AIRCRAFT DISPLAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AN AIRCRAFT DISPLAY FOR USE WITH AIRPORT DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL PROCEDURES

• US 20150364044A1
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kashi, Rajanikanth Nagaraj, Vadada, Divakara Rao, Fernandes, Cercuncesao
• Granted Patent: US 9,704,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• 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 5/0095 Aspects of air-traffic control not provided for in the other subgroups of this main group
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• 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

A method for generating a flight display in an aircraft includes the steps of receiving an indication of an arrival or a departure procedure for the aircraft to follow, receiving an indication of a current position and altitude of the aircraft, and receiving a voice communication or information by digital data link regarding the arrival or departure procedure. The method further includes the steps of recognizing speech in the voice communication and transforming the speech to a restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure and providing a flight display comprising a visual depiction of the arrival or departure procedure, the current position and altitude of the aircraft, and the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure. The method also provides improved situational awareness to pilots by providing appropriate alerts and indications in the context of these restrictions and the implications that these may have on the ownship with reference to the surrounding traffic and the emergent conditions.

Claims

1. A method for generating a flight display in an aircraft comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of an arrival or a departure procedure for the aircraft to follow;

receiving an indication of a current position and altitude of the aircraft;

receiving a voice communication regarding the arrival or departure procedure;

recognizing speech in the voice communication and transforming the speech to a restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure;

providing a flight display comprising a visual depiction of the arrival or departure procedure, the current position and altitude of the aircraft, and the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of an arrival or a departure procedure comprises receiving a pilot selection of a STAR procedure or a SID procedure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the current position and altitude is received from sensors onboard the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a voice communication is received from an air traffic controller outside of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing speech is performed against an ATC phraseology database comprising a plurality of ATC phrases against which to compare the speech.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving air traffic information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the flight display further comprising the air traffic information.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining if the traffic information indicates a potential separation conflict with regard to the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure and generating a visual alert on the display if the traffic information indicates a potential separation conflict with regard to the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the aircraft cannot comply with the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure due to aircraft performance criteria and generating a visual alert on the display if the aircraft cannot comply with the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure due to aircraft performance criteria.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the current position and altitude of the aircraft violates the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure and generating a visual alert on the display if the current position and altitude of the aircraft violates the restriction regarding the arrival or departure procedure.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising of locating the waypoints or significant points in the flight plan where RTA (Required Time of Arrival) and ETA (Expected Time of Arrival) deviate and an indication of the slippage on the display in an intuitive way.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising combined resolution of voice and digital datalink information.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising of visual and aural alerts and indications in the context of these restrictions and the implications that these may have on the ownship with reference to the surrounding traffic and the emergent conditions.