Display of taxi route control point information

• US 8,386,167 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Clark, Samuel T., Johnson, Keith L., Neff, Andrew D., Bowe, Roglenda R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US12/271,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media described herein provide for the display of taxi route control point information in conjunction with an alphanumeric taxi route display in an aircraft. Taxi route data is received and compared with airport map information to determine any taxi route control points along the taxi route. Information associated with the taxi route control points is then collected and displayed on a display unit of the aircraft in conjunction with an alphanumeric display of the taxi route. The information associated with the taxi route control points may include ATC clearance information, runway and taxiway status information, runway orientation information, runway and taxiway traffic information, or taxi route information such as distance remaining to the taxi route control point.

Claims

1. A method for displaying taxi route control point information on a display unit of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving taxi route data;

upon receiving the taxi route data, utilizing airport map information to determine a taxi route control point along a taxi route described by the taxi route data;

collecting one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point; and

embedding an identifier of the taxi route control point and the one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point in an alphanumeric taxi route display on the display unit at a position within a sequence of the alphanumeric taxi route display corresponding to a location of the taxi route control point along the taxi route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point is received from air traffic control (“

ATC”

).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point comprises receiving one or more of runway status information and taxiway status information associated with the taxi route control point.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically updating the display of the one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point as the vehicle progresses along the taxi route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point are embedded in the alphanumeric taxi route display upon determining that the vehicle is approaching the taxi route control point while progressing along the taxi route.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the taxi route data comprises receiving the taxi route data from at least one of previously stored taxi routes, ATC datalink, and manual pilot input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point is received from at least one of a predefined rule, ATC datalink, and manual pilot input.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving one or more of the runway status information and the taxiway status information comprises receiving the runway status information and the taxiway status information from at least one of a predefined rule, ATC datalink, and manual pilot input.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving one or more of the runway status information and the taxiway status information comprises:

receiving aircraft traffic information regarding aircraft operating in proximity to the vehicle;

upon receiving the aircraft traffic information, utilizing the airport map information to determine a position, a heading, and a speed of the aircraft in relation to a runway or a taxiway associated with the taxi route control point based on the aircraft traffic information; and

determining the runway status information or the taxiway status information based upon the position, the heading, and the speed of the aircraft in relation to the runway or the taxiway associated with the taxi route control point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more of current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point is displayed in conjunction with a graphical map display of the taxi route.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises at least one of a multi-functional display unit, a control display unit, a dedicated display unit, a handheld display unit, an electronic flight bag, and a printer in a cockpit of an aircraft.

12. A system for displaying taxi route control point information for a vehicle operating at an airport, comprising:

a memory for storing a program containing computer-executable instructions for displaying taxi route control point information; and

a processing unit functionally coupled to the memory, the processing unit being responsive to the computer-executable instructions and operative to;

receive taxi route data,

upon receiving the taxi route data, utilize airport map information to determine a taxi route control point along the taxi route described by the taxi route data, wherein the taxi route control point comprises a crossing runway,

collect current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point, and

embed the current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point in an alphanumeric taxi route display on a display unit in the vehicle, wherein the current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point is embedded at a position within a sequence of the alphanumeric taxi route display corresponding to a location of the taxi route control point along the taxi route.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point is received from air traffic control (“

ATC”

).

14. The system of claim 12, wherein collecting the current clearance and status information associated with the taxi route control point comprises receiving runway status information associated with the taxi route control point.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

periodically determine a progress of the vehicle along the taxi route; and

update the display of the information associated with the taxi route control point based on the progress of the vehicle along the taxi route.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further operative:

receive traffic information associated with aircraft operating in proximity to the vehicle;

upon receiving the traffic information, utilize the airport map information to determine a position, a heading, and a speed of the aircraft in relation to a runway or a taxiway associated with the taxi route control point based on the traffic information;

determine runway status information or taxiway status information associated with the taxi route control point based upon the position, the heading, and the speed of the aircraft in relation to the runway or the taxiway; and

display the runway status information or the taxiway status information with the information associated with the taxi route control point in the alphanumeric taxi route display.

17. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a flight management computer of an aircraft, cause the flight management computer to:

receive taxi route data;

utilize airport map information describing an airport at which the aircraft is operating to determine a taxi route control point along a taxi route described by the taxi route data;

determine identifying information associated with the taxi route control point from the map information;

receive current air traffic control (“

ATC”

) clearance information for the taxi route control point; and

embed the identifying information and the current ATC clearance information for the taxi route control point in an alphanumeric taxi route display on a display unit of the aircraft, wherein the identifying information and the current ATC clearance information are embedded at a position within a sequence of the alphanumeric taxi route display corresponding to a location of the taxi route control point along the taxi route.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, containing further computer-executable instructions that cause the flight management computer to:

receive one or more of current runway status information and taxiway status information associated with the taxi route control point; and

display the current runway status information and taxiway status information with the identifying information and the current ATC clearance information associated with the taxi route control point in the alphanumeric taxi route display.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the display unit comprises at least one of a multi-functional display unit, a control display unit, a dedicated display unit, a handheld display unit, an electronic flight bag, and a printer in a cockpit of the aircraft.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the current ATC clearance information comprises receiving the ATC clearance information from at least one of a predefined rule, ATC datalink, and manual pilot input.