System and method for predicting and displaying wake vortex turbulence

• US 6,703,945 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Brandao, Ruy C. P., Bateman, C. Don, Kuntman, Daryal
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/935,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 340/968, 340/963, 340/949, 340/961, 701/301, 701/9, 701/14, 701/120, 342/26, 342/29, 342/36, 342/30, 244/1.R
• US Class Current: 340/961
• 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: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A circuit and method for predicting an intersection of a host aircraft flight path with the wake vortex of another aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for using an electronic circuit to determine the wake vortex of an aircraft, the method comprising:

retrieving aircraft type information corresponding to an aircraft;

with the electronic circuit, determining elevation and position of said aircraft relative to a runway;

with the electronic circuit, predicting a configuration of said aircraft; and

with the electronic circuit, predicting a location of a wake vortex corresponding to said aircraft.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

with the electronic circuit, predicting a trajectory of said wake vortex.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein said aircraft further comprises an intruder aircraft;

and further comprising;

with the electronic circuit, developing a current trajectory of a host aircraft; and

with the electronic circuit, determining whether said current trajectory of said host aircraft intersects said predicted wake vortex trajectory.

4. The method recited in claim 3, wherein said predicting a trajectory of said wake vortex further comprises:

retrieving local atmospheric information; and

applying said local atmospheric information to said predicting a trajectory of said wake vortex.

5. The method recited in claim 3, further comprising displaying a visual representation of said wake vortex.

6. The method recited in claim 5, further comprising generating an alert if said current trajectory of said host aircraft intersects said predicted wake vortex trajectory.

7. The method recited in claim 5, further comprising predicting one or more of an intensity and an extent of said wake vortex;

and wherein said displaying a visual representation of said wake vortex further comprises displaying a visual representation of one or more of said intensity and said extent.

8. A method for predicting an intersection of a host aircraft flight path with the wake vortex of another aircraft, the method comprising:

retrieving aircraft type information corresponding to another aircraft;

retrieving a position of said other aircraft relative to a local airport;

determining an elevation above terrain of said other aircraft;

predicting a configuration of said other aircraft; and

applying said position, said aircraft type information, said elevation above terrain, and said configuration of said other aircraft to an algorithm for predicting a location of a wake vortex of said other aircraft.

9. The method recited in claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving a position and flight path of a host aircraft;

determining a position of said other aircraft relative to said host aircraft; and

determining whether said flight path of said host aircraft passes through said wake vortex.

10. The method recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining local atmospheric condition information; and

further applying said atmospheric condition information to said wake vortex location predicting algorithm.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein said predicting a configuration of said other aircraft further comprises applying said position of said other aircraft relative to a local airport and said elevation above terrain of said other aircraft to an algorithm for predicting a configuration of said other aircraft.

12. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising one or more of displaying a representation of said wake vortex on a display onboard said host aircraft, and generating an alert onboard said host aircraft when said flight path of said host aircraft passes through said wake vortex.

13. A circuit implementing a method for predicting an intersection of a host aircraft flight path with the wake vortex of another aircraft, the circuit comprising:

a function for retrieving aircraft type information corresponding to another aircraft;

a function for retrieving a position of said other aircraft relative to a local airport;

a function for determining an elevation above terrain of said other aircraft;

a function for predicting a configuration of said other aircraft; and

a function for predicting a location of a wake vortex of said other aircraft, said function coupled to receive the output of each of said function for retrieving aircraft type information, said function for retrieving a position of said other aircraft, said funtion for determining an elevation above terrain, and said function for predicting a configuration of said other aircraft.

14. The circuit recited in claim 13, further comprising an air traffic alert and collision avoidance system coupled thereto.

15. The circuit recited in claim 14, further comprising a display coupled to said circuit for receiving an output of said function for predicting a location of a wake vortex, said display displaying a visual representation of said wake vortex.

16. The circuit recited in claim 15, further comprising a function for determining the trajectory of a host aircraft relative to said wake vortex location.

17. The circuit recited in claim 16, further comprising a function for predicting an intersection of said host aircraft and said wake vortex.

18. The circuit recited in claim 17, further comprising a function for generating an alert signal as a function of said intersection of said host aircraft and said wake vortex.

19. A method for using an electronic circuit to determine the wake vortex of an aircraft, the method comprising:

retrieving aircraft type information corresponding to an aircraft;

with the electronic circuit, determining elevation and position of said aircraft relative to a runway;

with the electronic circuit, predicting a configuration of said aircraft;

with the electronic circuit, predicting a location of a wake vortex corresponding to said aircraft;

with the electronic circuit, predicting a trajectory of said wake vortex wherein said aircraft further comprises an intruder aircraft; and

further comprising;

with the electronic circuit, developing a current trajectory of a host aircraft;

with the electronic circuit, determining whether said current trajectory of said host aircraft intersects said predicted wake vortex trajectory; and

with the electronic circuit recording a predicted intensity and a predicted extent of said wake vortex.