Digital Map Enabled Boundary Search Pattern
First Claim
1. A digital map enabled flight management system (FMS), comprising:
- a graphical flight planner (GFP) configured to define at least one flight pattern parameter and at least one flight pattern area associated with at least one aircraft;
a digital map coupled to the GFP and configured to generate a first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point corresponding to a location within the at least one flight pattern area and to the at least one flight pattern parameter; and
a flight management system (FMS) including one or more processors coupled to the GFP and to the digital map, the one or more processors configured to;
generate at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the first ordered plurality of pattern points, and (ii) a search radius, each waypoint corresponding to a pattern point; and
generate at least one flight pattern based on (i) one or more of the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, and (ii) a track space offset; and
at least one display unit configured to display the at least one flight pattern including a search pattern with the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and related methods for digital map enabled search pattern generation by a flight management system retrieves from a digital map a set of pattern points corresponding to a selected search pattern parameter, such as a coastline, boundary, lateral terrain feature, or manmade structure, and a designated search area. The flight management system generates a sequence of waypoints based on the set of pattern points and a variable search radius, the sequence of waypoints optimizing efficient coverage of the search pattern parameter. The flight management system generates a full search pattern based on the generated sequence of waypoints; the generated search pattern may be approved or evaluated by the FMS, or forwarded to a rerouter for modification according to terrain avoidance factors.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A digital map enabled flight management system (FMS), comprising:
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a graphical flight planner (GFP) configured to define at least one flight pattern parameter and at least one flight pattern area associated with at least one aircraft; a digital map coupled to the GFP and configured to generate a first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point corresponding to a location within the at least one flight pattern area and to the at least one flight pattern parameter; anda flight management system (FMS) including one or more processors coupled to the GFP and to the digital map, the one or more processors configured to; generate at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the first ordered plurality of pattern points, and (ii) a search radius, each waypoint corresponding to a pattern point; and generate at least one flight pattern based on (i) one or more of the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, and (ii) a track space offset; and at least one display unit configured to display the at least one flight pattern including a search pattern with the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for digital map enabled search pattern generation, including one or more processors configured to:
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determine at least one flight pattern parameter including at least one of a coastline, a political boundary, a natural feature, and a manmade feature; determine at least one flight pattern area corresponding to at least one aircraft; retrieve, from at least one digital map coupled to the one or more processors, at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to the at least one flight pattern parameter;generate at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points, and (ii) a search radius, each waypoint located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to a pattern point; and generate, via the flight management system, at least one flight pattern including a search pattern for display or approval for display on a display unit based on (i) one or more of the second ordered plurality of waypoints, (ii) and a track space offset, wherein the search pattern includes the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for digital map enabled search pattern generation, comprising:
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determining at least one flight pattern parameter via a flight management system (FMS) associated with at least one aircraft, the FMS comprising one or more processors; determining, via the FMS, at least one flight pattern area; generating, via a digital map coupled to the FMS, at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to the at least one flight pattern parameter;generating, via the FMS, at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points, and (ii) a search radius, each waypoint located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to a pattern point; generating, via the FMS, at least one flight pattern including a search pattern for display or approval for display on a display unit based on (i) one or more of the second ordered plurality of waypoints, and (ii) a track space offset; and providing the search pattern for display or approval for display flight pattern including the search pattern, wherein the search pattern includes at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification