ONBOARD MAP DISPLAY OF POSITIONS OF OTHER AIRCRAFT FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL AIRCRAFT

• US 20140236469A1
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel Edward Callan, Edward William Callan
• Original Assignee: Edward William Callan
• Inventors: CALLAN, DANIEL EDWARD, CALLAN, EDWARD WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US13/432,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236469A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

Onboard an individual aircraft, a map showing aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft is displayed on a monitor. Navigation satellite technology, such as GPS, onboard the individual aircraft is used to determine the position of the individual aircraft. Via a communications network, position-indication signals indicating the determined positions of the individual aircraft and other aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft are sent between the different aircraft. Onboard the individual aircraft, a computer processes the position-indication signals to provide display signals that enable a monitor onboard the individual aircraft to display a map showing the positions of other aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft in relation to the position of the individual aircraft. In one embodiment, a website that communicates with the different aircraft via the Internet facilitates communication of the position-indication signals between the different aircraft.

Claims

1. A method of displaying onboard an individual aircraft, a map showing aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft, comprising the steps of:

(a) onboard each of a plurality of individual aircraft, determining the position of the individual aircraft and providing a position-indication signal indicating said determined position of the individual aircraft;

(b) via a communications network that enables communications between the 8individual aircraft and other aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft, sending position-indication signals from the individual aircraft to other aircraft that are flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft; and

(c) onboard the individual aircraft, receiving via the communications network position-indication signals sent by other aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft, and with a computer, processing the position-indication signals to provide display signals that enable a monitor onboard the individual aircraft to display a map showing the positions of other aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft in relation to the position of the individual aircraft;

wherein the communications network is a network for facilitating communications between a remote communications terminal located in the individual aircraft and a website; and

wherein step (b) comprises the steps of;

(d) via the communications network, sending position-indication signals to a said website from a said remote communications terminal in the individual aircraft;

(e) via said website, storing said position-indication signals sent from the individual aircraft in a memory that is associated with said website;

(f) via said website, in response to the position-indication signals sent from the individual aircraft, accessing from said memory, position data sent from other aircraft that are flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft; and

(g) via the communications network, sending to said remote communications terminal in the individual aircraft, said accessed position-indication signals sent from other aircraft that are flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft.

2-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method of displaying onboard an individual aircraft, a map showing aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft, comprising the steps of:

(a) with a computer, processing signals indicating the positions of in-flight aircraft to provide display signals that enable a monitor to display a map showing the positions of aircraft flying in a particular sector of airspace;

(b) sending at least a portion of said display signals to aircraft in the particular sector of airspace; and

(c) onboard an individual aircraft flying within the particular sector of airspace, receiving the sent display signals, and with a computer, processing the received display signals to cause an onboard monitor to display a map showing the positions of other aircraft flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft in relation to the position of the individual aircraft;

wherein step (b) comprises the steps of;

(d) via a communications network that facilitates communications between a remote communications terminal located in the individual aircraft and a website, sending position-indication signals to a said website from a said remote communications terminal in the individual aircraft;

(e) via said website, storing said position-indication signals sent from the individual aircraft in a memory that is associated with said website;

(f) via said website, in response to the position-indication signals sent from the individual aircraft, accessing from said memory, position data sent from other aircraft that are flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft; and

(g) via the communications network, sending to said remote communications terminal in the individual aircraft, said accessed position-indication signals sent from other aircraft that are flying in the vicinity of the individual aircraft.

10-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A nontransitory computer readable storage medium for use with a computer of a website that is adapted for communicating with remote communication terminals in individual aircraft, wherein the computer readable storage medium contains computer executable program instructions for causing the computer to respond to position-indication signals sent from a said remote communications terminal in a said individual aircraft by:

(a) causing said position-indication signals sent from said remote communications terminal in said individual aircraft to be stored in a memory that is associated with said website;

(b) in response to the position-indication signals sent from the individual aircraft, causing position data sent from other aircraft that are flying in the vicinity of said individual aircraft and stored in said memory to be accessed from said memory; and

(c) causing said accessed position-indication signals to be sent to said remote communications terminal in said individual aircraft.