Ground proximity warning system, method and computer program product for controllably altering the base width of an alert envelope
First Claim
1. A ground proximity warning system comprising a processor for generating an alert envelope that define an alert region extending at least forward of a craft said processor defining the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, said processor altering the base width of the alert envelope depending upon the type of navigation equipment that provides the current position of the craft to the ground proximity warning system, wherein said processor also alters the base width of the alert envelope based upon the distance of the craft to a runway.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ground proximity warning system, method and computer program product are provided that controllably alter the base width of the alert envelope in order to accommodate uncertainties associated with the current position of the aircraft. In one embodiment, the ground proximity warning system, method and computer program product controllably alter the base width of the alert envelope depending upon an error value, i.e., an uncertainty, associated with the current position of the aircraft. Since the error value associated with the current position of the aircraft is largely dependent upon the type of navigation equipment onboard the aircraft, the ground proximity warning system, method and computer program product of another embodiment controllably alter the base width of the alert envelope depending upon the type of navigation equipment that provides the current position of the aircraft.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A ground proximity warning system comprising a processor for generating an alert envelope that define an alert region extending at least forward of a craft said processor defining the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, said processor altering the base width of the alert envelope depending upon the type of navigation equipment that provides the current position of the craft to the ground proximity warning system, wherein said processor also alters the base width of the alert envelope based upon the distance of the craft to a runway.
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2. A method for providing ground proximity warning comprising generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft wherein generating the alert envelope comprises defining The alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, and wherein defining the alert envelope comprises altering the base width of the envelope depending upon the type of navigation equipment that is providing the current position of the craft, wherein altering the base width of the alert envelope comprises also altering the base width of the alert envelope based upon the distance of the craft to a runaway.
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3. A computer program product for providing ground proximity warnings, wherein the computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising first computer instruction means for generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft, wherein said first computer instruction means defines the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, and wherein said first computer instruction means alters the base width of the alert envelope depending upon the type of navigation equipment That is providing the current position of the craft, wherein said first computer instruction means also alters the base width of the alert envelope based upon the distance of the craft to a runway.
- 4. A ground proximity warning system comprising a processor for generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft, said processor defining the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, said processor altering the base width of the alert envelope depending upon an error value associated with the current position of the craft.
- 11. A method for providing ground proximity warnings comprising generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft, wherein generating the alert envelope comprises defining the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, and wherein defining the alert envelope comprises altering the base width of the alert envelope depending upon an error value associated with the current position of the craft.
- 18. A computer program product for providing ground proximity warnings, wherein the computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising first computer instruction means for generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft, wherein said first computer instruction means defines the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, and wherein said first computer instruction means alters the base width of the alert envelope depending upon an error value associated with the current position of the craft.
- 25. A ground proximity warning system comprising a processor for generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft said processor defining the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance, extending forward of the craft, wherein said processor alters the base width of The alert envelope to be larger if a flight management system provides the current position of the craft to the ground proximity warning system than if a global positioning system provides the current position of the craft to the ground proximity warning system.
- 27. A method for providing ground proximity warning comprising generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft, wherein generating the alert envelope comprises defining the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of The craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, wherein altering the base width of the alert envelope comprises altering the base width of the alert envelope to be lager if a flight management system provides the current position of the craft than if a global positioning system provides the current position of the craft.
- 29. A computer program product for providing ground proximity warnings, wherein the computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising first computer instruction means for generating an alert envelope that defines an alert region extending at least forward of a craft, wherein said first computer instruction mean defines the alert envelope based at least partially upon a base width proximate a current position of the craft and extending laterally relative to the craft and a look ahead distance extending forward of the craft, and wherein said first computer instruction means alters the base width of the alert envelope to be larger if a flight management system provides the current position of the craft than if a global positioning system provides the current position of the craft.
Specification