Navigational apparatus and methods for displaying aircraft position with respect to a selected vertical flight path profile
First Claim
1. A method of generating an informational profile for guiding an aircraft flight, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing information concerning locations of an earlier position P1 and a later position P4, as well as aircraft first operating parameters for conducting a climb from the earlier position P1 and aircraft second operating parameters for conducting a descent to the later position P4 ;
b. calculating a location of an upper descent position P3 from the later position P4 as a function of a projected distance to be flown by the aircraft when descending to position P4 in accordance with the aircraft second operating parameters;
c. calculating a location of an upper climb position P2 from earlier position P1 as a function of a projected distance to be flown by the aircraft when climbing to the upper climb position P2 from position P1 in accordance with the aircraft first operating parameters;
d. generating the informational profile which is defined by a climb portion including positions P1 and P2, a descent portion including positions P3 and P4, and an intermediate portion including positions P2 and P3 ; and
e. guiding said aircraft based on the generated informational profile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft navigational system for providing a geometic display to the pilot of the vertical position of the aircraft relative to a selected vertical flight path profile as the aircraft progresses between its departure and destination. The vertical profile, which has a climb portion, a cruise portion and a descent portion, is formed by a number of navigational points, each of which is defined by an altitude component and a geographical position component. The profile points which form the climb and descent profiles are calculated from controller assigned altitude and waypoint constraints as well as from airspeed and altitude operating limitations which define various selected aircraft performance climb and descent modes.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of generating an informational profile for guiding an aircraft flight, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. providing information concerning locations of an earlier position P1 and a later position P4, as well as aircraft first operating parameters for conducting a climb from the earlier position P1 and aircraft second operating parameters for conducting a descent to the later position P4 ; b. calculating a location of an upper descent position P3 from the later position P4 as a function of a projected distance to be flown by the aircraft when descending to position P4 in accordance with the aircraft second operating parameters; c. calculating a location of an upper climb position P2 from earlier position P1 as a function of a projected distance to be flown by the aircraft when climbing to the upper climb position P2 from position P1 in accordance with the aircraft first operating parameters; d. generating the informational profile which is defined by a climb portion including positions P1 and P2, a descent portion including positions P3 and P4, and an intermediate portion including positions P2 and P3 ; and e. guiding said aircraft based on the generated informational profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification