Back to results
US 11,142,337 B2Granted
Method and system for determining a descent profile
AssigneeGE Aviation Systems LLC
InventorsDavid Michael Lax, Reza Ghaemi, Pierino Gianni Bonanni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system of determining or estimating a descent profile includes receiving a final approach fix for a target destination, repeatedly back-calculating a set of subsequent models, determining a descent profile based on the repeated back-calculating the set of subsequent models, and operating the aircraft in accordance with the descent profile.
Claims14
A method of determining a descent profile, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a controller module, a final model of performance characteristics for an aircraft at a final approach fix for a target destination;
- determining, by the controller module, a first aircraft energy level of the final model, the first aircraft energy level defining a combined kinetic and potential energy of the aircraft at the final model;
- repeatedly back-calculating, by the controller module, a set of subsequent models based on successively larger aircraft energy levels, wherein each successive back-calculating determines a variable thrust parameter value of the respective subsequent model based on a minimizing cost profile;
- determining a descent profile based on the repeated back-calculating the set of subsequent models;
- determining an estimated descent profile aircraft weight at an initial descent point based on the determined descent profile, the set of variable thrust parameter values, an estimated horizontal distance of the determined descent profile, and an estimated final approach aircraft weight of the final model;
- determining an estimated flight plan aircraft weight at the initial descent point based on a current flight plan of the aircraft;
- comparing the estimated flight plan aircraft weight with the estimated descent profile aircraft weight;
- upon satisfaction of the comparing, updating the estimated final approach aircraft weight of the final model, and repeating the determining the first aircraft energy level and repeatedly back-calculating the set of subsequent models;
- and
- operating the aircraft in accordance with the determined descent profile.
7 more elements
A system for determining a descent profile, the system comprising:
- memory storing aircraft performance characteristics of a final approach fix for a target destination and a minimizing cost profile;
- a controller module configured to:
- receive the performance characteristics and minimizing cost profile from the memory;
- determine a first aircraft energy level based on the performance characteristics of the aircraft at the final approach fix, the aircraft energy level defining a combined kinetic and potential energy of the aircraft;
- repeatedly back-calculate a set of subsequent aircraft performance models, to determine a descent profile based on the repeated back-calculating the set of subsequent models;
- determine an estimated descent profile aircraft weight at an initial descent point based on the determined descent profile, the set of variable thrust parameter values, an estimated horizontal distance of the determined descent profile, and an estimated final approach aircraft weight of the final model;
- determine an estimated flight plan aircraft weight at the initial descent point based on a current flight plan of the aircraft;
- compare the estimated flight plan aircraft weight with the estimated descent profile aircraft weight;
- upon satisfaction of the comparing, update the estimated final approach aircraft weight of the final model, and repeating the determining the first aircraft energy level and repeatedly back-calculating the set of subsequent models;
- and
- provide the descent profile to a flight controller to operate the aircraft in accordance with the descent profile.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.