Navigation system

• US 9,354,077 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Srivastav, Amit, Raman, Raghu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/123,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,933 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• 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

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed that permits a user to interactively and graphically design a company route to be traveled by a vehicle such as an airplane. Alternatively or additionally, a system and method are disclosed that permits a user to interactively and graphically conduct a virtual travel through, such a virtual fly through, a company route to be traveled by a vehicle such as an airplane.

Claims

1. A method for designing a navigational route performed on a computer-implemented navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

configuring a geographic area on a visual display of the navigation system, the geographic area being defined by coordinates of latitude and longitude;

automatically in response to the configuring, fetching from terrain, obstacle, and navigation databases of the navigation system at least;

a) all available terrain features within the geographic area,

b) all available obstacle features within the geographic area,

c) all available airports, navigation aids, and airways, and procedures within the geographic area,

and displaying elements a) through c) on the visual display of the navigation system;

receiving a selection of an origin airport, the origin airport being displayed within the geographic area, and receiving a selection of a destination airport, and displaying the origin and destination airports on the visual display of the navigation system while simultaneously discontinuing displaying any others of element c);

subsequent to displaying the origin and destination airports, receiving a first selection indicating the choice of a first type of via, said first type of via being one of a fix, an airway, or a procedure;

automatically in response to the receiving the first selection and based on the first selection, displaying on the visual display one of;

all fixes within a predetermined radius of the origin airport, all airways passing by the origin airport, or all procedures originating from the origin airport, depending on said selected first type of via;

receiving a second selection indicating the choice of one of the displayed fixes, airways, or procedures that were presented based on the first selection;

displaying the indicated choice of the second selection on the visual display as a first air route path from the origin airport, the first air route path having a beginning at the origin airport and an end at a defined end of the respective fix, airway, or procedure, while simultaneously discontinuing display of others of the fixes, airways, or procedures within the predetermined radius of the origin airport;

subsequent to displaying the indicated choice, receiving a third selection indicating the choice of a second type of via, said second type of via being one of a fix, an airway, or a procedure;

automatically, in response to the receiving the third selection and based on the third selection, displaying on the visual display one of;

all fixes within a predetermined radius of the destination airport, all airways passing by the destination airport, or all procedures terminating at the destination airport, depending on said selected second type of via;

receiving a fourth selection indicating the choice of one of the displayed fixes, airways, or procedures that were presented based on the third selection;

displaying the indicated choice of the fourth selection on the visual display as a second air route path to the destination airport, the second air route path having a beginning at a previous fix and an end at the destination airport, while simultaneously discontinuing display of others of the fixes, airways, or procedures within the predetermined radius of the destination airport;

automatically constructing the navigational route as a graphical sequence of the first air route path, any intermediate air route paths, and the second air route path;

automatically rendering the navigational route as a three-dimensional, graphical flyover of the navigational route, wherein the three-dimensional flyover comprises at least all available terrain and obstacles that are overflown by the navigational route, and wherein the three-dimensional flyover comprises a visual display of the navigational route as it progresses from the original airport along the navigational route to the destination airport.