Taxi route recording methods on an aircraft display unit
First Claim
1. A method for electronically recording an aircraft taxi clearance with a display unit, comprising:
- generating, by an image generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code, pixel image data representative of a first image data set comprised of at least one first preview image independent of an ownship'"'"'s heading and location on a surface at an airport having a plurality of surfaces, whereeach first preview image excludes all of the plurality of surfaces except for one image of one first surface depicted graphically and with an alphanumeric identifier;
receiving, via a pilot input device, initial surface data representative of one selection of one first preview image presenting one surface specified in an aircraft taxi clearance as a destination surface, wherethe aircraft taxi clearance further specifies one originating surface different from the surface on which ownship is located and one terminating surface different from the one originating surface and the one destination surface;
modifying the pixel image data in response to receiving the initial surface data to create a second image data set based upon ownship'"'"'s location and comprised of at least one second preview image and at least one next intersection image, whereineach second preview image excludes all of the plurality of surfaces except for one image of one second surface depicted graphically and with an alphanumeric identifier, wherethe one second surface intersects the surface on which ownship is located, andeach next intersection image presents one surface intersecting the one originating surface;
receiving final surface data representative of one selection of one next intersection image presenting the one terminating surface;
modifying the pixel image data to create a third image data set comprised of an entry-completion image; and
receiving entry-completing data representative of a selection of the entry-completion image, therebycompleting the electronic recording of the aircraft taxi clearance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Present novel and non-trivial methods for electronically recording a taxi route on a display unit are disclosed. In one method, a tax route entry window (“TREW”) such as a taxi clearance entry window is used to present in smaller windows surfaces and next intersecting surfaces from which a pilot sequentially selects surfaces based upon surfaces stated in a taxi clearance. In another method, the TREW is comprised of an airport-specific keyboard or a traditional keyboard with visually-variable, interactive buttons, where an activation or deactivation of each button is dependent upon surfaces specified in the taxi clearance and potential intersecting surface. In another method, selections are made on the TREW and surfaces corresponding to the selections are highlighted in an image presenting a map of surfaces. Additionally, the image presenting a map of surfaces may be panned and zoom to the size of the highlighted surface.
6 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for electronically recording an aircraft taxi clearance with a display unit, comprising:
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generating, by an image generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code, pixel image data representative of a first image data set comprised of at least one first preview image independent of an ownship'"'"'s heading and location on a surface at an airport having a plurality of surfaces, where each first preview image excludes all of the plurality of surfaces except for one image of one first surface depicted graphically and with an alphanumeric identifier; receiving, via a pilot input device, initial surface data representative of one selection of one first preview image presenting one surface specified in an aircraft taxi clearance as a destination surface, where the aircraft taxi clearance further specifies one originating surface different from the surface on which ownship is located and one terminating surface different from the one originating surface and the one destination surface; modifying the pixel image data in response to receiving the initial surface data to create a second image data set based upon ownship'"'"'s location and comprised of at least one second preview image and at least one next intersection image, wherein each second preview image excludes all of the plurality of surfaces except for one image of one second surface depicted graphically and with an alphanumeric identifier, where the one second surface intersects the surface on which ownship is located, and each next intersection image presents one surface intersecting the one originating surface; receiving final surface data representative of one selection of one next intersection image presenting the one terminating surface; modifying the pixel image data to create a third image data set comprised of an entry-completion image; and receiving entry-completing data representative of a selection of the entry-completion image, thereby completing the electronic recording of the aircraft taxi clearance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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16. A method for electronically recording an aircraft taxi clearance with a display unit, comprising:
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generating, by an image generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code, pixel image data representative of a first image data set comprised of a keyboard image having a plurality of key images that are either activated key images or deactivated key images, where both the activated key images and the deactivated keys are visible to a pilot, the activated key images are visually distinguishable from the deactivated keys, and the plurality of key images is comprised of a plurality of airport-specific key images and an entry-completion key image, where each one of the airport-specific key images is assigned to one surface of a plurality of surfaces at an airport, and the entry-completion key image is employed to complete the electronic recording of the aircraft taxi clearance; receiving, via a pilot input device, initial surface data representative of one selection of one airport-specific key image assigned to one surface specified in an aircraft taxi clearance as a destination surface, where the aircraft taxi clearance further specifies one originating surface different from a surface on which ownship is located and one terminating surface different from the one originating surface and the one destination surface; modifying the pixel image data in response to receiving the initial surface data to create a second image data set based upon ownship'"'"'s location, wherein the second image data set is comprised of the keyboard image in which each one of the plurality of key images becomes a deactivated key image except for at least one airport-specific key image assigned to a surface intersecting the originating surface; receiving final surface data representative of one selection of one airport-specific key image assigned to the one terminating surface; modifying the pixel image data to create a third image data set, wherein the third image data set is comprised of the keyboard image in which each one of the plurality of key images becomes a deactivated key image except for the entry-completion key image; and receiving entry-completing data representative of a selection of the entry-completion key image, thereby completing the electronic recording of the aircraft taxi clearance. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification