Least time alternate destination planner
First Claim
1. In a flight management computer containing a database of destinations within a region surrounding an aircraft, a method of selecting an alternate destination and implementing a diversion of the aircraft from an active flight plan to an intended destination to a diversion flight plan to the alternate destination, the diversion occurring at a diversion point the method comprising:
- (a) searching said database of destinations stored in said flight management computer to identify a plurality of alternate destinations at which the aircraft may land in the region surrounding the aircraft;
(b) determining a flight time along a diversion flight plan to each of the plurality of alternate destinations;
(c) ranking the plurality of alternate destinations in the order of the flight time to each of the plurality of alternate destinations;
(d) displaying the plurality of alternate destinations to a pilot of the aircraft;
(e) enabling the pilot to initiate diversion to a selected one of the plurality of displayed alternate destinations by manipulating a single keyboard input that is linked with the flight management computer; and
(f) implementing a diversion to the selected alternate destination by replacing the active flight plan with the diversion flight plan to the selected one of the plurality of alternate destinations.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An alternate destination planner for searching a navigation database in an aircraft and identifying a plurality of alternate destinations at which the aircraft can land in the event of an emergency. For each identified alternate destination, the alternate destination planner calculates an estimated time of arrival (ETA) and an amount of fuel remaining upon arrival at the destination. The calculation of the ETA and the remaining fuel is based on user-modifiable parameters of aircraft speed, aircraft altitude, wind direction and speed, outside air temperature, and the type of routing the aircraft will follow from a diversion point to the alternate destination. The plurality of alternate destinations are displayed to a pilot of the aircraft according to the ETA to each alternate destination, with the closest alternate destination by time listed first. The plurality of alternate destinations are also displayed to the pilot on a map of the surrounding region that is provided to the pilot on a navigation display. A pilot may select and divert to one of the plurality of alternate destinations using a minimal number of keystrokes on a control display unit.
161 Citations
29 Claims
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1. In a flight management computer containing a database of destinations within a region surrounding an aircraft, a method of selecting an alternate destination and implementing a diversion of the aircraft from an active flight plan to an intended destination to a diversion flight plan to the alternate destination, the diversion occurring at a diversion point the method comprising:
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(a) searching said database of destinations stored in said flight management computer to identify a plurality of alternate destinations at which the aircraft may land in the region surrounding the aircraft; (b) determining a flight time along a diversion flight plan to each of the plurality of alternate destinations; (c) ranking the plurality of alternate destinations in the order of the flight time to each of the plurality of alternate destinations; (d) displaying the plurality of alternate destinations to a pilot of the aircraft; (e) enabling the pilot to initiate diversion to a selected one of the plurality of displayed alternate destinations by manipulating a single keyboard input that is linked with the flight management computer; and (f) implementing a diversion to the selected alternate destination by replacing the active flight plan with the diversion flight plan to the selected one of the plurality of alternate destinations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a flight management computer containing a database of destinations within a region surrounding an aircraft at which the aircraft may land, a method of identifying from the database of destinations and displaying to a pilot of the aircraft a plurality of alternate destinations for landing the aircraft when the aircraft cannot be landed at its intended destination, the method comprising:
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(a) determining a distance between a current position of the aircraft and a location of each destination within said database of destinations stored in said flight management computer; (b) identifying a plurality of alternate destinations from the database of destinations that are closest in distance to the aircraft; (c) determining a flight time along a diversion flight plan to each of the plurality of alternate destinations; (d) ranking the plurality of alternate destinations in the order of the flight time to each of the plurality of alternate destinations; (e) displaying the plurality of alternate destinations to the pilot; and (f) automatically updating the plurality of alternate destinations upon expiration of a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification