Navigational system with a graphical scratchpad filler

• US 7,693,615 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Chen, Sherwin S., Wiedemann, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/069,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/11, 701/14, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 340/988, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/3
• 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 navigation system takes a graphical input and translates it into an alpha-numeric entry generally including latitude and longitude information. The system interprets the graphical entry, determines if a waypoint already exists or is depicted at the geographical location identified by the graphical entry and creates a new waypoint if no waypoint already exists or is depicted at the geographical location.

Claims

1. An aircraft navigation system comprising:

a processor operatively coupled to an electronic display that graphically displays flight plan information;

a flight management computer, the flight management computer including a central display unit for alpha-numerically displaying flight plan information;

a memory accessible by the processor and adapted to store a software program and a database; and

a cursor control device for controlling a cursor on the electronic display,

wherein the software program is adapted to interpret a selection on the electronic display made by a user with the cursor control device, to convert the selection on the electronic display to latitude and longitude coordinates, to compare the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display to a displayed navigational point on the electronic display, to fill a scratchpad area on the central display unit with information regarding the displayed navigational point on the electronic display if the displayed navigational point on the electronic display is within a predetermined, distance of the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display, to place a temporary waypoint symbol on the electronic display with the latitude and longitude coordinates of the displayed navigational point on the electronic display if the displayed navigational point on the electronic display is within the predetermined distance of the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display, to fill the scratchpad area on the central display unit with the latitude and the longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display if the displayed navigational point on the electronic display is not within the predetermined distance of the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display, and to place the temporary waypoint symbol on the electronic display with the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display if the displayed navigational point on the electronic display is not within the predetermined distance of the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display.

2. The aircraft navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is part of a flight management system.

3. The aircraft navigation system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is one of a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD) a plasma display, and a projection display.

4. The aircraft navigation system of claim 3, wherein the electronic display incorporates touch-screen technology and wherein the cursor is controlled by a user touching the display.

5. The aircraft navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processor checks the electronic display to determine if the displayed navigational point on the electronic display is located within the predetermined distance of the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display.

6. The aircraft navigation system of claim 5, wherein the processor determines the selection on the electronic display to be the same as the navigational point on the electronic display if the navigational point on the electronic display falls within the predetermined distance of the latitude and longitude coordinates of the selection on the electronic display.

7. The aircraft navigation system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined distance is 0.25 inches.

8. The aircraft navigation system of claim 1, wherein the software program converts the selection on the electronic display to latitude and longitude coordinates using a Sodano Equation.