Landing distance indicator generating system, device, and method

• US 9,552,737 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Theriault, Ricky J., Stover, Keith A., Anderson, Eric N., VanDerKamp, Travis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/725,100
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 340/963, 340/965, 340972-976, 340/946, 701/15, 701/16, 701/18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• 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 system, device, and method for generating a landing distance indicator (LDI) are disclosed. The LDI generating system may include one or more sources of navigation data, one or more sources of landing distance (LD) factor data, published LD data source, an image generator (IG), and a presentation system. The IG may be configured to navigation data; acquire LD factor data; define LD data; and generate image data as a function of the navigation data and the LD data. The navigation data could include a runway reference point, and the LD data could an LD. The image data could be representative of at least an image of an LDI comprised of a first boundary is based upon a location of the runway reference point, and a second boundary is based upon the runway reference point and the landing distance.

Claims

1. A system for generating a landing distance indicator, comprising:

at least one source of navigation data;

at least one source of factor data; and

an image generator configured to;

acquire navigation data representative of at least an aircraft position, a direction of flight, a runway of intended landing, and a runway reference point;

acquire factor data representative of at least one factor affecting a landing distance;

define distance data representative of the landing distance as a function the factor data; and

generate image data as a function of a location of the runway reference point and the landing distance, where

the image data is representative of at least an image of the landing distance indicator presentable to a viewer and comprised of a plurality of boundaries, where

a location of a first boundary is based upon the location of the runway reference point, and

a location of a second boundary is based upon the runway reference point and the landing distance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one source of navigation data and at least one source of factor data are the same source.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a source of publication data, where

the image generator is further configured to;

acquire publication data representative of at least one published landing distance as a function the factor data, where

the distance data is defined from the publication data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

one factor affecting a landing distance is comprised of a brake setting, where

the landing distance indicator is comprised of at least one zone, such that the size of each zone is dependent upon the brake setting.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the location of the runway reference point is based upon at least a landing threshold point of a runway opposite of the runway of intended landing.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein

the navigation data is further representative of an estimated touchdown point, and

the function for generating the image data includes a location of the estimated touchdown point, such that

the image includes

an estimated touchdown point indicator, and

an alert when the estimated touchdown point indicator is located past the second boundary.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the runway reference point is based upon an estimated touchdown point.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein

the navigation data is further representative of a second runway reference point, such that

the image includes

an estimated touchdown point indicator, and

an alert when the second boundary is located past second runway reference point.

9. A device for generating a landing distance indicator, comprising:

an image generator configured to;

acquire navigation data representative of at least an aircraft position, a direction of flight, a runway of intended landing, and a runway reference point;

acquire factor data representative of at least one factor affecting a landing distance;

define distance data representative of the landing distance as a function the factor data; and

generate image data as a function of a location of the runway reference point and the landing distance, where

the image data is representative of at least an image of the landing distance indicator presentable to a viewer and comprised of a plurality of boundaries, where

a location of a first boundary is based upon the location of the runway reference point, and

a location of a second boundary is based upon the runway reference point and the landing distance.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein

one factor affecting a landing distance is comprised of a brake setting, where

the landing distance indicator is comprised of at least one zone, such that the size of each zone is dependent upon the brake setting.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the location of the runway reference point is based upon at least a landing threshold point of a runway opposite of the runway of intended landing.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein

the navigation data is further representative of an estimated touchdown point, and

the function for generating the image data includes a location of the estimated touchdown point, such that

the image includes

an estimated touchdown point indicator, and

an alert when the estimated touchdown point indicator is located past the second boundary.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the runway reference point is based upon an estimated touchdown point.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein

the navigation data is further representative of a second runway reference point, such that

the image includes

an estimated touchdown point indicator, and

an alert when the second boundary is located past second runway reference point.

15. A method for generating a landing distance indicator, comprising:

acquiring navigation data representative of at least an aircraft position, a direction of flight, a runway of intended landing, and a runway reference point;

acquiring factor data representative of at least one factor affecting a landing distance;

defining distance data representative of the landing distance as a function the factor data; and

generating image data as a function of a location of the runway reference point and the landing distance, where

the image data is representative of at least an image of the landing distance indicator presentable to a viewer and comprised of a plurality of boundaries, where

a location of a first boundary is based upon the location of the runway reference point, and

a location of a second boundary is based upon the runway reference point and the landing distance.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein

one factor affecting a landing distance is comprised of a brake setting, where

the landing distance indicator is comprised of at least one zone, such that the size of each zone is dependent upon the brake setting.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the location of the runway reference point is based upon at least a landing threshold point of a runway opposite of the runway of intended landing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein

the navigation data is further representative of an estimated touchdown point, and

the function for generating the image data includes a location of the estimated touchdown point, such that

the image includes

an estimated touchdown point indicator, and

an alert when the estimated touchdown point indicator is located past the second boundary.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the runway reference point is based upon an estimated touchdown point.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

the navigation data is further representative of a second runway reference point, such that

the image includes

an estimated touchdown point indicator, and

an alert when the second boundary is located past second runway reference point.