System for providing aircraft landing instructions

• US 9,683,864 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 168 Productions, LLC
• Original Assignee: 168 Productions, LLC
• Inventors: McQuillan, Benjamin P., Jansen, William, Christenson, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissot, Adam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/049,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20160245666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

A system for providing aircraft landing instructions is provided. The system comprises a memory component configured to store specifications for an aircraft. The system also comprises a controller configured to operate in either of a first mode or a second mode, wherein the first mode comprises a fly-along mode, and wherein the second mode comprises an emergency mode. In the fly-along mode, the controller is configured to generate, based on a received operator indication of a destination, a map, wherein the map comprises at least an indication of a current location of the aircraft and a destination indication. In the emergency mode, the controller is configured to generate a series of instructions for controlling and landing the aircraft, wherein the series of instructions are generated at least in part based on the stored specifications for the aircraft. The system also comprises a presentation component configured to provide the generated series of instructions to an operator of the aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for providing landing instructions, comprising:

detecting, utilizing a navigational system, a current location of an aircraft;

selecting a landing location for the aircraft;

providing a sequence of approach instructions for executing an approach sequence;

providing a sequence of landing instructions for executing a landing sequence, wherein providing the sequence of landing instructions comprises;

detecting a flight parameter for the aircraft;

comparing the detected flight parameter to a threshold flight parameter; and

providing, upon detection that the detected flight parameter is outside an acceptable parameter range, an indication to the operator; and

wherein the provided instructions comprise a controller selecting custom indications based on specifications for the aircraft and presenting the custom indications to an operator of the aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigational system comprises a global positioning system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a landing location comprises:

detecting a plurality of potential landing locations within a proximity of the detected current location;

ranking the plurality of potential landing locations based on an estimated flight distance from the detected current location;

presenting a landing location to the operator based on the ranking of potential landing locations; and

wherein potential landing locations are removed from the ranking of potential landing locations based at least in part on the specifications for the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

providing a sequence of shutdown instructions for shutting down an aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

providing instructions for establishing communication with an air traffic control.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the provided indication comprises instructions for addressing the detected flight parameter to the operator.

7. A device configured to provide instructions for controlling an aircraft, the device comprising:

a navigation component configured to detect a current location for the aircraft;

a memory component configured to store a set of aircraft specifications;

a controller configured to, when actuated, generate a plurality of instructions for an operator of the aircraft, wherein the set of instruction comprise instructions for controlling the aircraft during an approach and landing, and wherein the plurality of instructions are generated based on the detected current location and the stored aircraft specifications;

a display component configured to receive an indication of each of the plurality of instructions from the controller, and present each of the received indications to the operator, wherein at least the display component comprises a personal computing device; and

a mount configured to support the personal computing device within the aircraft.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein at least the navigation component comprises an avionics system integrated into the aircraft.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to generate the plurality of instructions based at least in part on a detected flight parameter.

16. The device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the generated plurality of instructions are provided audibly.

17. The device of claim 7, and further comprising an altitude component configured to detect a current altitude of the aircraft.

18. The device of claim 7, and further comprising a speed component configured to detect a speed of the aircraft.

10. A method for providing landing instructions, comprising:

detecting, utilizing a navigational system, a current location of an aircraft;

selecting a landing location for the aircraft;

providing a sequence of approach instructions for executing an approach sequence;

providing a sequence of landing instructions for executing a landing sequence, wherein the provided instructions comprise a controller selecting custom indications based on specifications for the aircraft and presenting the custom indications to an operator of the aircraft; and

providing a sequence of shutdown instructions for shutting down an aircraft.

11. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

providing instructions for establishing communication with an air traffic control.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein providing instructions comprises:

detecting a flight parameter for the aircraft;

comparing the detected flight parameter to a threshold flight parameter; and

providing, upon detection that the detected flight parameter is outside an acceptable parameter range, an indication to the operator.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the provided indication comprises instructions for addressing the detected flight parameter to the operator.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the navigational system comprises a global positioning system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting a landing location comprises:

detecting a plurality of potential landing locations within a proximity of the detected current location;

ranking the plurality of potential landing locations based on an estimated flight distance from the detected current location;

presenting a landing location to the operator based on the ranking of potential landing locations; and

wherein potential landing locations are removed from the ranking of potential landing locations based at least in part on the specifications for the aircraft.