Method and system for predicting performance of an aircraft

• US 9,165,414 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Karnik, Siddharth, Elias, Frank Rajkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): JOERGER, KAITLIN S
• Application Number:
  US12/706,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701 14- 18, 701/29.1, 701 297- 299, 340/945, 340/963, 340/971
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

Methods and systems for operating an avionics system on-board an aircraft are provided. A plurality of signals representative of a current state of the aircraft are received. A future state of the aircraft is calculated based on the plurality of signals representative of the current state of the aircraft. An indication of the future state of the aircraft is generated with the avionics system on-board the aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for operating an avionics system on-board an aircraft comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals representative of a current operating state of the aircraft;

calculating a future operating state of the aircraft based on the plurality of signals representative of the current operating state of the aircraft and on at least one air performance model associated with the aircraft; and

generating an indication of the future operating state of the aircraft with the avionics system on-board the aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the future operating state of the aircraft is performed by the avionics system on-board the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one air performance model is associated with the entire aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one air performance model is associated with a component of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signals comprises an orientation of the aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signals comprises a position of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signals comprises an air speed of the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the future operating state of the aircraft comprises a visual indication.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication of the future operating state of the aircraft comprises an audio indication.

10. A method for operating an avionics system on-board an aircraft comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals representative of a current operating state of the aircraft;

calculating a future operating state of the aircraft based on the plurality of signals representative of the current operating state of the aircraft and at least one air performance model associated with the aircraft and on at least one air performance model associated with the entire aircraft, a component of the aircraft, or a combination thereof; and

generating an indication of the future operating state of the aircraft with the avionics system on-board the aircraft.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the calculating of the future operating state of the aircraft is not performed by the avionics system on-board the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of signals comprises an orientation of the aircraft, a position of the aircraft, an air speed of the aircraft, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the future operating state of the aircraft comprises a visual indication, an audio indication, or a combination thereof.

14. An avionics system comprising:

a plurality of avionics devices, each being configured to generate a signal representative of a current operating state of an aircraft;

an alert generator configured to provide an alert to a user on-board the aircraft; and

a processing system in operable communication with the plurality of avionics devices and the alert generator, the processing system being configured to;

calculate a future operating state of the aircraft based on the signals representative of the current operating state of the aircraft and based on at least one air performance model; and

cause the alert generator to generate an alert to the user on-board the aircraft based on the calculated future operating state of the aircraft.

15. The avionics system of claim 14, further comprising a memory device in operable communication with the processing system, the memory device having the at least one air performance model associated with the aircraft stored thereon.

16. The avionics system of claim 15, wherein the signals representative of the current operating state of the aircraft comprise an orientation of the aircraft, a position of the aircraft, an air speed of the aircraft, or a combination thereof.

17. The avionics system of claim 16, wherein the alert generator is a display device, a audio device, or a combination thereof.