Aircraft ground maneuvering monitoring system

• US 8,373,579 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Avionics Systems Corporation (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Universal Avionics Systems Corporation (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Naimer, Joachim Laurenz, Hummel, Frank, Jorgensen, John, Krohn, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees, Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/634,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,260 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/995, 340/500, 701/10, 701/120, 701/122
• US Class Current: 340/945
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A monitoring system for alerting pilots of aircraft or operators of vehicles when the aircraft or vehicle is approaching a geographical feature of interest, such as a runway, includes a database including at least one geo-referenced chart; a processor; a positioning system configured to identify at least one of the position, heading, track and velocity of the vehicle, and transmit such data to the processor; and a display unit configured to display the present position of the aircraft on the at least one geo-referenced chart. After receiving the position, heading, track and/or velocity data, the processor determines whether the aircraft has entered a containment area associated with a geographical feature of interest, and if so, provides a visible notification to the pilot or operator, which may comprise a change in display of the geographical feature of interest.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a pilot of an aircraft that the aircraft is approaching a geographical feature of interest, the method comprising:

retrieving geo-referenced airport chart data and containment area data from a database;

displaying the geo-referenced airport chart on a display unit;

determining the position and velocity of the aircraft;

transmitting data corresponding to the position and velocity of the aircraft to a processor;

altering a size of the containment area in response to the velocity of the aircraft;

displaying visual indicia corresponding to the position-of the aircraft overlaid on the geo-referenced airport chart;

determining whether the aircraft has entered the containment area;

upon determining that the aircraft has entered the containment area, providing a visible notification to the pilot;

comparing the airport chart display and aircraft display with the airport chart data and aircraft position data; and

providing a notification to the pilot in the event that a display error is detected.

2. A method for notifying an operator of a vehicle that the vehicle is approaching a geographical feature of interest, the method comprising:

retrieving geo-referenced chart data and containment area data from a database;

displaying the geo-referenced chart on a display unit;

determining the position and velocity of the vehicle;

transmitting data corresponding to the position; and

velocity of the vehicle to a processor;

altering a size of the containment area in response to the velocity of the aircraft;

displaying visual indicia corresponding the position of the vehicle overlaid on the geo-referenced chart;

determining whether the vehicle has entered the containment area;

upon determining that the vehicle has entered the containment area, providing a visible notification to the operator;

comparing the chart display and vehicle display with the chart data and vehicle position data; and

providing a notification to the operator in the event that a display error is detected.