Graphical system and method for defining pilot tasks, patterns and constraints
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling an aircraft comprising the steps of:
- inputting a flightplan into a computer, wherein said flightplan comprises a series of waypoints displayed on a graphical display;
selecting one of said series of waypoints from said graphical display to obtain a menu of options relating to said waypoint on said graphical display;
graphically selecting one of said options from said menu to open a dialog box corresponding to said one of said options; and
entering additional data relating to said one of said options in said dialog box, wherein said dialog box comprises a plurality of inputs, each of said plurality of inputs corresponding to an air traffic control parameter, wherein said inputs are processed at said computer to execute said one of said options and to modify said flightplan for said aircraft.
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the invention suitably provide dialog boxes in response to pilot commands so that task parameters may be input or modified. Pilot tasks include “direct-to”, “hold”, “procedure turn”, “cross with flyover”, “show info”, “orbit”, “radial”, and the like. According to various embodiments, certain dialog boxes include graphical functionality and incorporate ‘human factors’ enhancements such that information is efficiently presented in a manner that corresponds to air traffic control instructions.
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28 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an aircraft comprising the steps of:
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inputting a flightplan into a computer, wherein said flightplan comprises a series of waypoints displayed on a graphical display;
selecting one of said series of waypoints from said graphical display to obtain a menu of options relating to said waypoint on said graphical display;
graphically selecting one of said options from said menu to open a dialog box corresponding to said one of said options; and
entering additional data relating to said one of said options in said dialog box, wherein said dialog box comprises a plurality of inputs, each of said plurality of inputs corresponding to an air traffic control parameter, wherein said inputs are processed at said computer to execute said one of said options and to modify said flightplan for said aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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- 21. A display providing information to a pilot of an aircraft, said display comprising a dialog box configured to graphically accept information provided by said pilot, wherein the layout of said dialog box corresponds to conventional air traffic control (ATC) language associated with a flight procedure.
Specification