Automatic waypoint area navigation system
First Claim
1. A navigation device for use with a conventional aircraft navigation system and conventional HSI/CDI having OBS in providing navigational information to waypoint locations defined with respect to a given VORTAC station, said device comprising:
- memory means for storing digital data representing waypoints;
means for reading data from the navigation system and for determining the present position of the aircraft with respect to a VORTAC station;
means for reading from the OBS, the intended course of the aircraft;
automatic radial means for automatically determining whether a predetermined radial of the VORTAC station intersects the aircraft'"'"'s intended course and, if so, for determining the location of such intersection which defines a waypoint; and
means for automatically entering, into said memory means data representing said waypoint.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An area navigation device automatically establishes waypoints along an RNAV course line intersecting with the four cardinal radials of VORTAC stations. For a given VORTAC station, the pilot selects any of the four cardinal radials and is automatically provided with the distance from the VORTAC station, along that cardinal radial, as the intersection with his selected RNAV course line. Thus, a pilot can quickly sequence through the cardinal radials and quickly ascertain the availability of waypoints along that radial. After an automatically generated cardinal waypoint is selected, it is automatically entered into memory dedicated to that waypoint for later recall and conventional use in area navigation.
-
Citations
43 Claims
-
1. A navigation device for use with a conventional aircraft navigation system and conventional HSI/CDI having OBS in providing navigational information to waypoint locations defined with respect to a given VORTAC station, said device comprising:
-
memory means for storing digital data representing waypoints; means for reading data from the navigation system and for determining the present position of the aircraft with respect to a VORTAC station; means for reading from the OBS, the intended course of the aircraft; automatic radial means for automatically determining whether a predetermined radial of the VORTAC station intersects the aircraft'"'"'s intended course and, if so, for determining the location of such intersection which defines a waypoint; and means for automatically entering, into said memory means data representing said waypoint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for automatically generating aircraft navigational information comprising the steps of:
-
establishing an intended aircraft course line; receiving a VORTAC radio station; first automatically determining whether a predetermined radial of said VORTAC radio station intersects the intended course line; second, if the predetermined radial intersects the intended course line, automatically determining the distance from the VORTAC radio station, along the predetermined radial, to the intended course line thus automatically locating the position of the intersection, to automtically define a waypoint at the intersection; and automatically displaying information for use in navigating to said waypoint. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
-
-
11. An RNAV device for use with a conventional navigation receiver and an HSI/CDI having OBS comprising:
-
memory means for entering and storing data defining at least two (2) waypoints; means for automatically reading data from the navigation system and determining the present position of the aircraft with respect to the VORTAC station; means for automatically reading from the OBS, the intended course of the aircraft; cardinal radial means for automatically determining whether a predetermined radial of the VORTAC station intersects the aircraft'"'"'s intended course and, if so, the location of such intersection, the intersection thus automatically defining a cardinal waypoint; means for automatically entering, into said memory means, data representating the cardinal waypoint; means for selecting either of the at least two waypoints, or the automatically determined cardinal waypoint; and means for facilitating navigation to the thus selected waypoint. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An RNAV device comprising:
-
automatic waypoint determining means for automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground-based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course and one of four predetermined orthogonal radial bearing lines from said ground-based navigational radio fix; and RNAV utilization means for automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation towards said automatically determined location. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An RNAV device comprising:
-
automatic waypoint determining means for automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground-based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground-based navigational radio fix; and RNAV utilization means for automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation towards said automatically determined location, said automatic waypoint determining means including means for determining if said intersection exists and, if not, for providing unique predetermined digital data signals values indicative thereof. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
-
22. An RNAV device comprising:
-
automatic waypoint determining means for automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground-based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground-based navigational radio fix; RNAV utilization means for automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation towards said automatically determined location; means for automatically determining further digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground-based navigational radio station of an aircraft present position; said RNAV utilization means also being adapted to automatically receive said further digital data signals and selectively utilizing them subsequently to facilitate aircraft navigation back towards said present position; and said automatic waypoint determining means including means for determining if said intersection exists and, if not, for providing unique predetermined digital data signal values indicative thereof.
-
-
24. An RNAV device comprising:
-
automatic waypoint determining means for automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground-based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground-based navigational radio fix; and RNAV utilization means for automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation towards said automatically determined location, said automatic waypoint determining means including means for determining if said intersection is more than a predetermined distance from the aircraft'"'"'s present position and, if so, for providing unique predetermined digital data signal values indicative thereof.
-
-
25. An RNAV device comprising:
-
automatic waypoint determining means for automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground-based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground-based navigational radio fix; RNAV utilization means for automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation towards said automatically determined location; means for automatically determining further digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground-based navigational radio station of an aircraft present position; said RNAV utilization means also being adapted to automatically receive said further digital data signals and selectively utilizing them subsequently to facilitate aircraft navigation back towards said present position; and said automatic waypoint determining means including means for determining if said intersection is more than a predetermined distance from the aircraft'"'"'s present position and, if so, for providing unique predetermined digital data signal values indicative thereof.
-
-
26. RNAV apparatus comprising:
-
adjustable waypoint defining means for manually defining and storing plural predetermined waypoints; waypoint selection means for selecting and using one of said stored waypoints as an active RNAV waypoint; automatic waypoint defining means for automatically defining a further waypoint at the intersection of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course line and a predetermined radial bearing line from a ground-based radio navigation station; and automatic waypoint selection means for selecting and using said further waypoint as the active RNAV waypoint. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. An RNAV device for use with a conventional aircraft navigation system and conventional HSI/CDI having OBS in providing navigational information to waypoint locations defined with respect to a navigational radio station, comprising:
-
memory means for storing digital data representing a waypoint; RNAV utilization means for receiving data from said navigation receiver indicating the present position of the aircraft and OBS data from said HSI/CDI representing an intended course and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation towards said waypoint, including means for determining (a) bearing and range to said waypoint and (b) ground speed and time-to-waypoint; digital display means for (a) normally displaying bearing and range to said waypoint and (b) selectively displaying ground speed and time-to-waypoint; adjustable waypoint defining means for manually defining and storing plural predetermined waypoints; waypoint selection means for selecting and using one of said stored waypoints as the active RNAV waypoint; automatic waypoint defining means for automatically defining a further waypoint at the intersection of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course line and a predetermined radial bearing line from a ground-based radio navigation station; and automatic waypoint selection means for selecting and using said further waypoint as the active RNAV waypoint.
-
-
31. A method for navigating an aircraft comprising the steps of:
-
automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft intended course and one of four predetermined orthogonal radial bearing lines from said ground based navigational radio fix; and automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation toward the automatically determined location. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A method for navigating an aircraft comprising the steps of:
-
automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground based navigational radio fix; and automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation toward the automatically determined location, the step of automatically providing including the step of determining whether an intersection exists and if not, providing a unique predetermined digital data signal indicative thereof. - View Dependent Claims (37)
-
-
36. A method for navigating an aircraft comprising the steps of:
-
automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground based navigational radio fix; automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation toward the automatically determined location; automatically determining further digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground based navigational radio station of an aircraft'"'"'s present position; wherein the step of automatically receiving and utilizing includes the step of automatically receiving the further digital data signals and selectively utilizing them subsequently to facilitate aircraft navigation back toward the present position, and wherein the step of automatically providing includes the step of determining whether an intersection exists and if not, providing a unique predetermined digital data signal indicative thereof.
-
-
38. A method for navigating an aircraft comprising the steps of:
-
automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground based navigational radio fix; and automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation toward the automatically determined location, said step of automatically providing including the step of determining whether the intersection is more than a predetermined distance from the aircraft'"'"'s present position and, if so, providing a unique predetermined digital data signal indicative thereof.
-
-
39. A method for navigating an aircraft comprising the steps of:
-
automatically providing digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground based navigational radio fix of an intersection between the line of an aircraft intended course and a particular radial bearing line from said ground based navigational radio fix; automatically receiving said digital data signals and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation toward the automatically determined location; automatically determining further digital data signals representing the location with respect to a ground based navigational radio station of an aircraft'"'"'s present position; wherein the step of automatically receiving and utilizing includes the step of automatically receiving the further digital data signals and selectively utilizing them subsequently to facilitate aircraft navigation back toward the present position, and wherein said step of automatically providing includes the step of determining whether the intersection is more than a predetermined distance from the aircraft'"'"'s present position and, if so, providing a unique predetermined digital data signal indicative thereof.
-
-
40. A method for area navigation comprising the steps of:
-
manually defining and storing plural predetermined waypoints; selecting and using one of the stored waypoints as an active RNAV waypoint; automatically defining a further waypoint at the intersection of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course line and a predetermined radial bearing line from a ground based radio navigation station; and selecting and using the further waypoint as the active RNAV waypoint. - View Dependent Claims (41)
-
-
42. A method for area navigation comprising the steps of:
storing digital data representing a waypoint;
-
43. receiving data from a navigation system indicating the present position of an aircraft and OBS data from an HSI/CDI representing an intended course and utilizing them to facilitate aircraft navigation towards the waypoint including the steps of determining (a) bearing and range to the waypoint and (b) ground speed and time-to-waypoint;
-
normally displaying bearing and range to the waypoint; selectively displaying ground speed and time-to-waypoint; manually defining and storing plural predetermined waypoints; automatically defining a further waypoint at the intersection of an aircraft'"'"'s intended course line in a predetermined radial bearing line from a ground based radio navigtation station; and selecting and using the further waypoint as the active RNAV waypoint.
-
Specification