Taxi clearance electronic recording display unit and method

• US 9,443,438 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Shapiro, Geoffrey A., Carrico, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US14/880,568
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 701/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

Present novel and non-trivial methods for electronically recording a taxi clearance on a display unit are disclosed. In one method, an interactive surface map is displayed from which selections of an assigned takeoff runway and taxiway(s) stated in a taxi clearance may be made electronically through advanced gesturing techniques. These selections highlight the surfaces stated in the taxi clearance. The selections may be made through a series of touch screen taps and/or by the grabbing, dragging, and releasing of a “rubber band” which snaps into place over the selected surface. In another method, an auto-route generating algorithm may be employed to create a preliminary taxi clearance after a presumed runway for takeoff has been selected by the pilot. Then, as the taxi clearance is being received, changes may be made through the pilot'"'"'s interaction with the graphical user interfaces commensurate with the actual taxi clearance.

Claims

1. A device for displaying an electronically recorded taxi clearance, said device comprising:

a display unit configured to;

receive pixel image data representative of an image of a plurality of surfaces and ownship position indicator provided by a taxi path generator configured to;

establish the pixel image data;

receive first entry data representative of a selection of a destination surface of the plurality of surfaces through a pilot input device; and

update the pixel image data with first pixel data in response to the first entry data being received, where

the first pixel data is representative of an image of a stretchable line comprised of a first anchor point and a second anchor point, where

the first anchor point is established on a surface indicated by the ownship position indicator, and

the second anchor point is established at the destination surface; and

present the image to a viewer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein

the display unit is comprised of a touch screen interface, such that

the first entry data is received via the touch screen interface.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein

the selection of the destination surface is a selection of a first widget corresponding to

a runway identifier,

a runway surface either in whole or in part, or

both the runway identifier and the runway surface either in whole or in part.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein

the first entry data is further representative of

a selection of the ownship position indicator to establish the first anchor point of the stretchable line,

a dragging of the stretchable line from the first anchor point, and

a releasing of the stretchable line to establish a second anchor point of the stretchable, where

the selection of a destination surface is made upon the release of the stretchable line.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein

the taxi path generator is further configured to:

update the pixel image data with second pixel data representative of

a first highlighter highlighting the destination surface,

first text corresponding to the destination surface, or

both.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the destination surface is an assigned destination surface specified in an actual taxi clearance.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein

the actual taxi clearance further specifies at least one surface of the plurality of surfaces, where

one surface is an originating surface,

one surface is a terminating surface,

each surface has an originating end and a terminating end,

the originating end of the originating surface is fixed,

the terminating end of the terminating surface is fixed and terminates at the assigned surface,

the terminating end of each surface, except for the terminating surface, is not fixed but dependent upon the next surface in a sequence of at least two surfaces specified in the actual taxi clearance, and

the originating end of each surface, except for the originating surface, is not fixed but dependent upon the preceding surface in a sequence of at least two surfaces specified in the actual taxi clearance.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the originating surface and the terminating surface are the same surface.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein

the taxi path generator is further configured to:

receive second entry data representative of at least one entry corresponding to a surface specified in the actual taxi clearance other than the assigned destination surface; and

update the pixel image data with third pixel data in response to the second entry data being received, where

the third pixel data is representative of

a second surface highlighter corresponding to each surface specified in the actual taxi clearance other than the assigned destination surface,

second text corresponding to each surface specified in the actual taxi clearance other than the assigned destination surface, or

both.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third pixel data is further representative of at least one cross/hold short indicator if at least one surface specified in the actual taxi clearance crosses over a runway.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein

the taxi path generator is further configured to:

receive third entry data representative of at least one cross/hold short assignment specified in the actual taxi clearance; and

update the pixel image data with fourth pixel data in response to the third entry data being received, where

the fourth pixel data is representative of

a cross/hold short indicator corresponding to each cross/hold short assignment specified in the actual taxi clearance,

third text corresponding to each cross/hold short assignment specified in the actual taxi clearance, or

both.

12. A method for electronically recording a taxi clearance on a display unit, said method comprising:

establishing pixel image data representative of an image of a plurality of surfaces and ownship position indicator;

receiving first entry data representative of a selection of a destination surface of the plurality of surfaces through a pilot input device; and

updating the pixel image data with first pixel data in response to the first entry data being received, where

the first pixel data is representative of an image of a stretchable line comprised of a first anchor point and a second anchor point, where

the first anchor point is established on a surface indicated by the ownship position indicator, and

the second anchor point is established at the destination surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

the first entry data is further representative of

a selection of the ownship position indicator to establish the first anchor point of the stretchable line,

a dragging of the stretchable line from the first anchor point, and

a releasing of the stretchable line to establish a second anchor point of the stretchable, where

the selection of a destination surface is made upon the release of the stretchable line.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

updating the pixel image data with second pixel data representative of

a first highlighter highlighting the destination surface,

first text corresponding to the destination surface, or

both.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the destination surface is an assigned destination surface specified in an actual taxi clearance.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein

the actual taxi clearance further specifies at least one surface of the plurality of surfaces, where

one surface is an originating surface,

one surface is a terminating surface,

each surface has an originating end and a terminating end,

the originating end of the originating surface is fixed,

the terminating end of the terminating surface is fixed and terminates at the assigned surface,

the terminating end of each surface, except for the terminating surface, is not fixed but dependent upon the next surface in a sequence of at least two surfaces specified in the actual taxi clearance, and

the originating end of each surface, except for the originating surface, is not fixed but dependent upon the preceding surface in a sequence of at least two surfaces specified in the actual taxi clearance.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the originating surface and the terminating surface are the same surface.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving second entry data representative of at least one entry corresponding to a surface specified in the actual taxi clearance other than the assigned destination surface; and

updating the pixel image data with third pixel data in response to the second entry data being received, where

the third pixel data is representative of

a second surface highlighter corresponding to each surface specified in the actual taxi clearance other than the assigned destination surface

second text corresponding to each surface specified in the actual taxi clearance other than the assigned destination surface, or

both.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the third pixel data is further representative of at least one cross/hold short indicator if at least one surface specified in the actual taxi clearance crosses over a runway.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving third entry data representative of at least one cross/hold short assignment specified in the actual taxi clearance; and

updating the pixel image data with fourth pixel data in response to the third entry data being received, where

the fourth pixel data is representative of

a cross/hold short indicator corresponding to each cross/hold short assignment specified in the actual taxi clearance,

third text corresponding to each cross/hold short assignment specified in the actual taxi clearance, or

both.