METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING DATA LINK AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER MENUS

• US 20110032123A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: McGuffin, Thomas F., Judd, Thomas D., Durand, Randy T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,193,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/961
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating a data link air traffic control center menu are provided. In one implementation, a method comprises associating individual air traffic control center objects with at least one geographic area. Each air traffic control center object represents an air traffic control center having a name, and each geographic area has a name. The method further includes displaying the names of each geographic area and receiving a first input. The first input selects one of the geographic areas having a plurality of geographic sub-areas, with each geographic sub-area having a name. The method further includes displaying the names of the geographic sub-areas and receiving a second input. The second input selects one of the geographic sub-areas including one or more air traffic control centers. The method further includes displaying the names of the air traffic control centers and receiving a third input. The third input selects one of the air traffic control centers.

Claims

1. A method for generating a data link air traffic control center menu, the method comprising:

associating each of a plurality of air traffic control center objects with at least one of a plurality of geographic areas, each of the air traffic control center objects representing an air traffic control center having a name, and each of the geographic areas having a name;

displaying the names of each of the geographic areas;

receiving a first input, the first input selecting one of the geographic areas, the selected geographic area including a plurality of geographic sub-areas, each of the geographic sub-areas having a name;

displaying the names of the geographic sub-areas;

receiving a second input, the second input selecting one of the geographic sub-areas, the selected geographic sub-area including one or more of the air traffic control centers;

displaying the names of the one or more air traffic control centers; and

receiving a third input, the third input selecting one of the air traffic control centers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a data communication link with the selected air traffic control center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first input includes:

retrieving the current location of an aircraft;

retrieving location data for the selected geographic area;

comparing the current location of the aircraft with the location data for the selected geographic area; and

determining that the current location of the aircraft is within the selected geographic area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic areas are International Civil Aviation Organization regions and the geographic sub-areas are countries.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the current location of the aircraft is retrieved from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, the GPS receiver onboard the aircraft.

6. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for a method according to claim 1.

7. A computer system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device in operative communication with the processor, the memory device comprising a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for a method according to claim 1.

8. A method for generating a data link air traffic control center menu, the method comprising:

retrieving location data for a plurality of geographic areas;

retrieving location data for a plurality of air traffic control centers; and

determining which of the plurality of air traffic control centers are located within each geographic area by comparing the location data of the geographic areas with the location data for each of the plurality of air traffic control centers.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying names of the plurality of geographic areas;

receiving a first input, the first input selecting one of the plurality of geographic areas, the selected geographic area including one or more air traffic control centers from the plurality of air traffic control centers;

displaying names of the one or more air traffic control centers; and

receiving a second input, the second input selecting one of the one or more air traffic control centers.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

establishing a data communication link with the selected air traffic control center.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

automatically selecting a geographic area in which an aircraft is currently located from the plurality of geographic areas, the selected geographic area including one or more air traffic control centers from the plurality of air traffic control centers;

displaying names of the one or more air traffic control centers;

receiving an input, the input selecting one of the one or more air traffic control centers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically selecting the geographic area in which an aircraft is currently located includes:

retrieving a current location of the aircraft;

comparing the current location of the aircraft with the location data of the plurality of geographic areas;

determining a geographic area from the plurality of geographic areas in which the aircraft is currently located; and

selecting the geographic area in which the aircraft is currently located.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the current location of the aircraft is retrieved from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, the GPS receiver onboard the aircraft.

14. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for a method according to claim 8.

15. A computer system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device in operative communication with the processor, the memory device comprising a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for a method according to claim 8.

16. A method for generating a data link air traffic control center menu, the method comprising:

calculating a distance between each of a plurality of air traffic control centers and an aircraft during flight;

displaying a sorted list of the plurality of air traffic control centers, wherein the list is sorted by the calculated distance, from closest to the aircraft to farthest from the aircraft; and

receiving an input, the input selecting one of the air traffic control centers.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

establishing a data communication link with the selected air traffic control center.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein location data for the aircraft is retrieved from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, the GPS receiver onboard the aircraft.

19. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for a method according to claim 16.

20. A computer system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device in operative communication with the processor, the memory device comprising a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for a method according to claim 16.