Automated decision aid tool for prompting a pilot to request a flight level change

• US 9,330,573 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Brandao, Ruy C., Weber, Rosa Maria Nicole, True, Willard R., Olive, Michael L., Haissig, Christine Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHALEN, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US12/563,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,416 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/4, 701/5, 701/8, 701/9, 701/10, 701/14, 701/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan

Abstract

Provided are methods and systems for the automatic calculation and presentation of data on a display device alerting a pilot that a change in flight plan is desirable, possible and administratively compliant under air traffic control protocol. The methods and systems may automatically request the flight clearance over a data link or the pilot may override the data link.

Claims

1. A method for automatically requesting a flight clearance by an onboard computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data from a processor aboard a first aircraft indicating that a flight plan change both improves a flight metric and is physically possible;

determining that the flight plan change complies with an air traffic control policy; and

when the flight plan change conforms to the air traffic control policy, then automatically sending a Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) flight clearance request message to an air traffic authority.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the air traffic control policy requires a minimum difference between a first distance from a first aircraft to a reference point and a second distance from a reference aircraft to the reference point must be greater than a predetermined amount before initiating a flight level change.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the air traffic control policy stipulates that the tracks of the reference aircraft and the first aircraft can differ by no more than 45°

relative.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising alerting a pilot that the flight plan change improves a flight metric, is physically possible and complies with the air traffic control policy.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing the pilot with an option to reject the fight plan change when alerted.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the data indicating that a flight plan change both improves a flight metric and is physically possible is of a minimum quality.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the data indicating that a flight plan both improves a flight metric and is physically possible includes a determination that the winds on the new flight plan are more favorable.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the data indicating that a flight plan change both improves a flight metric and is physically possible includes a determination that the flight plan does not exceed a predetermined maximum altitude.

9. A system for automatically requesting a flight clearance during a flight, comprising:

means for sensing an avionics metric;

means for creating a clearance message requesting a clearance based at least in part upon the sensed avionics metric;

means for automatically transmitting the clearance message requesting a clearance when both a flight plan change is determined to improve an avionics metric and when the flight plan change complies with an air traffic control (ATC) policy based in part upon the sensing of the avionics metric.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising means for analyzing compliance with the ATC policy.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for determining a flight plan change results in an improved avionics metric.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the ATC policy is an in trail procedure.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining that a flight plan change results in an improved avionics metric includes determining if the flight plan change reduces the flight cost.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein determining that a flight plan change results in an improved avionics metric includes determining if the flight plan change results in a required time of arrival.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein determining that a flight plan change results in an improved avionics metric includes determining if the flight plan change maintains a flight level below a stipulate level.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein determining that a flight plan change results in an improved avionics metric includes determining if the flight plan change maintains a stipulated rate of change in altitude.

17. A system for automatically requesting a flight clearance during a flight by a computing device, comprising:

a sensor;

a radio frequency transceiver configured to automatically transmit a data link clearance message over a data uplink; and

a processor in operable communication with the sensor and the radio frequency transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine if a flight plan change improves a flight metric utilizing input from the sensor,

determine if the flight plan change complies with an air traffic control policy,

automatically formatting the data link clearance message to an air traffic control authority requesting a clearance when both the flight plan change improves a flight metric and complies with the air traffic control policy, otherwise repeating both determining steps and the automatically sending step.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the air traffic control policy is an in trail procedure.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the flight metric is one of an estimated time of arrival and a total cost of the flight.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a flight crewman may review and abort the automatic sending of the data link message.