Method and apparatus of automatically monitoring aircraft altitude
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automatically and independently determining aircraft altitude and alerting the pilot to deviations from a target altitude exceeding a specified tolerance value, the alerter comprising:
- a self-contained altitude sensing means for sensing the present altitude of the aircraft;
target entry means for entering the target altitude to which said present aircraft altitude is compared, said target entry means comprising a push-button electrically connected to said computation means such that upon depressing of said pushbutton, said target altitude is equated to said present aircraft altitude;
computation means for receiving and processing said present aircraft altitude information from said self-contained altitude sensing means and for receiving and processing said target altitude from said target entry means, said computation means being operative to compare said present altitude to said target altitude and to compute the difference therebetween, said computation means also operative to compute the absolute value of said difference and compare said absolute difference between said target and present altitudes to the tolerance value; and
means for indicating an altitude alerting condition upon the detection of a condition wherein said absolute difference is larger than said tolerance value, said indicating means being connected to said computation means and operative to indicate the occurrence of said altitude alerting condition.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for automatically and independently determining aircraft altitude and alerting the pilot to deviations from a target altitude exceeding a specified tolerance. The alerter comprises an altitude sensing means for sensing the present altitude of the aircraft. The invention discloses three sources for altitude information namely, a self-contined sensor such as a pressure transducer, a Global Positioning System receive, or an altitude encoder. A target entry means is used for entering the target altitude. An indicating means signals an altitude alerting condition upon the detection of a condition wherein the absolute difference is larger than the tolerance value. The altitude alerting apparatus may also comprise a display means for display of the present aircraft altitude information.
39 Citations
4 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatically and independently determining aircraft altitude and alerting the pilot to deviations from a target altitude exceeding a specified tolerance value, the alerter comprising:
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a self-contained altitude sensing means for sensing the present altitude of the aircraft; target entry means for entering the target altitude to which said present aircraft altitude is compared, said target entry means comprising a push-button electrically connected to said computation means such that upon depressing of said pushbutton, said target altitude is equated to said present aircraft altitude; computation means for receiving and processing said present aircraft altitude information from said self-contained altitude sensing means and for receiving and processing said target altitude from said target entry means, said computation means being operative to compare said present altitude to said target altitude and to compute the difference therebetween, said computation means also operative to compute the absolute value of said difference and compare said absolute difference between said target and present altitudes to the tolerance value; and means for indicating an altitude alerting condition upon the detection of a condition wherein said absolute difference is larger than said tolerance value, said indicating means being connected to said computation means and operative to indicate the occurrence of said altitude alerting condition.
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2. An apparatus for automatically and independently determining aircraft altitude and alerting the pilot to deviations from a target altitude exceeding a specified tolerance value, the alerter comprising:
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a self-contained altitude sensing means for sensing the present altitude of the aircraft; target entry means for entering the target altitude to which said present aircraft altitude is compared; computation means for receiving and processing said present aircraft altitude information from said self-contained altitude sensing means and for receiving and processing said target altitude from said target entry means, said computation means being operative to compare said present altitude to said target altitude and to compute the difference therebetween, said computation means also operative to compute the absolute value of said difference and compare said absolute difference between said target and present altitudes to the tolerance value; and means for indicating an altitude alerting condition upon the detection of a condition wherein said absolute difference is larger than said tolerance value, said indicating means being connected to said computation means and operative to indicate the occurrence of said altitude alerting condition; and means for effecting a system calibration whereupon entry of a reference altitude on said target entry and activation of said system calibration means, said computation means is operative to compare said reference altitude to said sensed aircraft altitude and to compute the difference therebetween, said difference defining an altitude adjustment value which may be applied to later sensed aircraft altitudes.
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3. A method of automatically and independently determining and displaying aircraft altitude and alerting the pilot to deviations from a target altitude exceeding a specified tolerance value, comprising the steps of:
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providing an altitude alerting apparatus having; a self-contained altitude sensing means for sensing the present altitude of the aircraft; target entry means for entering the target altitude to which said present aircraft altitude is compared,and wherein said target entry means is a push-button; computation means for receiving and processing present aircraft altitude information from said self-contained altitude sensing means and for receiving and processing said target altitude from said target entry means, said computation means being operative to compare said present altitude to said target altitude and to compute the absolute difference therebetween, said computation means also operative to compute the absolute value of said difference and compare said absolute difference between said target and present altitudes to said tolerance value; and indicating means for indicating an altitude alerting condition upon the occurrence of said absolute difference exceeding said tolerance; entering a target altitude by depressing said push-button upon reaching said target altitude; sensing said aircraft altitude; differencing said sensed aircraft altitude and said target altitude; computing an altitude deviation defined as the absolute difference between said sensed aircraft altitude and said target altitude; comparing said altitude deviation to said tolerance value; and indicating an altitude alerting condition upon the detection of an altitude deviation in excess of said tolerance value.
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4. A method of automatically and independently determining and displaying aircraft altitude and alerting the pilot to deviations from a target altitude exceeding a specified tolerance value, comprising the steps of:
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providing an altitude alerting apparatus having; a self-contained altitude sensing means for sensing the present altitude of the aircraft; target entry means for entering the target altitude to which said present aircraft altitude is compared; computation means for receiving and processing present aircraft altitude information from said self-contained altitude sensing means and for receiving and processing said target altitude from said target entry means, said computation means being operative to compare said present altitude to said target altitude and to compute the absolute difference therebetween, said computation means also operative to compute the absolute value of said difference and compare said absolute difference between said target and present altitudes to said tolerance value; and indicating means for indicating an altitude alerting condition upon the occurrence of said absolute difference exceeding said tolerance; entering a target altitude; sensing said aircraft altitude; differencing said sensed aircraft altitude and said target altitude; computing an altitude deviation defined as the absolute difference between said sensed aircraft altitude and said target altitude; comparing said altitude deviation to said tolerance value; and indicating an altitude alerting condition upon the detection of an altitude deviation in excess of said tolerance value; providing a display means for display of said sensed aircraft altitude; and displaying said sensed aircraft altitude; providing an altimeter; providing a means for effecting a system calibration; comparing said displayed sensed aircraft altitude to the aircraft altitude on the aircraft altimeter; initiating a system calibration upon the detection of a difference in said displayed sensed aircraft altitude and said altitude on said altimeter, the system calibration comprising the steps of; inputting a calibration altitude on said target entry means, said calibration altitude being the altitude displayed on said altimeter; and activating said system calibration means.
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Specification