Method, apparatus and computer program product for managing line-of-sight communications
First Claim
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1. A method for improving vehicle communications comprising the steps of:
- deriving current position data of a vehicle;
accessing location and performance data for a communication/navigation facility stored in a database;
accessing terrain data stored in said database;
comparing said position data with said location and performance data of said communication/navigation facility and said terrain data and determining if said vehicle is in line of sight communication range of said communication/navigation facility;
displaying on a display regions where line-of-sight communications are unavailable; and
displaying on said display additional regions where line-of-sight communications would be possible if an altitude of the vehicle increased by a predetermined amount.
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Abstract
A signal processing device references a database of communication/navigation facilities and determines if communications are available with that facility given a current position of the user.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for improving vehicle communications comprising the steps of:
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deriving current position data of a vehicle;
accessing location and performance data for a communication/navigation facility stored in a database;
accessing terrain data stored in said database;
comparing said position data with said location and performance data of said communication/navigation facility and said terrain data and determining if said vehicle is in line of sight communication range of said communication/navigation facility;
displaying on a display regions where line-of-sight communications are unavailable; and
displaying on said display additional regions where line-of-sight communications would be possible if an altitude of the vehicle increased by a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for aircraft comprising:
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an input coupled to receive signals indicative of a position of an aircraft, said signals being derived on board the aircraft, and data from a database of terrain and of communication/navigation facilities;
an output; and
a signal processor coupled to said input and to said database and to said output comparing said position with a location and performance data of said communication/navigation facilities and said terrain data and determining if the aircraft can communicate with said facilities; and
outputting a control signal useful for controlling a display to display said communication/navigation facilities proximate the vehicle to indicate on said display which ones of said communication/navigation facilities proximate the aircraft are in communications range of the aircraft, to display regions where line-of sight communications are unavailable, and to display additional regions where line-of-sight communications would be possible if an altitude of the aircraft were increased by a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for aircraft comprising:
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an input coupled to receive signals indicative of a position of the aircraft and data from a database of terrain and of communication/navigation facilities;
an output; and
a signal processor coupled to said input and to said database and to said output for;
comparing said position with a location and performance data of said communication/navigation facilities and said terrain data and determining if the aircraft can communicate with said facilities;
outputting a control signal useful for controlling a display to display said communication/navigation facilities proximate the vehicle to indicate on said display which ones of said communication/navigation facilities proximate the aircraft are in communications range of the aircraft; and
outputting a control signal for preventing an aircraft transmitter from transmitting as a function of whether the aircraft can communicate with a given communication/navigation facility.
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20. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means having;
a first computer instruction means for accessing stored location and performance data for a communication/navigation facility;
a second computer instruction means for accessing a terrain data;
a third computer instruction means for accessing at least a current position data of a vehicle said current position data being derived on board the aircraft;
a fourth computer instruction means for comparing said position data with said location and performance data and determining if said vehicle is in communication range of said communication/navigation facility;
a fifth computer instruction means for controlling display of a region where line-of-sight communications are unavailable on a display; and
a sixth computer instruction means for controlling display of a second region where line-of-sight communications would be available if an altitude of the vehicle increased by a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
a seventh computer instruction means for controlling display of a plurality of communication/navigation facilities proximate the vehicle; and
an eigth computer instruction means for controlling said display to indicate which ones of said plurality of communication/navigation facilities are in communication range of the vehicle.
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24. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising a seventh computer instruction means to control when a vehicle radio transmitter is enabled as a function of whether said vehicle is in communication range of said communication/navigation facility.
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25. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising a seventh computer instruction means to control a power output of a vehicle radio transmitter.
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26. An electronic cockpit display for a vehicle comprising:
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an own vehicle position derived on board the vehicle;
a plan view illustration demarcating a first region where line-of-sight communications are possible with the vehicle and a second region where line-of sight communications are unavailable with the vehicle, wherein said vehicle is an aircraft; and
a third region shown on the display, demarcating where line-of-sight communications are possible if the vehicle changes altitude by a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. An electronic cockpit display for aircraft comprising:
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a plan view showing a position of an own aircraft said position being derived on board the aircraft relative to a position of a second aircraft; and
an indication on said display indicating when said second aircraft is in communication range with the own aircraft, wherein said indication includes displaying said second aircraft in a color to indicate when said second aircraft is in communication range of the own aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method for improving vehicle communications comprising the steps of:
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deriving current position data of a vehicle;
accessing location and performance data for a communication/navigation facility stored in a database;
accessing terrain data stored in said database;
comparing said position data with said location and performance data of said communication/navigation facility and said terrain data and determining if said vehicle is in line of sight communication range of said communication/navigation facility; and
enabling/disabling a vehicle radio transmitter as a function of whether the vehicle is in communication range of said communication/navigation facility, wherein said display comprises a moving map display.
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32. A method for improving vehicle communications comprising the steps of:
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deriving current position data of a vehicle;
accessing location and performance data for a communication/navigation facility stored in a database;
accessing terrain data stored in said database;
comparing said position data with said location and performance data of said communication/navigation facility and said terrain data and determining if said vehicle is in line of sight communication range of said communication/navigation facility;
displaying on a display regions where line-of-sight communications are unavailable;
displaying on said display additional regions where line-of-sight communications would be possible if an altitude of the vehicle increased by a predetermined amount; and
enabling/disabling a vehicle radio transmitter as a function of whether the vehicle is in communication range of said communication/navigation facility.
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33. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means having;
a first computer instruction means for accessing stored location and performance data for a communication/navigation facility;
a second computer instruction means for accessing a terrain data;
a third computer instruction means for accessing at least a current position data of a vehicle said current position data being derived on board the aircraft;
a fourth computer instruction means for comparing said position data with said location and performance data and determining if said vehicle is in communication range of said communication/navigation facility; and
a fifth computer instruction means to control when a vehicle radio transmitter is enabled as a function of whether said vehicle is in communication range of said communication/navigation facility.
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Specification