Datalink controller interface
First Claim
1. A method for providing a digital data link between an air traffic controller at a ground station and the pilot of an aircraft through digital communication between a ground-based computer located at the ground station and including an associated display screen containing a spatial representation of the airspace around the aircraft as well as representation of the location of the aircraft in that airspace, and a computer on that aircraft, said method comprising:
- moving a pointing device to cause movement of a cursor on said display screen, beginning at the representation of the aircraft, to generate a continuous line on the screen between the representation of the aircraft and the cursor corresponding to a potential flight path of the aircraft,generating on said screen, in response to the production of a said continuous line corresponding to the flight path of the aircraft that the controller intends, a static cursorline representative of the intended flight path of aircraft;
using the ground-base computer to calculate, from beginning and the end points of the cursorline, the intended heading of the aircraft; and
transmitting digital data related to calculated intended heading to the aircraft computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital data link is provided between an air traffic controller at a ground station and the pilot of an aircraft through digital communication between a computer on that aircraft and a ground-based computer located at the ground station and including an associated display screen containing a spatial representation of the airspace around the aircraft as well as a representation of the location of the aircraft in that airspace. A pointing device is moved to cause movement of a cursor on the display screen, beginning at the representation of the aircraft, corresponding to the movement of the aircraft that the controller intends. In response to this cursor movement, there is generated on the screen a cursorline representative of the movement of the cursor and thus of the intended path of aircraft. The ground-based computer calculates, from the beginning and the end points of the cursorline, and the length of the cursorline, the intended heading of the aircraft and the distance to be flown. Digital data related to calculated intended heading and distance is transmitted to the aircraft computer.
86 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for providing a digital data link between an air traffic controller at a ground station and the pilot of an aircraft through digital communication between a ground-based computer located at the ground station and including an associated display screen containing a spatial representation of the airspace around the aircraft as well as representation of the location of the aircraft in that airspace, and a computer on that aircraft, said method comprising:
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moving a pointing device to cause movement of a cursor on said display screen, beginning at the representation of the aircraft, to generate a continuous line on the screen between the representation of the aircraft and the cursor corresponding to a potential flight path of the aircraft, generating on said screen, in response to the production of a said continuous line corresponding to the flight path of the aircraft that the controller intends, a static cursorline representative of the intended flight path of aircraft; using the ground-base computer to calculate, from beginning and the end points of the cursorline, the intended heading of the aircraft; and transmitting digital data related to calculated intended heading to the aircraft computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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- 7. In an air traffic control system including a ground-based computer, for communicating with a computer on an aircraft to be controlled, said ground-based computer including an associated display screen containing a spatial representation on the airspace around the aircraft as well as a representation of the location of the aircraft in that airspace, the improvement wherein the system comprises a pointing device for causing movement of a cursor on said display screen, beginning at the representation of the aircraft, to generate a continuous line on the screen between the representation of the aircraft and the cursor corresponding to the flight path of the aircraft that the controller intends and wherein said ground-based computer comprises means for, when actuated by the controller in response to the production of a said continuous line corresponding to the flight path of the aircraft that the controller intends, generating on said screen a status cursorline representative of the intended flight path of the aircraft and for calculating, based on the beginning and end points of the cursorline, the intended heading of the aircraft so that digital data related to calculated intended heading can be transmitted to the aircraft computer.
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10. A method for providing a digital data link between a controller at a control station and the operator of a vehicle through digital communication between a computer located at the control station and including an associated display screen containing a spatial representation of the area round the vehicle as well as representation of the location of the vehicle in that area, and a computer on that vehicle, said method comprising:
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moving a pointing device to cause movement of a cursor on said display screen, beginning at the representation of the vehicle, to generate a continuous line on the screen between the representation of the vehicle and the cursor corresponding to a potential path of movement of the vehicle, generating on said screen, response to the production of a said continuous line corresponding to the path of movement of the vehicle that the controller intends, a static cursorline representative of the intended path of movement of the vehicle; using the control station computer to calculate, based on the static cursorline, at least one parameter related to the path of movement of the vehicle represented by the static cursorline; and transmitting digital data related to calculated parameter to the vehicle computer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification