Airborne advisory for inadvertent approach to taxiway

• US 9,037,321 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Conner, Kevin J, Khatwa, Ratan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US11/459,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,220 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 701/301, 340/945, 340/961, 340/958, 340/959, 340/963
• US Class Current: 701/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A taxiway approach advisory system. The system may include a computer-readable memory containing runway information and a processor in data communication with the memory. The processor may include a component for ascertaining the altitude of an aircraft, a component for ascertaining the location of the aircraft, a component for accessing runway information from the memory and determining if the aircraft is within a pre-determined runway envelope based on the altitude and location, and a component for issuing an indication if the aircraft is not within the pre-determined runway envelope.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a flight crew of an aircraft when the aircraft is flying an approach to a taxiway, the method comprising:

determining altitude of the aircraft;

determining whether the aircraft is within an envelope surrounding a predetermined runway based on a position of the aircraft, wherein the envelope has at least a first dimension associated with a first dimension of the runway and at least a second dimension with a second dimension of the runway; and

issuing an indication that the aircraft is approaching a taxiway if the aircraft is not within the runway envelope and the determined altitude is below a predefined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the aircraft is within the envelope includes accessing runway information from a computer-readable memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein issuing an indication includes issuing at least one of a visual indication and an aural indication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a width of the runway envelope is twice the width of the runway, and a length of the runway envelope extends 1 nautical mile from an approach end of the runway.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a width of the runway envelope is twice the width of the runway plus 400 feet and a length of the runway envelope extends 3 nautical miles from an approach end of the runway.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication includes a voice recording.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication includes a visual indicator on one of a map display and a cockpit display.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication includes a text message on one of an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) display, a primary flight display (PFD), a Navigation Display (ND), a Multi-Function Display (MFD), a heads-up display (HUD), and any other cockpit display.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication includes an alert, including at least one of a caution, an advisory, and a warning.

10. A device comprising:

a non-trasitory computer-readable memory containing runway information;

a processor including;

a component for accessing the runway information from the memory and determining if the aircraft is within a runway envelope based on a position of the aircraft, wherein the envelope has at least a first dimension associated with a first dimension of the runway and at least a second dimension with a second dimension of the runway; and

a component for issuing an indication that the aircraft is approaching a taxiway if the aircraft is not within the runway envelope and the aircraft is below a predetermined altitude.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

one of a visual indicator and an aural indicator.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the aural indicator further includes a voice recording.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the visual indicator includes one of a lamp, a Light Emitting Diode (LED), an indicator on a map display, and an indicator on any cockpit display.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the visual indicator includes a text message displayed on one of an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) display, a primary flight display (PFD), a Navigation Display (ND), a Multi-Function Display (MFD), a heads-up display (HUD), and any other cockpit display.

15. An aircraft comprising:

a computer-readable memory containing runway information;

a sensor for determining altitude of the aircraft;

a sensor for determining aircraft position; and

a processor including;

a component for accessing the runway information from the memory and determining if the aircraft is within a runway envelope based on the runway information and the determined position, wherein the envelope has at least a first dimension associated with a first dimension of the runway and at least a second dimension with a second dimension of the runway; and

a component for issuing an indication that the aircraft is approaching a taxiway if the aircraft is not within the runway envelope and the determined altitude is below a predefined threshold.