Airport taxiway navigation system

• US 8,788,187 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Doose, Reagan, Ellerbrock, Richard W., Hulet, Glade L., Majka, Matthew T., Jauglias, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US12/869,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• 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 method and system for providing taxiway navigational information to a crewmember of an airplane taxiing at an airport. An airport taxiway navigation system (“ATNS”) that executes on an onboard computer system that displays a map of the taxiways of an airport, receives the name of each taxiway of the taxi route specified by the taxi clearance, and highlights the taxiways on a displayed map to provide a visual indication of the cleared taxi route for the crewmembers.

Claims

1. A method in an onboard computer for providing information for use in taxiing an aircraft at an airport, the method comprising:

displaying, on a display, a map of the airport and a current position of the aircraft based on a current position information, the map showing taxiways of the airport;

receiving, in an airport taxiway navigation system, position and direction information;

estimating, using the airport taxiway navigation system, the current position information for the aircraft as the aircraft taxis at the airport;

receiving, in the onboard computer, a taxi route specifying taxiways that the aircraft is to use to taxi at the airport, as specified by a taxi clearance received from at least one of;

a ground control computer system, and a crewmember data entry device, wherein the taxi route comprises a sequential selection of each taxiway in the taxi route;

highlighting on the map, using the onboard computer, a taxiway of the taxi route;

determining, using the airport taxiway navigation system, if the aircraft is on the cleared taxi route;

determining, using the airport taxiway navigation system, a track for the aircraft as it taxis; and

generating a signal in the aircraft when the onboard computer determines that the aircraft has deviated from the taxi route.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, in the onboard computer, positional information for the aircraft as the aircraft taxis at the airport; and

displaying on the map an indication of a position of the aircraft as the aircraft taxis at the airport.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the map is displayed in a static mode.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the static mode is a north up mode.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving, in the onboard computer, directional information for the aircraft as it taxis at the airport; and

displaying on the map an indication of a direction of the aircraft as it taxis at the airport.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the map is displayed in a dynamic mode.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the dynamic mode is a heading up mode.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the indication of the direction of the aircraft and the position of the aircraft is an image of an airplane.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is a visual signal.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is an audio signal.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the onboard computer:

receiving positional information for the aircraft; and

generating a signal in the aircraft when the aircraft approaches a holdshort line.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the signal is a visual signal.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the signal is an audio signal.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

as the taxiway is received, highlighting the taxiway on the map.

15. The method of claim 1 including as the taxiway is received, displaying a name for the taxiway on the display.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a list of taxiway names on the display comprise the taxi route, and further wherein the list comprises the name for each taxiway selected, with the name for the taxiway presented in order of the sequential selection.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying taxiways of the airport comprises presenting on the map, indications of only those taxiways that are logically possible next taxiways in the taxi route.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying taxiways of the airport comprises displaying a name of each taxiway, wherein the name is displayed near a button on the display.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying taxiways of the airport comprises highlighting a representation of each taxiway on the map on the display.

20. The method of claim 1 including displaying a sequence of names of the taxiways in the taxi route.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the sequence is displayed in an area separate from the map on the display.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising

receiving, in the onboard computer, position information for the aircraft as it taxis at the airport;

and

identifying, using the onboard computer, from the position information, the taxiway that the aircraft is currently on; and

highlighting, using the onboard computer, the name of the taxiway.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving of the taxi route further comprises:

receiving, from a crewmember data entry device a selection of a button corresponding to each taxiway in the taxi route.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the map is displayed on a touch panel display and the receiving of the taxi route comprises receiving from a crewmember data entry device a selection of a displayed representation of each taxiway in the taxi route by touching the displayed representation.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the taxi route is received in the onboard computer without use of a crewmember data entry device.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the taxi route received by the onboard computer includes only major taxiways.

27. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing, in the onboard computer, a specification comprising a preferred taxi route for the airport and wherein the receiving of the taxi route includes the onboard computer receiving a selection of the preferred taxi route.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the preferred taxi route may be created and stored in the onboard computer by the onboard computer receiving inputs from a crewmember data entry device, specifying taxiways of the preferred taxi route.

29. The method of claim 27 presenting, on the display, a sequence of names for the taxiways in the preferred taxi route when the onboard computer receives the selection of the preferred taxi route.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the selection of the preferred taxi route comprises first presenting on the display, a name assigned to each preferred taxi route.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the selection of the preferred taxi route comprises the onboard computer receiving inputs from a crewmember data entry device resulting in highlighting on the map the taxiway of the preferred taxi route or inputs to highlight a taxiway of another preferred route.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving of the taxi route includes receiving voice input corresponding to a name for each taxiway in the route.

33. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, in the onboard computer, positional information for the aircraft as it taxis at the airport;

receiving, in the onboard computer, an indication of a destination gate for the aircraft; and

displaying the map of the airport so a current position of the aircraft and the destination gate are visible.

34. The method of claim 1 including when displaying the map in a heading up mode, ensuring that labeling of items on the map is horizontally aligned.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying of the map comprises the onboard computer:

receiving position information for the aircraft, identifying the airport based on the position information, and selecting the map for the airport.

36. The method of claim 1 further comprising the onboard computer:

receiving an indication to display a satellite view of the airport;

retrieving the satellite view; and

displaying, on the display, the satellite view of the airport.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the map is displayed in an align-to-runway mode.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the onboard computer receives a runway to align to from a crewmember data entry device.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the align-to-runway is a landing runway.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the map automatically switches to a heading up mode when the aircraft lands.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the map is automatically switches to the align-to-runway mode when the aircraft takes off.

43. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, in the onboard computer, from a crewmember input device, an annotation for the map; and

displaying the annotation on the map.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the annotation is received via a freehand drawing device.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the annotation is received via placement of an icon.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein the annotation is received via a text box.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein the annotation is associated with a position on the map.

48. The method of claim 43 wherein the annotation is scaled when the map is scaled.

49. The method of claim 43 wherein the annotation is panned as the map is panned.

37. A method for alerting when an aircraft at an airport deviates from at least one of:

a horizontal limit on a current taxiway, and a cleared taxi route, the method comprising;

displaying, on a display, a map of the airport, the map showing taxiways of the airport;

receiving, in an airport taxiway navigation system, the cleared taxi route comprising taxiways that the aircraft is to use to taxi at the airport, as specified by a taxi clearance;

highlighting on the map, using the airport taxiway navigation system, a taxiway of the cleared taxi route;

receiving, in the airport taxiway navigation system, position information for the aircraft as it taxis at the airport;

identifying the current taxiway as being the taxiway that the aircraft is currently on;

determining, using the airport taxiway navigation system, if the aircraft is on the cleared taxi route;

determining, using the airport taxiway navigation system, a track for the aircraft as it taxis;

determining the horizontal limit on the current taxiway, based at least on;

the current taxiway, and the track, the horizontal limit on the current taxiway indicating when the aircraft is near an edge of the current taxiway; and

alerting, when the aircraft deviates from at least one of;

the horizontal limit on the current taxiway, and the cleared taxi route.