Methods, systems, and apparatus for synthetic instrument landing system (SILS)

• US 9,159,241 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Murphy, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahne, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US13/446,853
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/024 of beacon transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/045 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/14 using amplitude comparison of signals transmitted simultaneously from antennas or antenna systems having differently oriented overlapping directivity-characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/785 Distance Measuring Equipment [DME] systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/913 for landing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/15 Aircraft landing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/02 Automatic approach or landing aids, i.e. systems in which flight data of incoming planes are processed to provide landing data landing aids fitted in or to aircraft B64D45/04; visual or acoustic landing aids B64F1/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) are disclosed. By optimally integrating new SILS capabilities on existing aircraft systems and equipment, the systems, methods, and apparatus of this disclosure affect primarily one system, the MMR, and certain aircraft wiring reconfiguration and leave most of the other airplane systems as well as pilot (flight crew) training substantially unaffected. Unlike existing solutions that are based on a classical approach of new capability integration by providing associated new landing modes that are uniquely identified, the disclosure provides only a single mode to the pilot by moving all mode-specific functionality to onboard computers such as MMRs.

Claims

1. A Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) device operatively coupled to an aircraft display, comprising:

means for receiving a frequency to be used for a precision approach;

means for mapping a plurality of Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) frequencies to Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Landing System (GLS) and to Satellite Landing System (SLS) channel numbers stored in an onboard database;

means for comparing the received frequency to the plurality of mapped SILS frequencies of the onboard database;

means for finding a match between the received frequency and the plurality of mapped SILS frequencies of the onboard database;

means for selecting an SILS approach based the matched SILS frequency of the onboard database and a current aircraft position relative to the precision approach; and

means for providing ILS-like deviations on at least one cockpit display based on said selection.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for providing ILS-like deviations provide an approach identifier to a pilot on at least one of a cockpit display system.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for selecting an SILS approach further comprises means for finding a Final Approach Segment (FAS) data block for either a GLS or an SLS approach.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising means for processing distance to a runway facility wherein distance to a runway facility is one of a distance to a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) antenna near a localizer antenna of the runway facility or a distance to the threshold of the runway facility for the precision approach.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the means for processing distance to a runway facility are resident in a Multi-Mode Receiver (MMR).

6. An airplane system for precision approach guidance comprising:

a programmable computer having instructions stored in memory that perform a method that includes;

receiving a frequency to be used for a precision approach;

determining real-time airplane position information and distance to a runway facility;

mapping a plurality of Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) frequencies to Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Landing System (GLS) and Satellite Landing System (SLS) channel numbers of an onboard database;

matching the received frequency using said mapping of SILS frequencies to GLS or SLS channel numbers of the onboard database;

selecting an SILS approach for the precision approach responsive to finding a match between the received frequency and an SILS frequency from a plurality of SILS frequencies; and

determining precision approach guidance information based on the selected SILS approach and the real time airplane position; and

providing a display system operatively connected to the programmable computer for displaying the precision approach guidance information wherein the displaying includes providing ILS-like precision guidance on at least one cockpit display.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein processing the precision approach guidance information further comprises finding a Final Approach Segment (FAS) data block for either a GLS or an SLS approach.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the approach guidance comprises providing ILS-like deviation and distance to a runway facility further wherein distance to the runway facility is one of a distance to a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) antenna near a localizer antenna of the runway facility or a distance to the threshold of the runway facility for the precision approach.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the approach guidance further comprises at least one standard identifier of a plurality of standard identifiers as mode status and failure indication on a cockpit display system.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the method further comprises indicating a correct approach selection via an indication of an approach identifier to a pilot on at least one of a cockpit display system and a cockpit audio system.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein processing the received frequency further comprises using a selection algorithm based on a current airplane position and the onboard database.

12. A method for precision approach guidance for an aircraft, the method implemented in a Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) of a Multi-Mode Receiver (MMR), comprising:

receiving a frequency to be used for a precision approach;

determining real-time airplane position information and distance to a runway facility;

mapping a plurality of Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) frequencies to Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Landing System (GLS) and Satellite Landing System (SLS) channel numbers of an onboard database;

matching the received frequency using said mapping of SILS frequencies to GLS and SLS channel numbers of the onboard database;

selecting an SILS approach for the precision approach responsive to finding a match between the received frequency and an SILS frequency from the plurality of SILS frequencies;

determining precision approach guidance information based on the selected SILS approach and the real-time airplane position; and

displaying the precision approach guidance information wherein the displaying includes providing ILS-like precision approach guidance on at least one cockpit display.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein processing the precision approach guidance information further comprises finding a Final Approach Segment (FAS) data block for either a GLS or an SLS approach.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein processing the received frequency further comprises using a selection algorithm based on a current airplane position and the onboard database.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the ILS-like precision approach guidance comprises of ILS-like deviation and distance to the runway facility.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein processing distance to runway facility is a pass-through process further wherein the distance to runway facility is provided as calculated by a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) receiver.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein processing distance to runway facility is a replacement process further wherein distance to runway facility is a calculated distance to a runway threshold.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising indicating a correct approach selection via an indication of an approach identifier to a pilot on at least one of a cockpit display system and a cockpit audio system.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing approach guidance information to an autopilot.