Four-Dimensional Flyable Area Display System for Aircraft

• US 20130231803A1
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Wiesemann, Thorsten, Barraci, Nima
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying information for an aircraft. Information is identified for the aircraft. An aeronautical chart is displayed on a display system. An envelope is displayed in the aeronautical chart based on the information. The envelope defines a space flyable by the aircraft that meets a number of objectives.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information for an aircraft, the method comprising:

identifying the information for the aircraft;

displaying an aeronautical chart on a display system; and

displaying an envelope in the aeronautical chart based on the information, wherein the envelope defines a space flyable by the aircraft that meets a number of objectives.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the envelope is displayed in one of two dimensions and three dimensions.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an indication of undesirable space outside of the envelope.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication of undesirable space is a graphical indicator that obscures a portion of the aeronautical chart outside of the envelope.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an indication of desired space within the envelope.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

repeating displaying the envelope in the aeronautical chart based on the information in response to the information changing, wherein the envelope defines the space flyable by the aircraft that meets the number of objectives.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the aeronautical chart is selected from at least one of a vertical view and a top view.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the aircraft is selected from at least one of an aircraft state, environmental information, and a flight plan.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the information associated with the aircraft;

displaying the aeronautical chart; and

displaying the envelope in the aeronautical chart based on the information, wherein the envelope defines the space flyable by the aircraft that meets the number of objectives is performed in a computer system in the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the information associated with the aircraft;

displaying the aeronautical chart; and

displaying the envelope in the aeronautical chart based on the information, wherein the envelope defines the space flyable by the aircraft that meets the number of objectives is performed in a computer system at a ground location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of objectives comprises at least one of a risk objective, an optimization objective, and a legal objective.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a four-dimensional cube comprised of a plurality of cubes; and

marking the plurality of cubes with an indication of a type of space based on the information,

wherein, the step of displaying the envelope comprises;

displaying the envelope using the four-dimensional cube with the type of space marked for the plurality of cubes in the four-dimensional cube.

13. A navigation system comprising:

a display system; and

a flight information identifier configured to identify information for an aircraft;

display an aeronautical chart on the display system; and

display an envelope in the aeronautical chart based on the information, wherein the envelope defines a space flyable by the aircraft that meets a number of objectives.

14. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the envelope is displayed in one of two dimensions and three dimensions.

15. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the flight information identifier is configured to display an indication of undesirable space outside of the envelope.

16. The navigation system of claim 15, wherein the indication of undesirable space is a graphical indicator that obscures a portion of the aeronautical chart outside of the envelope.

17. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the flight information identifier is configured to display an indication of desired space within the envelope.

18. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the flight information identifier is further configured to repeat displaying the envelope in the aeronautical chart based on the information in response to the information changing, wherein the envelope defines the space flyable by the aircraft that meets the number of objectives.

19. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the aeronautical chart is selected from at least one of a vertical view and a top view.

20. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the flight information identifier is further configured to generate a four-dimensional cube comprised of a plurality of cubes and mark the plurality of cubes with an indication of a type of space based on the information, and wherein in being configured to display the envelope in the aeronautical chart based on the information, the flight information identifier is configured to display the envelope using the four-dimensional cube with the type of space marked for the plurality of cubes in the four-dimensional cube.