Assembly, computer program product and method for displaying navigation performance based flight path deviation information

• US 6,571,155 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Houck, Andrew W., Carriker, Michael H., Shomber, H. Rolan, Hilby, Darcy L., Tarleton, Tom E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US09/897,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20030004619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/200, 701/205, 701/9, 701/16, 701/14, 701/5, 340/974, 340/973, 340/977, 340/978, 340/990, 340/995, 340/948, 340/951, 340/971, 340/972, 340/975, 340/979, 342/47, 731/78.T, 244/180, 244/181, 244/183, 244/186
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones

Abstract

A navigation performance based flight path deviation display assembly includes a display and a display processor capable of generating an image upon the display. The image includes at least one flight path scale comprising a reference point bounded by end markers extending in at least one of a lateral and vertical direction. The display also includes at least one moveable deviation pointer disposed on the flight path scales. Additionally, the image includes a representation of at least one extendable navigation error disposed on the flight path scale, and extending from at least one of the end markers toward the reference point based upon an actual navigation performance (ANP) and the RNP for the aircraft. The image may also include at least one moveable intersecting flight path pointer disposed on the flight path scales.

Claims

1. A method of providing navigation performance based flight path deviation information comprising:

providing at least one flight path scale, wherein each flight path scale comprises a reference point bounded by end markers extending in at least one of a lateral and vertical direction, wherein the reference point relates to an actual flight path, and wherein the end markers represent a required navigation performance (RNP);

determining a deviation of the actual flight path of the aircraft relative to a predefined flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable deviation pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon the deviation and the reference point; and

determining an actual navigation performance (ANP) and the RNP based upon a flight phase of the aircraft and thereafter displaying a representation of at least one extendable navigation error on the at least one flight path scale based upon the ANP and RNP, wherein the representation extends from at least one of the end markers toward the reference point of the at least one flight path scale to thereby define at least one navigation performance suspect region.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising identifying at least one intersecting flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable intersecting flight path pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon a distance of the intersecting flight path from the actual flight path.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising identifying the at least one deviation pointer on the representation of at least one extendable navigation error.

4. A method of providing flight path intersection information comprising:

providing at least one flight path scale, wherein each flight path scale comprises a reference point bounded by end markers extending in at least one of a lateral and vertical direction, wherein the reference point relates to an actual flight path, and wherein the end markers represent a required navigation performance (RNP);

determining a deviation of the actual flight path of the aircraft relative to a predefined flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable deviation pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon the deviation and the reference point; and

identifying at least one intersecting flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable intersecting flight path pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon a distance of the intersecting flight path from the actual flight path.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising determining an actual navigation performance (ANP) and the RNP based upon a flight phase of the aircraft and thereafter displaying a representation of at least one extendable navigation error on the at least one flight path scale based upon the ANP and RNP, wherein the representation extends from at least one of the end markers toward the reference point of the at least one flight path scale to thereby define at least one navigation performance suspect region.

6. A method according to claim 5 further comprising identifying the at least one deviation pointer on the representation.

7. A navigation performance based flight path deviation display assembly comprising:

a display; and

a display processor capable of generating an image upon said display comprising;

at least one flight path scale comprising a reference point bounded by end markers extending in at least one of a lateral and vertical direction, wherein the reference point relates to an actual flight path, and wherein the end markers represent a required navigation performance (RNP);

at least one moveable deviation pointer disposed on said at least one flight path scale, wherein the deviation pointer moves between the end markers based upon a deviation of the actual flight path of the aircraft relative to a predefined flight path; and

a representation of at least one extendable navigation error disposed on the flight path scale, wherein said representation extends from at least one of the end markers toward the reference point based upon an actual navigation performance (ANP) and the RNP for the aircraft, wherein said representation defines at least one navigation performance suspect region, and wherein the ANP and RNP are based upon a flight phase of the aircraft.

8. A navigation performance based flight path deviation display assembly according to claim 7 further comprising at least one moveable intersecting flight path pointer disposed on said at least one flight path scale, wherein said at least one intersecting flight path pointer moves based upon a distance of the intersecting flight path from the actual flight path.

9. A navigation performance based flight path deviation display assembly according to claim 7, wherein said representation is capable of identifying the at least one deviation pointer on said representation.

10. A navigation performance based flight path deviation display assembly according to claim 7, wherein the end markers extend equidistant from a respective flight path scale.

11. A flight path intersection display assembly comprising:

a display; and

a display processor capable of generating an image upon said display comprising;

at least one flight path scale comprising a reference point bounded by end markers extending in at least one of a lateral and vertical direction, wherein the reference point relates to an actual flight path, and wherein the end markers represent a required navigation performance (RNP);

at least one moveable deviation pointer disposed on said at least one flight path scale, wherein the deviation pointer moves between the end markers based upon a deviation of the actual flight path of the aircraft relative to a predefined flight path; and

at least one moveable intersecting flight path pointer disposed on said at least one flight path scale, wherein said at least one intersecting flight path pointer moves in the area between the end markers based upon a distance of the intersecting flight path from the actual flight path.

12. A flight path intersection display assembly according to claim 11 further comprising a representation of at least one extendable navigation error disposed on said at least one flight path scale, wherein said representation extends from at least one of the end markers toward the reference point based upon an actual navigation performance (ANP) and the RNP for the aircraft, wherein said representation defines at least one navigation performance suspect region, and wherein the ANP and RNP are based upon a flight phase of the aircraft.

13. A flight path intersection display assembly according to claim 12, wherein said representation is capable of identifying the at least one deviation pointer on said representation.

14. A flight path intersection display assembly according to claim 11, wherein the end markers extend equidistant from a respective flight path scale.

15. A computer program product for providing navigation performance based flight path deviation information, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for providing at least one flight path scale, wherein each flight path scale comprises a reference point bounded by end markers extending in at least one of a lateral and vertical direction, wherein the reference point relates to an actual flight path, and wherein the end markers represent a required navigation performance (RNP);

a second executable portion for determining a deviation of the actual flight path of the aircraft relative to the predefined flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable deviation pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon the deviation; and

a third executable portion for determining an actual navigation performance (ANP) and the RNP based upon a flight phase of the aircraft and thereafter displaying a representation of at least one extendable navigation error on the at least one flight path scale based upon the ANP and RNP, wherein the representation extends from at least one of the end markers toward the reference point of the at least one flight path scale to thereby define at least one navigation performance suspect region.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15 further comprising a fourth executable portion for identifying at least one intersecting flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable intersecting flight path pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon a distance of the intersecting flight path from the actual flight path.

17. A computer program product according to claim 15 further comprising identifying the at least one deviation pointer on the representation.

18. A computer program product for providing flight path intersection information, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for providing at least one flight path scale, wherein each flight path scale comprises a reference point bounded by end markers extending in at least one of a lateral and vertical direction, wherein the reference point relates to an actual flight path, and wherein the end markers represent a required navigation performance (RNP);

a second executable portion for determining a deviation of the actual flight path of the aircraft relative to the predefined flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable deviation pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon the deviation; and

a third executable portion for identifying at least one intersecting flight path and thereafter displaying at least one moveable intersecting flight path pointer on the at least one flight path scale based upon a distance of the intersecting flight path from the actual flight path.

19. A computer program product according to claim 18 further comprising a fourth executable portion for determining an actual navigation performance (ANP) and the RNP based upon a flight phase of the aircraft and thereafter displaying a representation of at least one extendable navigation error on the at least one flight path scale based upon the ANP and RNP, wherein the representation extends from at least one of the end markers toward the reference point of the at least one flight path scale to thereby define at least one navigation performance suspect region.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19 further comprising identifying the at least one deviation pointer on the representation.