Digital map enabled boundary search pattern
First Claim
1. A digital map enabled flight management system (FMS), comprising:
- a graphical flight planner (GFP) configured to define at least one flight pattern parameter and at least one flight pattern area associated with at least one aircraft;
a digital map coupled to the GFP and configured to generate a first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point corresponding to a location within the at least one flight pattern area and to the at least one flight pattern parameter; and
the flight management system (FMS) including one or more processors coupled to the GFP and to the digital map, the one or more processors configured to;
generate at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the first ordered plurality of pattern points, and (ii) a single search radius determined by a variety of contributing factors, two or more waypoints corresponding to a pattern point; and
generate a single search pattern based on (i) two or more of the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, and (ii) a track space offset to separate at least one third ordered plurality of waypoints W(X)′
. . . W(0)′
from the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, the search patterm including the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points; and
at least one display unit configured to display the at least one search pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and related methods for digital map enabled search pattern generation by a flight management system retrieves from a digital map a set of pattern points corresponding to a selected search pattern parameter, such as a coastline, boundary, lateral terrain feature, or manmade structure, and a designated search area. The flight management system generates a sequence of waypoints based on the set of pattern points and a variable search radius, the sequence of waypoints optimizing efficient coverage of the search pattern parameter. The flight management system generates a full search pattern based on the generated sequence of waypoints; the generated search pattern may be approved or evaluated by the FMS, or forwarded to a rerouter for modification according to terrain avoidance factors.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A digital map enabled flight management system (FMS), comprising:
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a graphical flight planner (GFP) configured to define at least one flight pattern parameter and at least one flight pattern area associated with at least one aircraft; a digital map coupled to the GFP and configured to generate a first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point corresponding to a location within the at least one flight pattern area and to the at least one flight pattern parameter; andthe flight management system (FMS) including one or more processors coupled to the GFP and to the digital map, the one or more processors configured to;
generate at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the first ordered plurality of pattern points, and (ii) a single search radius determined by a variety of contributing factors, two or more waypoints corresponding to a pattern point; andgenerate a single search pattern based on (i) two or more of the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, and (ii) a track space offset to separate at least one third ordered plurality of waypoints W(X)′
. . . W(0)′
from the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, the search patterm including the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points; andat least one display unit configured to display the at least one search pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for digital map enabled search pattern generation, including one or more processors configured to:
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determine at least one flight pattern parameter including at least one of a coastline, a political boundary, a natural feature, and a manmade feature; determine at least one flight pattern area corresponding to at least one aircraft; retrieve, from at least one digital map coupled to the one or more processors, at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to the at least one flight pattern parameter;generate at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points, and (ii) a single search radius determined by a variety of contributing factors, two or more waypoints located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to a pattern point; and generate, via a flight management system, a single search pattern for display or approval for display on a display unit based on (i) two or more of the second ordered plurality of waypoints, (ii) and a track space offset to separate at least one third ordered plurality of waypoints W(X)′
. . . W(0)′
from the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, wherein the search pattern includes the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for digital map enabled search pattern generation, comprising:
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determining at least one flight pattern parameter via a flight management system (FMS) associated with at least one aircraft, the FMS comprising one or more processors; determining, via the FMS, at least one flight pattern area; generating, via a digital map coupled to the FMS, at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−
1), each pattern point located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to the at least one flight pattern parameter;generating, via the FMS, at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points, and (ii) a single search radius determined by a variety of contributing factors, two or more waypoints located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to a pattern point; generating, via the FMS, a single search pattern based on (i) two or more of the second ordered plurality of waypoints, and (ii) a track space offset to separate at least one third ordered plurality of waypoints W(X)′
. . . W(0)′
from the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints, wherein the search pattern includes the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points; andproviding the search pattern for display or approval for display on a display unit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification