Systems and methods for detecting ownship deviation from assigned taxiway clearance

• US 8,660,783 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International s.r.o. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Marczi, Tomas, Kabrt, Tomas, Conner, Kevin J., Glover, John Howard, Bilek, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/347,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20130179060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/17, 701/23, 701/117, 701/120, 340/436, 340/961
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying ownship deviation from assigned taxi-clearance in the area of taxiway intersection. An exemplary system provides alerts in the event of a significant deviation from the assigned clearance, but does not give unwanted alerts when the flight crew is performing normal turning maneuvers in the area of an intersection.

Claims

1. A method performed by a processing device located on a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a taxiway clearance;

retrieving taxiway intersection inhibit zones based on the taxiway clearance;

receiving vehicle position and heading information; and

generating a nonadherence-to-taxiway clearance alert based on the at least one position and heading information, if the vehicle is determined to not be located within one of the inhibit zones;

wherein retrieving taxiway intersection inhibit zones comprises;

retrieving taxiway centerline, and heading information for two taxiways identified in the taxiway clearance as being intersecting;

calculating an intersection point of the centerlines of the two taxiways based on the retrieved information;

a) calculating an angle between the centerlines;

b) calculating a centerline radius of turn based on the calculated angle and the predefined recommended turn radius;

c) calculating points on the centerlines in which the centerlines are tangent to a circle having the calculated centerline radius of turn;

d) if the calculated angle is at least less than or equal to 90 degrees,

calculating offset coordinates for a center of the inhibit zone based on the tangent points and the intersection point, and

calculating a radius for the inhibit zone based on calculated offset coordinates and one of the tangent points;

e) if the calculated angle is greater than 90 degrees,

calculating center coordinates for the inhibit zone as being a point located at an intersection between a line connecting the tangent points and a line having equal angular values to the centerlines,

calculating radius for the inhibit zone based on the calculated center coordinates and one of the tangent points; and

f) repeating a) through e) for all intersecting taxiways in the taxiway clearance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving further comprises:

c) calculating polygonal dimensions for the inhibit zone based on the taxiway width, the tangent points, the calculated angle and two predefined offset values

for all intersecting taxiways in the taxiway clearance.

3. A system located on a vehicle, the system comprising:

a communication device configured to receive a taxiway clearance;

a memory device configured to store taxiway intersection inhibit zones based on the taxiway clearance;

a positioning device configured to generate vehicle position and heading information;

an output device; and

a data processing device configured to;

retrieve for each of two taxiways identified in the taxiway clearance as being intersecting at least two of taxiway width, centerline, and heading information;

calculate an intersection point of the centerlines of the two taxiways based on the retrieved information;

calculate an angle between the centerlines;

calculate an inhibit zone for the two intersecting taxiways based on the calculated angle between the two intersecting taxiways and the intersection point and based on at least one of the taxiway width information and predefined recommended turn radius;

determine if the vehicle is located within one of the inhibit zones based on the generated at least one position and heading information; and

generate a nonadherence-to-taxiway clearance alert, if the vehicle is determined to not be located within one of the inhibit zones,

wherein any generated nonadherence-to-taxiway clearance alert is not outputted via the output device when the vehicle is determined to be located within one of the inhibit zones;

wherein the memory device is further configured to store centerline, and heading information for two taxiways identified in the taxiway clearance as being intersecting,

wherein the data processing device is further configured to calculate the inhibit zone by;

a) calculating a centerline radius of turn based on the calculated angle and the predefined recommended turn radius;

b) calculating points on the centerlines in which the centerlines are tangent to a circle having the calculated centerline radius of turn;

c) if the calculated angle is at least less than or equal to 90 degrees,

calculating offset coordinates for a center of the inhibit zone based on the tangent points and the intersection point, and

calculating radius for the inhibit zone based on calculated offset coordinates and one of the tangent points

d) if the calculated angle is greater than 90 degrees,

calculating center coordinates for the inhibit zone as being a point located at an intersection between a line connecting the tangent points and a line having equal angular values to the centerlines, and

calculating radius for the inhibit zone based on the calculated center coordinates and one of the tangent points; and

repeat a) through d) for all intersecting taxiways in the taxiway clearance.

4. The system of claim 3,

wherein the data processing device is further configured to calculate the inhibit zone by:

calculating polygonal dimensions for the inhibit zone based on the taxiway width, the tangent points, the calculated angle and two predefined offset values

for all intersecting taxiways in the taxiway clearance.