Intervention flight management system
First Claim
1. In an airplane flight management system that includes a flight management computer that produces airplane speed and altitude control signals in accordacne with preprogrammed instructions, said speed and altitude control signals determining the route and profile of the airplane'"'"'s flight path, the improvement comprising an intervention flight management system (IFMS) integrated with said flight management computer for overriding said preprogrammed instructions, said IFMS comprising:
- an IFMS control panel including manually position-adjustable knobs and switches, and related indicators, the position of said position-adjustable knobs and switches creating lateral and vertical flight path instructions; and
,an IFMS control means coupled to said IFMS control panel for detecting the lateral and vertical flight path instructions created by the position of said position-adjustable knobs and switches and producing airplane speed and altitude control signals in accordance with said lateral and vertical flight path instructions that override contrary speed and altitude control signals produced by said flight management computer in response to said preprogrammed instructions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An Intervention Flight Management System (IFMS) that allows a pilot to intervene in the operation of a preprogrammed flight management computer and change the speed and/or flight path of an airplane in response to air traffic control (ATC) instructions is disclosed. The IFMS includes an IFMS control panel via which the pilot interfaces with an IFMS program. The IFMS program includes intervention subroutines that override the preprogrammed instructions that control the flight management computer. The intervention subroutines include a lateral (direction) control subroutine and several vertical subroutines. The vertical subroutines include altitude, speed and vertical path subroutines. The intervention subroutines can be engaged independently of one another. Control axes unrelated to an engaged intervention subroutine remain under the control of the preprogrammed flight management computer instructions.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. In an airplane flight management system that includes a flight management computer that produces airplane speed and altitude control signals in accordacne with preprogrammed instructions, said speed and altitude control signals determining the route and profile of the airplane'"'"'s flight path, the improvement comprising an intervention flight management system (IFMS) integrated with said flight management computer for overriding said preprogrammed instructions, said IFMS comprising:
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an IFMS control panel including manually position-adjustable knobs and switches, and related indicators, the position of said position-adjustable knobs and switches creating lateral and vertical flight path instructions; and
,an IFMS control means coupled to said IFMS control panel for detecting the lateral and vertical flight path instructions created by the position of said position-adjustable knobs and switches and producing airplane speed and altitude control signals in accordance with said lateral and vertical flight path instructions that override contrary speed and altitude control signals produced by said flight management computer in response to said preprogrammed instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification