# US 10,482,772 B2 · System and method for generating an optimized search and rescue profile for an in-flight aircraft

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- Number: US 10,482,772 B2
- Document ID: US10482772B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/786,725
- Filed: 2017-10-18
- Published: 2019-04-18
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-18
- Assignees: Honeywell International Inc.
- Applicants: Honeywell International Inc.
- Inventors: Sanju Kumari; Minni Ambooken; Subhadeep Pal; Nithin Ambika
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482772B2

## CPC

- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- G01C 23/005: {Flight directors (indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32)}
- G08G 5/21: located onboard the aircraft
- G08G 5/22: located on the ground
- G08G 5/34: for flight plan modification
- G08G 5/56: for two or more aircraft
- G08G 5/74: for monitoring terrain
- G08G 5/76: for monitoring atmospheric conditions
- B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT

## Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for generating a flight profile for search and rescue (SAR) operations. The method comprises monitoring flight parameters of an in-flight aircraft engaged in star operations through the aircraft's flight management system (FMS). The flight parameters are transmitted to a ground-based FMS that accesses a terrain database and a real-time weather database. With this information, the ground-based FMS generates a star flight profile for the aircraft. The flight profile is then transmitted to the in-flight aircraft's FMS.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for generating a flight profile for search and rescue (SAR) operations, comprising:
monitoring flight parameters with an onboard flight management system (FMS) for an in-flight aircraft engaged in SAR operations;
transmitting the flight parameters of the in-flight aircraft from the onboard FMS to a ground-based FMS, where the flight parameters are transmitted upon command by an aircrew member of the in-flight aircraft in order to request generation of a SAR flight profile for the onboard FMS which lacks a capability to generate a SAR flight profile;
accessing a terrain database and a real-time weather database with the ground-based FMS;
generating an SAR flight profile for the in-flight aircraft with the ground-based FMS, where the SAR flight profile is based on the flight parameters of the in-flight aircraft, the terrain, and the real-time weather;
transmitting the SAR flight profile from the ground-based FMS to the onboard FMS for the in-flight aircraft; and
loading the SAR flight profile generated by the ground-based FMS into the onboard FMS of the in-flight aircraft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
loading the SAR flight profile into the onboard navigation system of the in-flight aircraft.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
loading the SAR flight profile into an electronic flight bag (EFB) on board the in-flight aircraft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
loading the SAR flight profile into an electronic tablet on board the in-flight aircraft.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the flight parameters are monitored with an Aircraft Tracking System (ATS).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the flight parameters are monitored with a Flight Data Monitoring System (FDMS).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where transmission between the onboard FMS and the ground-based FMS is by satellite communication (SATCOM).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where transmission between the onboard FMS and the ground-based FMS is by high-frequency (HF) radio.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where transmission between the onboard FMS and the ground-based FMS is by very high frequency (VHF) radio.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the flight parameters comprise latitude, longitude, altitude, flight angle, track and airspeed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the flight parameters of the in-flight aircraft are transmitted to the ground-based FMS on a predetermined periodic basis.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the flight parameters of the in-flight aircraft are transmitted on demand by the ground-based FMS.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the ground-based FMS generates multiple SAR flight profiles for additional aircraft engaged in SAR operations.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, where the multiple SAR flight profiles are generated in coordination with each other in order to optimize the SAR operations.

### Claim 15

A system for generating a flight profile for search and rescue (SAR) operations, comprising:
an in-flight aircraft engaged in SAR operations with an onboard flight management system (FMS) that monitors the flight parameters of the in-flight aircraft;
a satellite communications (SATCOM) transceiver located on board the in-flight aircraft that transmits the flight parameters to a ground-based FMS;
a terrain database that provides real-time terrain data to the ground-based FMS;
a real-time weather database that provides real-time weather data to the ground-based FMS; and
where the ground-based FMS receives the flight parameters which are transmitted upon command by an aircrew member of the in-flight aircraft in order to request generation of a SAR flight profile for the onboard FMS which lacks a capability to generate a SAR flight profile, generates a SAR flight profile for the in-flight aircraft based on the flight parameters, the terrain data and the real-time weather data and transmits the SAR flight profile to the SATCOM transceiver on board the in-flight aircraft to be loaded FMS into the onboard FMS.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, where the SAR flight profile is loaded into the onboard FMS of the in-flight aircraft.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, where the ground-based FMS generates the SAR flight profile for the in-flight aircraft in coordination with other SAR flight profiles for additional aircraft engaged in SAR operations.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, where the other SAR profiles for additional aircraft are generated by the ground-based FMS in order to optimize SAR operations.