Integrated surface moving map advisory system

• US 6,694,249 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Carrico, Matthew J., Anderson, Eric N., Zellers, Steven M., Winfield, James F., Garloch, Julie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/044,600
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 701/13, 701/301, 701/9, 701/3, 701/4, 701/207, 701/14, 340/961, 340/933, 340/479, 340/435, 342/29, 342/36, 342/933, 342/961, 342/456, 244/3.19, 244/870.44
• US Class Current: 701/120
• 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

Abstract

An integrated surface moving map advisory system that provide selectable amounts of simplified airport layout information, simultaneously with authorized ground movement authority in order to provide highly informative and intuitive guidance with respect to all aspects of operating an aircraft or other vehicle in a controlled geographical area. The advisory system may be further enhanced by the additional overlay of symbols representing other airport traffic along with the general intentions of such traffic.

Claims

1. A system for providing airport surface operation information to an aircraft cockpit flight crew member, comprising:

a display including a symbol generator mounted in the aircraft,

a computer on-board the aircraft 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;

receiver for the wireless receipt of data concerning contemporaneous airport traffic; and

a selector on the display for enabling a predetermined level of the airport information from the electronic database to be represented on the display, wherein the display is a multifunction display capable of providing a variety of aircraft location and authorized movement guidance information to the aircraft flight crew member, as determined by aircraft location, aircraft heading, and ground movement traffic route information with respect to present aircraft location and ultimate ground operation destination and wherein the display is further capable of displaying contemporaneous airport traffic when data concerning such contemporaneous airport traffic is received.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the display is a cathode ray tube type head down display.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the display is a liquid crystal type head down display.

4. The system of claim 1 further including a visual symbol representing the preferred aircraft ground speed.

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 further comprising a ground speed sensor for the aircraft, coupled to the computer.

9. 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, 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 an airport map and aircraft movement guidance symbols,

monitoring aircraft location and speed;

calculating preferred ground speed for given aircraft;

displaying preferred ground speed of aircraft;

overlaying other airport traffic on the generated airport surface map;

generating and displaying new guidance information, and repeating the step of updating displayed information, until aircraft transitions to flight or park status.

10. The method of claim 9 further including displaying current aircraft location with respect to current location references.

11. The method of claim 9 further including selecting an amount and type of information to be displayed by the system.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of displaying aircraft movement clearance symbols includes display of a measured ground speed.

13. The method of claim 10 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 9 wherein entering aircraft movement clearance is accomplished via a datalink between the aircraft and a ground controller.

15. A system for providing airport surface operation information to an aircraft pilot, comprising:

a display including a symbol generator mounted in an 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;

a controller for inputting movement clearance of the aircraft;

an electronic database that includes detailed airport information that can be accessed by the computer that is provided to the aircraft in wireless fashion;

a wireless datalink operable between the aircraft and an authority for broadcasting other airport traffic position operating on the ground within the airport area and airport layout data; and

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

wherein the display provides a variety of aircraft location and authorized movement guidance information to the aircraft pilot dependent upon a selected detail view as determined by aircraft flight crew.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the display is a multi-panel head-own display.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the position determination device is a satellite positioning receiver system.

18. The system of claim 15 where the position determination device is a terrestrial based positioning system.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising a ground speed sensor for the aircraft and coupled to the computer.