System, method and apparatus for searching geographic area using prioritized spatial order
First Claim
1. A method of searching geographic data for a terrain awareness warning system, the method comprising a plurality of alert cycles, wherein a first alert cycle of the plurality comprising:
- identifying a first search vector for the geographic data based upon at least a first direction oftravel and a first location of the aircraft at a first time, the search vector having a firstlength representing a look-ahead distance, the first search vector dependent upon avertical velocity of the aircraft at the first time and independent of the flight angle ofthe aircraft at the first time;
locating the first location of the aircraft in the geographic data;
copying into a memory buffer having cells, a first subset of the geographic datacorresponding to and encompassing cells corresponding to a geographic regionthrough which the search vector extends; and
searching a portion of the memory buffer cells according to a first predetermined prioritizedsearch order.
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Abstract
A spatial data search method, system and apparatus for identifying particular data of significance around a reference vector through the spatial data. The method involves determining a reference vector within a spatial region for which spatial data exists, loading a portion of the spatial data including the data around the reference vector into a memory buffer, and searching the spatial data in a prioritized order. The method, system and apparatus have particular utility in searching geographic data for a terrain awareness and warning system (“TAWS”) and display in an aircraft. Embodiments of the present invention provide advantages over existing sequential and radial search methods, significantly reducing the processing and calculations required and providing faster alerts to pilots.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of searching geographic data for a terrain awareness warning system, the method comprising a plurality of alert cycles, wherein a first alert cycle of the plurality comprising:
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identifying a first search vector for the geographic data based upon at least a first direction of travel and a first location of the aircraft at a first time, the search vector having a first length representing a look-ahead distance, the first search vector dependent upon a vertical velocity of the aircraft at the first time and independent of the flight angle of the aircraft at the first time; locating the first location of the aircraft in the geographic data; copying into a memory buffer having cells, a first subset of the geographic data corresponding to and encompassing cells corresponding to a geographic region through which the search vector extends; and searching a portion of the memory buffer cells according to a first predetermined prioritized search order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification