Terrain maneuver advisory envelope system and method

• US 7,337,043 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Bull, Ian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/880,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/14, 701/211, 701300-302, 342/29, 342/41, 340/961, 340/963, 340/971, 340/980
• US Class Current: 701/1
• 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

A terrain advisory system for an aircraft is disclosed. The terrain advisory system includes a processing unit, a display unit coupled to the processing unit where the display unit displays a map, and a database coupled to the processing unit. The system also includes a sensor system coupled to the processing unit and a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS) coupled to the processing unit. The TAWS generates cautions and alerts. The processing unit includes a program that generates a terrain advisory envelope extending beyond the distance and lateral envelope within which the TAWS provides cautions and alerts. The terrain advisory envelope is distinguished from TAWS cautions and alerts with a graphical appearance that differs from the graphical appearance of TAWS cautions and alerts.

Claims

1. A terrain advisory system for an aircraft, comprising:

a processing unit;

a display unit coupled to the processing unit, the display unit displaying a map;

a database coupled to the processing unit;

a sensor system coupled to the processing unit; and

a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS) coupled to the processing unit, the TAWS generating cautions and alerts,

wherein the processing unit comprises a program that generates a terrain advisory envelope extending beyond the distance and lateral envelope within which the TAWS provides cautions and alerts, the terrain advisory envelope being distinguished from TAWS cautions and alerts with a graphical appearance that differs from the graphical appearance of TAWS cautions and alerts.

2. The terrain advisory system of claim 1, wherein the terrain advisory envelope comprises a color that is different than the color of a TAWS caution or a TAWS alert.

3. The terrain advisory system of claim 1, wherein the terrain advisory envelope comprises a fill pattern that is different than the fill pattern of a TAWS caution or a TAWS alert.

4. The terrain advisory system of claim 1, wherein the terrain advisory envelope terminates at a predetermined distance from the aircraft.

5. The terrain advisory system of claim 1, wherein the terrain advisory envelope terminates at a distance from the aircraft that is based on the speed of the aircraft.

6. The terrain advisory system of claim 1, wherein the terrain advisory envelope is displayed is automatically commanded to display the map, because of a TAWS caution or alert.

7. The terrain advisory system of claim 1, wherein the terrain advisory envelope is displayed in a 360 degree arc around the aircraft.

8. The terrain advisory system of claim 1, wherein the terrain advisory envelope is displayed in an arc that at most is 180 degrees.

9. A method of providing information to a flight crew member of an aircraft, comprising:

providing a display unit on board an aircraft;

generating a caution by a TAWS system;

displaying a map on the display, the displaying caused by the generation of a caution;

displaying a caution region on the map;

displaying a lateral boundary for the caution region;

generating a maneuver advisory region on the map, the maneuver advisory region being depicted with a different graphical representation than the caution region and the maneuver advisory region extending outside of the lateral boundary.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating an outer boundary distance for the maneuver advisory region, based on a predetermined distance from the aircraft.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating an outer boundary distance for the maneuver advisory region, based on the speed of the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

automatically commanding the display unit to display the map based on the TAWS caution becoming active.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating a TAWS alert by the TAWS system; and

displaying an alert region on the map.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the terrain advisory region comprises a color that is different than the color of the TAWS caution or the TAWS alert.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the terrain advisory envelope comprises a fill pattern that is different than the color of the TAWS caution or the TAWS alert.

16. An apparatus for providing information to a flight crew member of an aircraft, comprising:

a means for displaying information to a flight crew member on board an aircraft;

a means for generating a caution by a TAWS system;

a means for generating a map on the display means, the generating caused by the generation of a caution;

a means for displaying a caution region on the map;

a means for displaying a lateral boundary for the caution region;

a means for generating a maneuver advisory region on the map, the maneuver advisory region being depicted with a different graphical representation than the caution region and the maneuver advisory region extending outside of the lateral boundary.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for generating an outer boundary distance for the maneuver advisory region, based on a predetermined distance from the aircraft.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for generating an outer boundary distance for the maneuver advisory region, based on the speed of the aircraft.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for automatically commanding the display unit to display the map based on the TAWS caution becoming active.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for generating a TAWS alert by the TAWS system; and

a means for displaying an alert region on the map.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the terrain advisory region comprises a color that is different than the color of the TAWS caution or the TAWS alert.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the terrain advisory envelope comprises a fill pattern that is different than the color of the TAWS caution or the TAWS alert.