Systems and methods for traffic prioritization
First Claim
1. A system for traffic prioritization of surrounding air traffic on a display onboard an aircraft, the display being associated with a user input device that receives user input with respect to the display, wherein the user input designates a reference point relative to the aircraft, the system comprising:
- a traffic data source configured to supply surrounding traffic data, the surrounding traffic data including at least a range of the surrounding air traffic relative to the aircraft and a vertical speed of the surrounding air traffic;
a traffic control module coupled to the traffic data source, the traffic control module receiving the user input and the surrounding traffic data, the traffic control module, configured, in response to receipt of the user input and the surrounding traffic data, to;
(a) generate a prioritization zone based on the user input such that the prioritization zone is within a predetermined range of distance from the aircraft and centered around a reference line from the aircraft to the reference point,(b) generate a first set of traffic data that includes the surrounding traffic data within the prioritization zone,(c) generate a ranked list of air traffic within the prioritization zone, the air traffic in the list ranked based upon angular proximity to the reference line, the ranked list representing a plurality of priorities corresponding to a plurality of angular proximity segments, of a plurality of aircraft comprising the air traffic in the ranked list as a preceding aircraft, and(d) generate a second set of traffic data that includes the surrounding air traffic outside of the prioritization zone listed in received sequence; and
a graphical user interface manager control module coupled to the traffic control module and configured to output a graphical user interface, for display on the display, that includes the ranked list and the second set of traffic data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for traffic prioritization of surrounding air traffic for display onboard an aircraft. The apparatus includes a traffic data source configured to supply surrounding traffic data. The apparatus includes a traffic control module coupled to receive user selection data from the user input device and the surrounding traffic data. The traffic control module can be configured to determine a prioritization zone for prioritizing the surrounding air traffic to identify air traffic preceding the aircraft based on the user selection data, the range and the vertical speed of the surrounding air traffic, and set first traffic data that includes the surrounding air traffic within the prioritization zone listed by priority and second traffic data that includes the surrounding air traffic outside of the prioritization zone listed in received sequence. The apparatus displays a graphical user interface that includes the first traffic and the second traffic data.
56 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for traffic prioritization of surrounding air traffic on a display onboard an aircraft, the display being associated with a user input device that receives user input with respect to the display, wherein the user input designates a reference point relative to the aircraft, the system comprising:
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a traffic data source configured to supply surrounding traffic data, the surrounding traffic data including at least a range of the surrounding air traffic relative to the aircraft and a vertical speed of the surrounding air traffic; a traffic control module coupled to the traffic data source, the traffic control module receiving the user input and the surrounding traffic data, the traffic control module, configured, in response to receipt of the user input and the surrounding traffic data, to; (a) generate a prioritization zone based on the user input such that the prioritization zone is within a predetermined range of distance from the aircraft and centered around a reference line from the aircraft to the reference point, (b) generate a first set of traffic data that includes the surrounding traffic data within the prioritization zone, (c) generate a ranked list of air traffic within the prioritization zone, the air traffic in the list ranked based upon angular proximity to the reference line, the ranked list representing a plurality of priorities corresponding to a plurality of angular proximity segments, of a plurality of aircraft comprising the air traffic in the ranked list as a preceding aircraft, and (d) generate a second set of traffic data that includes the surrounding air traffic outside of the prioritization zone listed in received sequence; and a graphical user interface manager control module coupled to the traffic control module and configured to output a graphical user interface, for display on the display, that includes the ranked list and the second set of traffic data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for traffic prioritization of a plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft relative to an ownship aircraft on a display of the ownship aircraft, the display being associated with a user input device that receives user input with respect to the display, wherein the user input designates a reference point relative to the ownship aircraft;
- the method comprising;
generating, by a traffic control module of the ownship aircraft, a prioritization zone based on the user input such that the prioritization zone is within a predetermined range of distances from the ownship aircraft and centered around a reference line from the ownship aircraft to the reference point; determining, by the traffic control module, if any of the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft within the prioritization zone has descending vertical speeds based on surrounding traffic data supplied by a traffic data source of the ownship aircraft; generating, by the traffic control module, a ranked list of the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft within the prioritization zone having the descending vertical speeds based on a bearing value of each of the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft relative to the ownship aircraft to prioritize the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft, the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft in the list ranked based upon angular proximity to the reference line, the ranked list representing a plurality of priorities corresponding to a plurality of angular proximity segments, of the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft comprising the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft in the ranked list as preceding aircraft; further ordering, by the traffic control module, the ranked list based on a plurality of ranges of the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft from the ownship aircraft; and outputting the ranked list surrounding air traffic on the display coupled to the traffic control module to indicate a priority associated with each of the surrounding air traffic aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- the method comprising;
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16. A computer program product for processing a digital signal, the computer program product comprising:
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a tangible, non-transitory, storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method for traffic prioritization of a plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft relative to an ownship aircraft, the method comprising; receiving a request to activate a traffic prioritization system to enable the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft to be prioritized as preceding aircraft on a display onboard of an ownship aircraft, the display being associated with a user input device that receives user input with respect to the display, wherein the user input designates a reference point relative to the ownship aircraft; receiving data regarding the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft from a traffic data source; generating a prioritization zone based on the user input such that the prioritization zone is within a predetermined range of distances from the ownship aircraft and centered around a reference line from the ownship aircraft to the reference point; determining which of the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft are within a prioritization zone; determining which of the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft within the prioritization zone have a descending vertical speed; if a surrounding air traffic aircraft within the prioritization zone has a descending vertical speed; adding the surrounding air traffic aircraft to a ranked list of other surrounding air traffic aircraft also having a descending vertical speed; further ordering the ranked list based on a bearing value of the surrounding air traffic aircraft relative to the ownship aircraft, the other surrounding air traffic aircraft in the list ranked based upon angular proximity to the reference line, the ranked list representing a plurality of priorities corresponding to a plurality of angular proximity segments, of the other surrounding air traffic aircraft comprising the plurality of surrounding air traffic aircraft in the ranked list as the preceding aircraft; and generating a visual separation approach traffic graphical user interface for display onboard the ownship aircraft that displays the ranked list to enable the selection of one at least one of the plurality of the surrounding air traffic aircraft as a preceding air traffic for a visual separation approach. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification