System and method for providing pre-flight briefing information to a user device

• US 8,751,242 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Arasada, Swathavahan
• Primary Examiner(s): Opsasnick, Michael N
• Application Number:
  US12/752,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

An automated method and related system of providing pre-flight briefing information to a remote user device are presented here. The system receives, from the remote user device via a data communication network, a customized pre-flight briefing request that includes a user-specified presentation format, a user-specified language, and a user-specified geographic region. In response to receiving the customized pre-flight briefing request, at least one data source is interrogated to obtain pre-flight briefing data. The pre-flight briefing data is processed in accordance with the user-specified presentation format, the user-specified language, and the user-specified geographic region, resulting in processed pre-flight briefing data. The system generates at least one presentation file from the processed pre-flight briefing data, and provides the at least one presentation file to the remote user device.

Claims

1. An automated method of providing pre-flight briefing information to a remote user device, the method comprising:

receiving, from the remote user device via a data communication network, a customized pre-flight briefing request that includes a user-specified presentation format, a user-specified language, and a user-specified geographic region;

in response to receiving the customized pre-flight briefing request, interrogating at least one data source to obtain pre-flight briefing data;

processing the pre-flight briefing data in accordance with the user-specified presentation format, the user-specified language, and the user-specified geographic region, resulting in processed pre-flight briefing data, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises;

decoding at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into a first text format; and

translating the first text format into a second text format corresponding to the user-specified language;

generating at least one presentation file from the processed pre-flight briefing data; and

providing the at least one presentation file to the remote user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one presentation file comprises transmitting the at least one presentation file to the remote user device via the data communication network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing the at least one presentation file at the remote user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one presentation file comprises streaming the at least one presentation file to the remote user device via the data communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises converting at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into a text format that is based upon the user-specified language.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises converting at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into an audio format that is based upon the user-specified language.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises converting at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into a graphical representation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least some visual content of the graphical representation is influenced by the user-specified geographic region.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises converting at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into a video format having audio content that is based upon the user-specified language.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises:

decoding at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into a text format; and

converting the text format into an audio format corresponding to the user-specified language.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises:

decoding at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into a text format; and

converting the text format into a graphical representation having visual content that is influenced by the user-specified geographic region.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the pre-flight briefing data comprises:

decoding at least some of the pre-flight briefing data into a text format; and

converting the text format into a video format having audio content that corresponds to the user-specified language.

13. An automated method of providing pre-flight briefing information at a remote user device, the method comprising:

generating, with the remote user device, a customized pre-flight briefing request that includes a user-specified presentation format, a user-specified language, and a user-specified geographic region;

sending the customized pre-flight briefing request to a data processing system that processes the customized pre-flight briefing request and obtains pre-flight briefing data that satisfies the customized pre-flight briefing request;

receiving from the data processing center, in response to sending the customized pre-flight briefing request, at least one presentation file generated from the pre-flight briefing data, the at least one presentation file conveying content that is influenced by the user-specified presentation format, the user-specified language, and the user-specified geographic region, wherein the at least one presentation file conveys text in the user-specified language, and the method further comprises displaying the text on a display of the remote user device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one presentation file conveys audio content in the user-specified language; and

the method further comprises generating sound corresponding to the audio content, using an audio element of the remote user device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one presentation file conveys visual content that is influenced by the user-specified geographic region; and

the method further comprises displaying the visual content on a display of the remote user device.

16. A system that provides pre-flight briefing information to a remote user device, the system comprising:

a user device interface configured to receive, from the remote user device, a customized pre-flight briefing request that includes a user-specified presentation format, a user-specified language, and a user-specified geographic region;

a data source interface configured to communicate with at least one source of pre-flight briefing data to obtain pre-flight briefing data in accordance with the customized pre-flight briefing request; and

a processor coupled to the user device interface and to the data source interface, the processor configured to generate at least one presentation file from the pre-flight briefing data, in a manner that is influenced by the user-specified presentation format, the user-specified language, and the user-specified geographic region;

wherein the pre-flight briefing data comprises;

flight plan data equal time point (ETP) data extended range twin engine operational performance standards (ETOPS) data alternate route data weather data weather charts;

graphical weather information;

airport location data airport layout data navigational aid (NAVAID) data aircraft weight data aircraft balance data runway analysis data notice to airmen (NOTAM) data drift down data ozone compliance data temporary flight restriction (TFR) data and receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) prediction data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the user device interface is configured to communicate the at least one presentation file to the remote user device.