevant position.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein said status referent comprises at least one of an approach name, a landing clearance status tag, and an autoland status tag.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein said cockpit graphical display system comprises at least one of a Primary Flight Display (PFD), a Heads-up Display (HUD), a Navigation Display (ND), an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) display, a Multi-Function Display (MFD), and an Approach Decision Display (ADDS).

8. The system of claim 2 wherein said control input device is at least one of a control panel, a keyboard, a cursor with a cursor control device, line select keys (LSK) on a control display unit, and a touchscreen, further wherein said control input device may be integrated into at least one of a Mode Control Panel (MCP), an MCDU, an Electronic Flight Bag, and an Approach Decision Display (ADDS) control panel.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein said navigation system comprises at least one of an Instrument Landing System (ILS) unit, a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) unit, Global Positioning System (GPS) unit.

10. The system of claim 2 further comprising an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) system.

11. A method of providing a tool for approach decision making on a cockpit display system, comprising:

initiating the ADDS system;

receiving flight plan information;

receiving landing clearance information;

receiving system performance and system health information;

processing received said flight plan, said landing clearance, said system performance, and said system health information for display;

displaying operationally-relevant information wherein said operationally-relevant information comprises of processed information from said flight plan, said landing clearance, said system performance, and said system health information;

monitoring for landing performance capability degradation;

updating dynamic referents continuously; and

updating the display of said operationally-relevant information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said flight plan information comprises at least one of en route phase of flight and approach phase of flight.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving landing clearance information comprises at least one of receiving said landing clearance information from a communications datalink system or from a control input device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving system performance and system health information comprises of receiving system performance and system health information from at least one of an aircraft control system, a navigation system, a flight management system, a communications system, and an electronic flight bag system.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein processing received information comprises filtering, transforming, and arranging received information into a reduced set of operationally-relevant information for display on a plurality of ADDS displays.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein processing received information further comprises transforming said received information for display on a plurality of Approach Decision Display System (ADDS) displays.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said ADD is initiated by an on-board computer as a function of phase of flight.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein initiating said ADD comprises at least on of initiating the ADDS via a control input device and initiating the ADDS via a Flight Management System.