Layered subsystem architecture for a flight management system
First Claim
1. A flight management system (FMS) architecture residing on a computing platform, wherein the system is predicated on the enforcement of subsystem-dependency rules wherein a given subsystem can depend only upon another subsystem in the same or lower subsystems, the FMS architecture comprising:
- an operator interface subsystem for receiving input from an operator and presenting output to the operator;
a communications subsystem for managing and interpreting communications to and from aircraft and equipment used for communication;
a flight management subsystem for managing functions associated with operation of an aircraft; and
a database management subsystem for managing and providing access to a plurality of databases housed within the FMS architecture.
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Abstract
An improved aircraft flight management system (FMS) based on a layered subsystem architecture, residing on a computing platform and including an operator interface subsystem, a communications subsystem, a flight management subsystem, and a database management subsystem, wherein the architecture is predicated on the enforcement of subsystem-dependency rules wherein a given subsystem is allowed to depend only upon another subsystem in the same or lower hierarchical layer.
93 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A flight management system (FMS) architecture residing on a computing platform, wherein the system is predicated on the enforcement of subsystem-dependency rules wherein a given subsystem can depend only upon another subsystem in the same or lower subsystems, the FMS architecture comprising:
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an operator interface subsystem for receiving input from an operator and presenting output to the operator;
a communications subsystem for managing and interpreting communications to and from aircraft and equipment used for communication;
a flight management subsystem for managing functions associated with operation of an aircraft; and
a database management subsystem for managing and providing access to a plurality of databases housed within the FMS architecture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A flight management system (FMS) for automating functions that flight crew performs during flight and for providing higher-level functions that are normally impractical for crew performance manually, comprising:
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an architecture housing an electronic flight plan, wherein, said architecture implements complex flight operations comprising Standard Instrument Departures (SID), Standard Terminal Arrivals (STAR), holding patterns, aerial refueling, and air drops, said architecture is configured as a layered subsystem hierarchy and is based on subsystem-dependency rules which allow a given subsystem to depend only upon another subsystem in the same or lower hierarchical layers, and said architecture communicates with aircrew interfaces; and
an operator services module for allowing an operator using an aircrew interface to invoke services provided by the FMS, wherein, depending on the services invoked, the FMS can be required to obtain information from aircraft sensors and assume control of aircraft avionics if appropriate.
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14. A method of controlling and coordinating communication between diverse modules in a flight management system (FMS), configured as a layered subsystem hierarchical architecture, the method comprising the steps of:
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coordinating communication between operational subsystems incorporated into the FMS based on subsystem-dependency rules which allow a given subsystem to depend only upon another subsystem in the same or lower hierarchical layers; and
verifying communication based on the subsystem-dependency rules during implementation and execution of software associated with said modules. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A flight management system (FMS) including a layered-subsystem architecture residing on a computing platforms wherein the system is predicated on the enforcement of subsystem-dependency rules which allow a given subsystem to depend only upon another subsystem in the same or lower hierarchical layers, the FMS architecture comprising:
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an operator interface subsystem for receiving) input from an operator and presenting output to the operator;
a communications subsystem for managing and interpreting communications to and from aircraft and equipment used for communication;
a flight management subsystem for managing functions associated with operation of an aircraft; and
a database management subsystem for managing and providing access to a plurality of databases housed within the FMS architecture. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
a flight planning subsystem to build and maintain a list of legs defining, a flight plan; and
an aircraft guidance subsystem to guide an aircraft flight trajectory by producing steering commands and targets.
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29. The system of claim 28, wherein database access from the database management subsystem is provided to said flight planning and aircraft guidance subsystems.
Specification