Aircraft systems and methods for displaying weather information along a flight path

• US 9,234,982 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Ramaiah, Vinoda, Krishna, Kiran Gopala
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHALEN, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US13/567,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20140039734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0047 Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft details of equipment G08G5/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A display system for an aircraft is provided. The system includes a processing unit configured to receive weather information associated with a flight path of a flight plan and to generate display commands based on the weather information. The flight plan includes a first waypoint associated with a first altitude. The system further includes a display device coupled with the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the weather information. The weather information includes first weather information for the first altitude and second weather information at a second altitude, different from the first altitude.

Claims

1. A display system for an aircraft, comprising:

a processing unit configured to receive weather information associated with a flight path of a flight plan and to generate display commands based on the weather information, wherein the flight plan includes a first waypoint associated with a first altitude;

a display device coupled the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the weather information, wherein the weather information includes first weather information for the first altitude, second weather information at a second altitude, different from the first altitude, and third weather information at a third altitude, different from the first and second altitudes; and

a user interface coupled to the processing unit and the display device, wherein the display device is configured to display a first menu with a plurality of altitude selections to a user and the user interface is configured to receive an altitude selection from the plurality of altitude selections on the first menu from the user, the plurality of altitude selections including at least a second altitude selection corresponding to the second altitude and a third altitude selection corresponding to the third altitude;

wherein the display device is configured to display at least one of the second weather information and the third weather information based upon the altitude selection, and

wherein the display device is configured to display a plurality of altitude increment selections to the user on the first menu and the user interface is configured to receive an altitude increment selection from the plurality of altitude increment selections on the first menu from the user, the display device displaying additional weather information at altitude increments based on the altitude increment selection.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the flight path includes a vertical flight path to the first waypoint, and wherein the display device is configured to display a vertical situation display view that includes the first weather information for the first altitude and the at least one of the second weather information and the third weather information based upon the altitude selection.

3. The display system of claim 2, wherein the first weather information for the first altitude includes wind direction, wind speed, and temperature for the first altitude at the first waypoint, the second weather information for the second altitude includes wind direction, wind speed, and temperature for the second altitude at the first waypoint, and the third weather information for the third altitude includes wind direction, wind speed, and temperature for the third altitude at the first waypoint.

4. The display system of claim 3, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a selection of a position on the flight plan other than the first waypoint from a user, and wherein, in response to the selection, the display device displays fourth weather information for the at least one of the second weather information and the third weather information based upon the altitude selection at the position on the flight plan.

5. The display system of claim 1, wherein the symbology representing the weather information includes wind direction expressed as degrees relative to true North.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein the symbology representing the weather information includes wind direction expressed as an arrow indicating a tail wind or a head wind relative to the aircraft.

9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to display a pop-up box with a wind correction angle and a track wind component of the altitude selection.

10. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to render the at least one of the second weather information and the third weather information based upon the altitude selection in a color that indicates a temporal validity.

7. A display system for an aircraft, comprising:

a processing unit configured to receive weather information associated with a flight path of a flight plan and to generate display commands based on the weather information, wherein the flight plan includes a first waypoint associated with a first altitude;

a display device coupled the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the weather information, wherein the weather information includes first weather information for the first altitude, second weather information at a second altitude, different from the first altitude, and third weather information at a third altitude, different from the first and second altitudes;

a user interface coupled to the processing unit and the display device, wherein the display device is configured to display a first menu with a plurality of altitude selections to a user and the user interface is configured to receive an altitude selection from the plurality of altitude selections on the first menu from the user, the plurality of altitude selections including at least a second altitude selection corresponding to the second altitude and a third altitude selection corresponding to the third altitude,

wherein the display device is configured to display at least one of the second weather information and the third weather information based upon the altitude selection, and

wherein the display device is configured to display a plurality of altitude increment selections to the user on a second menu and the user interface is configured to receive an altitude increment selection from the plurality of altitude increment selections on the second menu from the user, the display device displaying additional weather information at altitude increments based on the altitude increment selection; and

a communications unit coupled to the processing unit, the communications unit configured to selectively send a message requesting an altitude clearance to the second altitude or the third altitude based on the altitude selection.

8. The display system of claim 7, further comprising a user interface coupled to the processing unit, wherein the display device is configured to display menu with a message selection, such that, upon selection of the message selection, the communications unit sends the message requesting the altitude clearance to the second altitude.

11. A method for displaying weather information on an aircraft, comprising:

receiving a first user selection, via a user interface, of a first waypoint on a flight path of the aircraft;

receiving a second user selection, via the user interface, for a second altitude or a third altitude from a first menu with a plurality of altitude selections corresponding at least to the second altitude and the third altitude;

receiving a third user selection, via the user interface, for an altitude increment from a second menu with a plurality of altitude increment selections

displaying, on a display device, first weather information for the first waypoint at a first altitude;

displaying, on the display device, second weather information for the first waypoint for at least one of the second altitude or the third altitude based on the second user selection; and

displaying, on the display device, additional weather information at altitude increments from the at least one of the second altitude or the third altitude based on the third user selection.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying, on the display device, the second weather information includes displaying wind direction, wind speed, and temperature at the second altitude.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying, on the display device, the second weather information, includes displaying the second weather information on a vertical situation display view.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying, on the display device, the second weather information, includes displaying the second weather information on a lateral situation display view.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising a step of sending, in response to a second user selection, a message requesting an altitude clearance to the second altitude.