Airport surface operation advisory system

• US 6,571,166 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Johnson, Walter A., Keas, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/602,352
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/13, 701/14, 701/15, 701/120, 707/104.1, 340/969, 340/972, 340/973, 340/991, 340/990, 340/988, 340/995, 342/357.01
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A head up display system that incorporates conformal and non-conformal views and associated symbology to provide highly informative and intuitive guidance with respect to all aspects of operating an aircraft or other vehicle in a controlled geographical area, by utilizing calculated views from the pilot seat, aircraft speed, and relevant ground operation information.

Claims

1. A system for providing airport surface operation information to an aircraft pilot in conformal, non-conformal or combined conformal and non-conformal views, comprising:

a display including a symbol generator mounted in the aircraft;

a computer coupled to the display;

a position determination device mounted in the aircraft and coupled to the computer that provides information of the aircraft position with respect to the surface of the earth;

an electronic database that includes detailed airport information that can be accessed by the computer; and

an aircraft ground speed sensor for providing an input signal to the computer for determining aircraft ground speed when the aircraft is operating on the surface of the earth;

wherein the display provides a variety of aircraft location and authorized non-runway ground movement guidance information to the aircraft pilot, while the aircraft is located on the surface of the earth, in either a conformed view, a non-conformed view, or both conformed and non-conformed dependent upon a calculated pilot view from the aircraft windshield, as determined by aircraft location, aircraft heading, traffic route information with respect to aircraft location, aircraft, on the ground, operating speed and current non-runway ground movement clearances.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the display is a single panel head-up display.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the display is a multi-panel head-up display.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the display is a helmet integrated display.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the position determination device is a satellite positioning receiver system.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the satellite positioning receiver system comprises a differential GPS receiver.

7. The system of claim 1 where the position determination device is a terrestrial based positioning system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the simultaneous display of a conformed view and a non-conformed view, is accomplished with inverse light intensity of each view, as the display transitions over a predetermined time from a conformed view to a non-conformed view or from a non-conformed view to a conformed view.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the predetermined time period is approximately two seconds.

10. An enhanced method of airport surface movement operation including an on-board aircraft situational awareness system that provides movement clearance information and precise aircraft ground location in a blended conformal and non-conformal manner, comprising the steps of:

Initializing the situational awareness system;

loading electronic airport ground navigational database;

determining present aircraft location;

entering aircraft movement clearance, when received from the airport surface operations controller;

generating and displaying aircraft movement guidance symbols;

monitoring aircraft location and speed;

calculating preferred ground speed for given aircraft prior to a required turn in the direction of aircraft travel;

displaying preferred ground speed of aircraft;

overlaying a conformal view of the instantaneous view out the aircraft windshield with a non-conformal view, at a predetermined time prior to entering a required turn;

updating displayed information to reflect next movement guidance clearance;

generating and displaying new guidance information; and

repeating the step of updating displayed information, until aircraft transitions to flight or parked.

11. The method of claim 10 further including displaying current aircraft location with respect to current location references.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the displaying current aircraft location with respect to current location references, depicts reference to the taxiway centerline.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of displaying aircraft movement clearance symbols, further includes a symbolic representation of the anticipated aircraft ground location for reaching preferred aircraft ground speed.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of displaying aircraft movement clearance symbols includes display of a measured ground speed.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein entering aircraft movement clearance is accomplished via a datalink between the aircraft and a ground controller.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising maintaining the overlayed conformal and non-conformal view is maintained for a predetermined time of less than five seconds.

17. A system for providing airport surface operation information to an aircraft pilot in conformal, non-conformal or combined conformal and non-conformal views, comprising:

a display including a symbol generator mounted in the aircraft;

a computer coupled to the head-up display;

a position determination device mounted in the aircraft and coupled to the computer that provides information of the aircraft position with respect to the surface of the earth;

an electronic database that includes detailed airport information that can be accessed by the computer;

a wireless datalink operable between the aircraft and an authority for issuing aircraft movement clearance on the airport surface; and

an aircraft speed sensor for providing an input signal to the computer for determining aircraft speed;

wherein the head-up display provides a variety of aircraft location and authorized movement guidance information to the aircraft pilot in either a conformed view, a non-conformed view, or both conformed and non-conformed dependent upon a calculated pilot view from the aircraft windshield, as determined by aircraft location, aircraft heading, traffic route information with respect to aircraft location, aircraft operating speed and current non-runway ground movement clearances.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the display is a multi-panel head-up display.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the position determination device is a satellite positioning receiver system.

20. The system of claim 17 where the position determination device is a terrestrial based positioning system.