Flight plan intent alert system and method

• US 6,816,780 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Universal Avionics Systems Corporation (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Universal Avionics Systems Corporation (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Krohn, Patrick G., Glaze, Patrick K., Naimer, Hubert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/389,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20040111192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/200, 701/206, 701/9, 701/14, 701/16, 244/1.R, 340/963, 340/945
• US Class Current: 701/206
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

Flight plan information is provided in the form of a series of waypoints having attributes which preferably include, among others, latitude, longitude, altitude constraint, and waypoint identifier. A flight path, defined by this information is modeled, and the flight plan model is checked against terrain information to locate any instances in which a potentially unsafe flight altitude exists. In flight, the flight path model is updated using aircraft position so that the path from the aircraft position to the next waypoint is reflected in the model. In the event that a potentially unsafe flight altitude is detected, an alert may be issued to the flight crew. The crew may then amend the flight plan or take other appropriate action.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining flight path alerts, comprising;

a processor coupled to the input module;

a database coupled to the processor, the database including terrain information said information inclusive of terrain information for locations along one or more flight paths, said flight path including one or more legs, and wherein the flight path information includes two or more way points, the two or more way points defining a leg, and wherein the processor checks each leg for occurrence of the specified condition;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including flight plan information, wherein the flight plan information corresponds to one of the one or more flight paths;

a module connected to the processor for receiving flight information and wherein the flight information is provided by one or more of a flight management system and aircraft sensor; and

an output device coupled to the processor, the output device providing an alert upon the occurrence of a specified condition, wherein the processor processes the flight information, the terrain information and the flight plan information and generates the alert upon the occurrence of the specified condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flight information includes aircraft altitude, latitude and longitude.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flight information includes actual aircraft information.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flight information includes intended aircraft information.

5. An apparatus for determining flight path alerts, comprising:

a processor coupled to the input module;

a database coupled to the processor, the database including terrain information said information inclusive of terrain information for locations along one or more flight paths, said flight path including one or more legs, and wherein the flight path information includes two or more way points, the two or more way points defining a leg, and wherein the processor checks each leg for occurrence of the specified condition;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including flight plan information, wherein the flight plan information corresponds to one of the one or more flight paths;

a module connected to the processor for receiving flight information and wherein the flight information includes information generated based on the flight information; and

an output device coupled to the processor, the output device providing an alert upon the occurrence of a specified condition, wherein the processor processes the flight information, the terrain information and the flight plan information and generates the alert upon the occurrence of the specified condition.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the output device comprises a display and wherein the processor receives the terrain information and generates a flight path display of the intended flight path.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor receives flight performance data and generates the maximum allowable horizontal and vertical deviations from the intended flight path.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the flight path display further comprises display of terrain between way points.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the flight path display is one of a side view of the flight path and the terrain, a top view of the flight path and the terrain and a perspective view of the flight path and the terrain.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the flight path display is provided on one of a general purpose display, a weather radar display, and a computer screen.

18. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the flight plan information includes updated flight plan information, and wherein the processor rechecks for occurrence of the specified condition based on the updated flight plan information.

19. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the terrain data includes latitude and longitude data, and altitude data representative of the maximum altitude within a geographic area surrounding such latitude and longitude.

20. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the alert is provided as one or more of a text alert, an audible alert, including a tone or a voice alert, a light signal, and an image.

21. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the display includes one or more of a flight management system screen, a weather radar display, a computer screen, a speaker and a light.

6. An apparatus for determining flight path alerts, comprising:

a processor coupled to the input module;

a database coupled to the processor, the database including terrain information said information inclusive of terrain information for locations along one or more flight paths;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including flight plan information, wherein the flight plan information corresponds to one of the one or more flight paths;

a module connected to the processor for receiving flight information and wherein the flight plan information includes information generated based on the flight information; and

an output device coupled to the processor, the output device providing an alert upon the occurrence of a specified condition and comprises a display wherein the processor receives the terrain information and generates a flight path display of the intended flight path, and wherein the processor processes the flight information, the terrain information and the flight plan information and generates the alert upon the occurrence of the specified condition wherein the flight path display further comprises a display of terrain between way points.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a way point is defined as one or more of a fixed geographical location and a current aircraft location, the current aircraft location including one of on the ground and in the air.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the specified condition comprises a minimum altitude, wherein each of the two or more way points comprises terrain information including altitude information and wherein each way point includes an altitude constraint corresponding to the minimum altitude.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the specified condition comprises a minimum altitude, wherein one or more way points does not include an altitude constraint, and wherein the processor determines an altitude constraint based on one or more of a prior altitude constraint and an interpolation of a prior altitude constraint and a future altitude constraint.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor checks for occurrence of the specified condition at intervals along each leg of the flight path.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the specified condition comprises a minimum altitude, and wherein the minimum altitude is expressed as greater than a specified altitude, greater than or equal to the specified altitude, or equal to the specified altitude.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said output device comprises a display and wherein when the minimum altitude is reached, the processor generates the alert and the display provides the alert.