US 10,852,157 B2Granted

Guidance display for controlling aircraft turns for aircraft spacing

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsSyed Tahir Shafaat, John Allin Brown, Minh-Tri Le

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method and apparatus of controlling movement of an aircraft. A turn path off of a planned route for an aircraft comprising a turn to direct the aircraft to an intercept point on the planned route is determined. A planned route indicator depicting the planned route, a turn path indicator depicting the turn path, and an aircraft position indicator indicating a position of the aircraft are displayed to an operator of the aircraft at the same time on a turn guidance display. Deviation limit indicators for the planned route, the turn path, or both, may be displayed on the turn guidance display. Indicator characteristics of the deviation limit indicators may be changed in response to aircraft deviations from the planned route or the turn path by more than the deviation limits. The turn guidance display is used to control the movement of the aircraft to follow the turn path.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of controlling a movement of an aircraft to an air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of an other aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving, in a turn guidance generator, the air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of the other aircraft;
determining, using the turn guidance generator the air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of the other aircraft, a turn path off of a planned route for the aircraft, the turn path comprising:
a turn guiding the aircraft off of the planned route for the aircraft to an intercept point rejoining the aircraft to the planned route for the aircraft and placing the aircraft at the air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of the other aircraft;
and
deviation limits substantially parallel to and bordering both sides of the turn path;
simultaneously displaying on a turn guidance display:
a planned route indicator depicting the planned route for the aircraft;
a turn path indicator depicting the turn path relative to the planned route for the aircraft, such that the planned route indicator and the turn path indicator each comprise a unique indicator characteristic, respectively;
and
an aircraft position indicator indicating a position of the aircraft relative to:
the planned route for the aircraft, the deviation limits relative to the turn path, and the turn path;
and
using the turn guidance display for controlling the movement of the aircraft to follow the turn path and placing the aircraft at the air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of the other aircraft.

10 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

a turn calculator, comprising a processor in an aircraft, configured to determine, based upon an air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of an other aircraft, a turn path, that comprises a turn that directs the aircraft off of a planned route to an intercept point that rejoins the turn path to the planned route at the air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of the other aircraft;
and
a display generator configured to simultaneously display, on a turn guidance display, a planned route indicator that comprises:
the planned route for the aircraft;
a turn path indicator that comprises the turn path relative to the planned route for the aircraft, wherein the planned route indicator and the turn path indicator each comprise a unique indicator characteristic, respectively;
and
an aircraft position indicator that comprises a position of the aircraft relative to:
the planned route for the aircraft;
a deviation limit substantially parallel to and bordering both sides of the planned route;
and
the turn path.

8 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

a turn guidance generator configured to receive:
an air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of an other aircraft;
an information receiver configured to receive information that comprises a planned route for an aircraft;
a deviation identifier configured to determine planned route deviation limits, the planned route deviation limits being substantially parallel to and bordering both sides of the planned route for the aircraft;
and
a display generator configured to simultaneously display, on a turn guidance display:
a turn path that guides the aircraft off the planned route and back to an intercept point configured to place the aircraft back on the planned route at the air traffic control instructed spacing in trail of the other aircraft;
and
a planned route deviation limits indicator that comprises:
an indication of the planned route deviation limits for the aircraft;
and
an aircraft position indicator that comprises an indication of a position of the aircraft relative to the planned route deviation limits.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/813,550Filed 30 Jul 2015
Published: US 2017/0030734 A12 Feb 2017
Granted: 1 Dec 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01C 23/005
Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more…: flight…
G08G 5/21
Arrangements for acquiring, generating, sharing or displaying traffic information: located onboard the aircraft
G08G 5/25
Arrangements for acquiring, generating, sharing or displaying traffic information: transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft
G08G 5/26
Arrangements for acquiring, generating, sharing or displaying traffic information: transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft…