Aircraft flight management devices, systems, computer readable media and related methods

• US 9,567,099 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Giuliano, Sbastien, Drieux, Sbastien, Metais, Carole, Poux, Thibaut
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wiltey, Nicholas K
• Application Number:
  US13/861,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 701/14, 701/120, 701/3, 701/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking

Abstract

Aircraft flight management devices, systems, computer readable media, and related methods are provided. The present subject matter includes devices, systems, computer readable media, and related methods of providing flight management control during abnormal events and/or situations requiring diversion from the present mission. In some aspects, a system for providing flight management may include a computing platform with a processor, a memory, and a flight management application module (FMAM) configured to receive data from multiple servers. The FMAM may also calculate one or more aircraft ranges and/or diversion routes based upon the received data. In some aspects, systems and devices disclosed herein may be configured to provide diversion assistance by selectively displaying information including the map, one or more of the aircraft ranges, a vertical display, and information regarding one or more airports.

Claims

1. A device for providing flight management, the device comprising:

an interactive user interface;

at least one map displayed on the user interface;

at least one flight icon displayed on the map;

at least one indicator for an aircraft range, wherein the aircraft range is calculated from data exchanged with multiple servers, including at least one performance server and at least one database server;

at least one calculated flight path and multiple, selectable diversion routes displayed on the user interface;

an interactive ghost aircraft that is movable, by a user, along the at least one calculated flight path, wherein the interactive user interface is configured to display the interactive ghost aircraft, forecasted aircraft performance characteristics associated with the interactive ghost aircraft, and an associated action range indicating a forecasted range of the interactive ghost aircraft at a future location along the at least one calculated flight path;

information regarding one or more reachable airports overlaid on the at least one map; and

one or more flight plan decision points configured to delimit one diversion decision from another diversion decision and configured to offer a ‘

time to decision point’

as a countdown to remaining time before making a diversion decision for selecting one of the multiple, selectable diversion routes displayed on the user interface, each of the one or more flight plan decision points including at least one task allocation.

2. A system for providing flight management, the system comprising:

a computing platform comprising a processor, a memory, a flight management application module configured to receive data from multiple servers, including at least one performance server configured to access and receive performance impacting failure data associated with in-flight performance and at least one database server configured to receive and store information from sensors and databases, and to calculate one or more aircraft ranges based upon the received data;

a user interface configured to display a map and one or more of at least one flight icon;

the aircraft ranges overlaid on a portion of the map;

at least one calculated flight path and multiple, selectable diversion routes; and

a diversion scenario player configured to provide diversion assistance by selectively displaying information including the map, one or more of the aircraft ranges, a vertical display, and information regarding one or more reachable airports;

wherein the user interface is configured to display an interactive ghost aircraft movable by a user along the at least one calculated flight path, forecasted aircraft performance characteristics associated with the interactive ghost aircraft, and an associated action range indicating a forecasted range of the interactive ghost aircraft at a future location along the at least one calculated flight path;

wherein the flight management application module is further configured to provide one or more flight plan decision points that delimit one diversion decision from another diversion decision and that offer a ‘

time to decision point’

as a countdown to remaining time before making a diversion decision for selecting one of the multiple, selectable diversion routes displayed on the user interface, each of the one or more flight plan decision points including at least one task allocation;

wherein the diversion scenario player is configured to play one or more diversion scenario at any point downstream of the calculated flight path; and

wherein each diversion scenario of the one or more diversion scenario is composed of (i) a flight plan segment and associated diversion airport(s);

(ii) one or more diversion route to the associated diversion airport(s); and

(iii) a list of abnormal events associated with the diversion scenario.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the one or more reachable airports are sorted according to distance.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the one or more reachable airports are sorted according to estimated arrival time.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the computer platform is configured to notify an operator if an abnormal event occurs.

6. A method for providing flight management during an abnormal event, the method comprising:

exchanging data with multiple servers, the multiple servers including at least one performance server configured to access and receive performance impacting failure data associated with in-flight performance and at least one database server configured to receive and store information from sensors and databases;

calculating aircraft ranges using the data exchanged with the multiple servers;

displaying at least one flight icon;

the aircraft ranges, at least one calculated flight path, and multiple, selectable diversion routes on a user interface;

indicating, with the at least one displayed flight icon, a current position of the aircraft along the at least one calculated flight path;

notifying of an abnormal event;

providing one or more flight plan decision points configured to delimit one diversion decision from another diversion decision and configured to offer a ‘

time to decision point’

as a countdown to remaining time before making a diversion decision for selecting one of the multiple, selectable diversion routes displayed on the user interface, each of the one or more flight plan decision points including at least one task allocation;

assisting with a selection of a diversion route using the displayed aircraft ranges; and

building the diversion route;

wherein assisting with the selection of the diversion route comprises

displaying an interactive ghost aircraft movable by a user along the at least one calculated flight path, forecasted aircraft performance characteristics associated with the interactive ghost aircraft, and an associated action range indicating a forecasted range of the interactive ghost aircraft at a future location along the at least one calculated flight path; and

selectively displaying information including a map, the diversion route, a vertical display, and information regarding one or more airports;

wherein the diversion scenario player is configured to play one or more diversion scenario at any point downstream of the calculated flight path; and

wherein each diversion scenario of the one or more diversion scenario is composed of (i) a flight plan segment and associated diversion airport(s);

(ii) one or more diversion route to the associated diversion airport(s); and

(iii) a list of abnormal events associated with the diversion scenario.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising displaying information regarding reachable airports on the user interface.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

exchanging data with multiple servers, the multiple servers including at least one performance server configured to access and receive performance impacting failure data associated with in-flight performance and at least one database server configured to receive and store information from sensors and databases;

calculating aircraft ranges using the data exchanged with the multiple servers;

displaying at least one flight icon, the aircraft ranges, at least one calculated flight path, and multiple, selectable diversion routes on a user interface;

indicating, with the at least one displayed flight icon, a current position of the aircraft along the at least one calculated flight path;

notifying of an abnormal event;

providing one or more flight plan decision points configured to delimit one diversion decision from another diversion decision and configured to offer a ‘

time to decision point’

as a countdown to remaining time before making a diversion decision for selecting one of the multiple, selectable diversion routes displayed on the user interface, each of the one or more flight plan decision points including at least one task allocation;

assisting with a selection of a diversion route using the displayed aircraft ranges; and

building the diversion route;

wherein assisting with the selection of the diversion route comprises displaying an interactive ghost aircraft movable by a user along the at least one calculated flight path, forecasted aircraft performance characteristics associated with the interactive ghost aircraft, and an associated action range indicating a forecasted range of the interactive ghost aircraft at a future location along the at least one calculated flight path;

wherein the diversion scenario player is configured to play one or more diversion scenario at any point downstream of the calculated flight path; and

wherein each diversion scenario of the one or more diversion scenario is composed of (i) a flight plan segment and associated diversion airport(s);

(ii) one or more diversion route to the associated diversion airport(s); and

(iii) a list of abnormal events associated with the diversion scenario.

9. A system for providing emergency flight management, the system comprising:

a computing platform comprising a processor, a memory, a flight management application module configured to receive data from multiple servers, including at least one performance server configured to access and receive performance impacting failure data associated with in-flight performance and at least one database server configured to receive and store information from sensors and databases, and to calculate one or more aircraft ranges based upon the received data, a diversion selection assistance module configured to provide notification regarding an abnormal event, and a diversion anticipation module configured to provide a user with multiple decision nodes or segments;

a user interface configured to display a map and one or more of at least one flight icon, the aircraft ranges overlaid on a portion of the map, at least one calculated flight path, and multiple, selectable diversion routes;

wherein the user interface is configured to display an interactive ghost aircraft movable by a user along the at least one calculated flight path, forecasted aircraft performance characteristics associated with the interactive ghost aircraft, and an associated action range indicating a forecasted range of the interactive ghost aircraft at a future location along the at least one calculated flight path;

wherein the flight management application module is further configured to provide one or more flight plan decision points that delimit one diversion decision from another diversion decision and that offer a ‘

time to decision point’

as a countdown to remaining time before making a diversion decision for selecting one of the multiple, selectable diversion routes displayed on the user interface, each of the one or more flight plan decision points including at least one task allocation; and

wherein the diversion selection assistance module is configured to send, via the user interface, a notification to the operator regarding the abnormal event.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a diversion scenario player configured to provide diversion assistance by selectively displaying information including the map, one or more of the aircraft ranges, a vertical display, and information regarding one or more reachable airports.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the diversion scenario player is configured to play one or more diversion scenario at any point downstream of the calculated flight path.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each diversion scenario of the one or more diversion scenario is composed of (i) a flight plan segment and associated diversion airport(s);

(ii) one or more diversion route to the associated diversion airport(s); and

(iii) a list of abnormal events associated with the diversion scenario.

13. A method for providing emergency flight management, the method comprising:

exchanging data with multiple servers, the multiple servers including at least one performance server configured to access and receive performance impacting failure data associated with in-flight performance and at least one database server configured to receive and store information from sensors and databases;

calculating aircraft ranges using the data exchanged with the multiple servers;

displaying at least one flight icon, the aircraft ranges, at least one calculated flight path, and multiple, selectable diversion routes on a user interface;

indicating, with the at least one displayed flight icon, a current position of the aircraft along the at least one calculated flight path;

notifying of an abnormal event;

providing one or more flight plan decision points configured to delimit one diversion decision from another diversion decision and configured to offer a ‘

time to decision point’

as a countdown to remaining time before making a diversion decision for selecting one of the multiple, selectable diversion routes displayed on the user interface, each of the one or more flight plan decision points including at least one task allocation;

assisting with a selection of a diversion route using the displayed aircraft ranges; and

building the diversion route;

wherein assisting with the selection of the diversion route comprises providing the operators with multiple decision nodes or segments, and displaying an interactive ghost aircraft movable by a user along the at least one calculated flight path, forecasted aircraft performance characteristics associated with the interactive ghost aircraft, and an associated action range indicating a forecasted range of the interactive ghost aircraft at a future location along the at least one calculated flight path.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising playing one or more diversion scenario for a simulated diversion-prone event at a position of the interactive ghost aircraft.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising activating the one or more diversion scenario for assessment by the user with updated data if a real-time situation matches the one or more diversion scenario.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a dynamically computed diversion solution if a real-time situation requiring a diversion solution does not match any of the one or more diversion scenario.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a dynamically computed diversion solution if a prepared diversion scenario is no longer relevant.