Aircraft braking early warning system

• US 9,296,488 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3rd Millennium Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 3rd Millennium Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: McKeown, Stephen Lyle, Kleinschmidt, Peter Paul, Laidman, Jeffrey Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US14/196,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 701/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1703 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/426 Braking devices providing an automatic sequence of braking
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• 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 method provides alert information, regarding an aircraft wheel braking system, to an operator of an aircraft during an aircraft landing. An input of a target deceleration rate for the landing aircraft is received prior to the aircraft having landed on a ground surface. At least one sensor electronically collects information relevant to a real-time deceleration rate of the aircraft after the aircraft has landed on the ground surface, and the real-time deceleration rate of the aircraft is calculated. The target deceleration rate is compared to the calculated deceleration rate to determine an effectiveness of the aircraft wheel braking system. A visual, audible, or tactile alert is optionally provided to the operator of the aircraft, and data from this system could also be used as an input for various other aircraft safety systems. A system for performing the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of providing alert information, regarding an aircraft wheel braking system, to an operator of an aircraft during an aircraft landing, comprising:

receiving a manually-entered input from the operator of the aircraft of a target deceleration rate for said landing aircraft, said input being received prior to said aircraft having landed on a ground surface,

wherein said input is received by an independent electronic device that is in physical connection with said aircraft but does not receive any electronic data communication input from said aircraft;

electronically collecting, via at least one sensor on the independent electronic device, information relevant to a real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft after said aircraft has landed on said ground surface;

calculating the real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft;

comparing said target deceleration rate to the calculated deceleration rate to determine an effectiveness of said aircraft wheel braking system; and

providing, via the independent electronic device, a visual, audible, or tactile alert to the operator of the aircraft if the effectiveness of said aircraft wheel braking system is different than an anticipated amount.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft includes a composite value including the deceleration rates attributable to at least two of aerodynamic drag of the aircraft, thrust reversal of the aircraft, and wheel braking of the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the anticipated amount is one of a percentage and a range of the target deceleration rate.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining when said aircraft has first landed on said ground surface; and

automatically inhibiting the step of electronically collecting information relevant to the real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft until it is determined that said aircraft has first landed on said ground surface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining when said aircraft has first landed on said ground surface;

monitoring an amount of time elapsed since said aircraft has first landed on said ground surface; and

automatically inhibiting the step of providing an alert to the operator for a predetermined amount of elapsed time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining when said aircraft has first landed on said ground surface;

monitoring a distance traveled by said aircraft along said ground surface since said aircraft has first landed on said ground surface; and

automatically inhibiting the step of providing an alert to the operator for a predetermined amount of distance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining when said aircraft has first landed on said ground surface;

monitoring a speed of said aircraft along the ground surface; and

inhibiting the step of providing an alert to the operator when said speed of said aircraft is below a predetermined value.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

electronically recording, in a computer-readable memory, the target deceleration rate for said landing aircraft, at least one calculated real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft, and at least one alert provided to the operator of the aircraft,

wherein said electronic recording occurs after said speed of said aircraft is below a predetermined value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a manually-entered input of a target deceleration rate comprises the steps of:

receiving a manually-entered input from the operator of the aircraft of an automatic braking system (ABS) setting for said aircraft; and

determining the target deceleration rate for said aircraft by correlating said manually input automatic braking system (ABS) setting with a predetermined deceleration rate for said aircraft.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relevant to the real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft is collected in situ by said independent electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer and geographical location sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said geographical location sensor comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an alert to the operator of the aircraft includes an indication that the calculated real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft is less than the target deceleration rate for said landing aircraft.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an alert to the operator of the aircraft includes an indication that a preselected automatic braking system (ABS) setting is insufficient to achieve the target deceleration rate for said landing aircraft.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an alert to the operator of the aircraft includes at least one of an indication to increase thrust reversers, an indication to increase aerodynamic drag, and an indication to increase wheel braking strength of the aircraft.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said ground surface is a runway.

17. A system for providing alert information, regarding an aircraft wheel braking system, to an operator of an aircraft during an aircraft landing, comprising:

an independent electronic device that is in physical connection with said aircraft but does not receive any electronic data communication input from said aircraft, the independent electronic device comprising at least one sensor including at least one of an accelerometer and geographical location sensor,

the independent electronic device further comprising at least one microprocessor and a computer-readable memory device including executable logic that is to be executed by the microprocessor for controlling operation of the independent electronic device, the executable logic comprising;

a data collection module configured to receive a manually-entered input from the operator of the aircraft of a target deceleration rate for said landing aircraft prior to said aircraft having landed on a ground surface, and to electronically collect, via the at least one sensor on the independent electronic device, information relevant to a real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft after said aircraft has landed on said ground surface;

an analysis module in signal communication with the data collection module configured to calculate the real-time deceleration rate of said aircraft based upon said collected information, and to compare said target deceleration rate to the calculated deceleration rate to determine an effectiveness of said aircraft wheel braking system; and

a feedback module in signal communication with the analysis module that is configured to output, via the independent electronic device, a visual, audible, or tactile alert to the operator of the aircraft if the effectiveness of said aircraft wheel braking system is different than an anticipated amount.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the independent electronic device comprises an input device configured to receive the manually-entered input from the operator of said aircraft that is usable by the data collection module, and an output device configured to output the visual or audible alert to the operator of the aircraft provided by the feedback module.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the independent electronic device comprises a touchscreen device comprising both a visual display device and a touch-sensitive input device, such that the touchscreen device comprises both of the input device and the output device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one sensor is in signal communication with the data collection module.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the feedback module is in signal communication with an on-board aircraft safety system, and wherein the feedback module is configured to send electronic data communication output to said on-board aircraft safety system to be used as an input for affecting operation of said aircraft during said aircraft landing.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the feedback module is configured to send electronic data communication output to the on-board aircraft safety system for changing a setting of an automatic braking system (ABS) of said aircraft during said aircraft landing.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the feedback module is configured to send electronic data communication output to the on-board aircraft safety system for disabling the automatic braking system (ABS) of said aircraft during said aircraft landing.