Aircraft synthetic vision systems utilizing data from local area augmentation systems, and methods for operating such aircraft synthetic vision systems
First Claim
1. An aircraft synthetic vision display system comprising:
- a topographical database comprising topographical information relating to an airport;
a global positioning system receiver that receives a satellite signal from a global positioning satellite to determine a geographical position of the aircraft;
a ground-based augmentation system receiver that receives a ground-based signal from a ground-based transmitter associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based augmentation system receiver receives the ground-based signal from a local area augmentation system associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based signal comprises a very-high frequency data broadcast (VDB) signal, wherein the VDB signal comprises;
geographical information associated with the airport, message Type 4 information comprising final approach segment information associated with an approach to a runway at the airport, and runway occupancy status information;
a computer processor that retrieves the topographical information from the topographical database based on the geographical position of the aircraft, that retrieves the geographical information associated with the airport, that validates the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport, and that corrects the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport to generate corrected topographical information; and
a display device that renders three-dimensional synthetic imagery of environs of the aircraft based on the corrected topographical information, the three-dimensional synthetic imagery further comprising a graphical rendering of the runway at the airport, the final approach segment based on the message Type 4 information, and an aircraft symbol on the runway based on the runway occupancy status information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft synthetic vision display system (SVS) includes a topographical database including topographical information relating to an airport, a global positioning system receiver that receives a satellite signal from a global positioning satellite to determine a geographical position of the aircraft, and a ground-based augmentation system receiver that receives a ground-based signal from a ground-based transmitter associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based signal includes geographical information associated with the airport. The SVS further includes a computer processor that retrieves the topographical information from the topographical database based on the geographical position of the aircraft, that retrieves the geographical information associated with the airport, and that corrects the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport to generate corrected topographical information. Still further, the SVS includes a display device that renders three-dimensional synthetic imagery of environs of the aircraft based on the corrected topographical information.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An aircraft synthetic vision display system comprising:
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a topographical database comprising topographical information relating to an airport; a global positioning system receiver that receives a satellite signal from a global positioning satellite to determine a geographical position of the aircraft; a ground-based augmentation system receiver that receives a ground-based signal from a ground-based transmitter associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based augmentation system receiver receives the ground-based signal from a local area augmentation system associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based signal comprises a very-high frequency data broadcast (VDB) signal, wherein the VDB signal comprises;
geographical information associated with the airport, message Type 4 information comprising final approach segment information associated with an approach to a runway at the airport, and runway occupancy status information;a computer processor that retrieves the topographical information from the topographical database based on the geographical position of the aircraft, that retrieves the geographical information associated with the airport, that validates the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport, and that corrects the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport to generate corrected topographical information; and a display device that renders three-dimensional synthetic imagery of environs of the aircraft based on the corrected topographical information, the three-dimensional synthetic imagery further comprising a graphical rendering of the runway at the airport, the final approach segment based on the message Type 4 information, and an aircraft symbol on the runway based on the runway occupancy status information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating a synthetic vision system of an aircraft comprising the steps of:
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receiving a satellite signal from a global positioning satellite to determine a geographical position of the aircraft; receiving a ground-based signal from a ground-based transmitter associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based signal comprises a very-high frequency data broadcast (VDB) signal, wherein the VDB signal comprises;
geographical information associated with the airport, message Type 4 information comprising final approach segment information associated with an approach to a runway at the airport, and runway occupancy status information;using a computer processor; retrieving topographical information from a topographical database based on the geographical position of the aircraft, retrieving the geographical information associated with the airport, validating the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport, and correcting the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport to generate corrected topographical information; and rendering three-dimensional synthetic imagery of environs of the aircraft based on the corrected topographical information, the three-dimensional synthetic imagery further comprising a geographical rendering of the runway at the airport, the final approach segment based on the message Type 4 information, and an aircraft symbol on the runway based on the runway occupancy status information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An aircraft synthetic vision display system comprising:
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a plurality of topographical databases comprising topographical information relating to an airport, wherein the plurality of topographical databases comprise at least a terrain database that comprises terrain information associated with the airport, a navigation database that comprises navigational information for navigational routing and procedures associated with the airport, a runway database that comprises runway information associated with the airport, and an obstacle database that comprises obstacle information concerning obstacles in the vicinity of the airport, and wherein the topographical information comprises an error or bias that causes a feature of the airport to be indicated at a geographical location other than its true geographical location; a multi-mode receiver comprising a plurality of receiver functionalities comprising at least a global positioning system receiver that receives a satellite signal from a global positioning satellite to determine a geographical position of the aircraft and a very-high frequency data broadcast (VDB) receiver that receives a ground-based VDB signal from a local area augmentation system transmitter associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based signal comprises a Type 4 message including geographical information associated with the airport that comprises final approach segment geographical information pertaining to a runway of the airport and runway occupancy status information; a computer processor that retrieves the topographical information from the topographical database based on the geographical position of the aircraft, that retrieves the geographical information associated with the airport, that validates the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport, and that corrects the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport to generate corrected topographical information; and a display device that renders three-dimensional synthetic imagery of environs of the aircraft based on the corrected topographical information, wherein the three-dimensional synthetic imagery comprises a graphical rendering of at least the runway of the airport, the final approach segment based on the message Type 4 information, and an aircraft symbol on the runway based on the runway occupancy status information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification