# US 11,443,641 B2 · Systems and methods for flight plan modifications

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- Number: US 11,443,641 B2
- Document ID: US11443641B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/822,181
- Filed: 2020-03-18
- Published: 2021-09-23
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-18
- Assignees: Honeywell International Inc.
- Applicants: Honeywell International Inc.
- Inventors: Stanislav Foltan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443641B2

## CPC

- G08G 5/34: for flight plan modification
- G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence)
- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- 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)

## Abstract

Methods and systems for modifying a flight plan to implement micro-shortcuts. The system identifies a segment of interest within an initial flight plan, the segment of interest being a section to consider for a micro-shortcut. The system determined a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest and determines a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment. The system requests, from the relevant ATC, an amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest. Upon obtaining permission for the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest, the system calculates a shortest path (i.e., a micro-shortcut) for the segment of interest. The system modifies the initial flight plan and commands the FMS to fly the shortest path for the segment of interest.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for flight plan modification in an aircraft, comprising:
determining, by a processing system comprising a processor and a memory device, that the aircraft is operating on a flight plan;
identifying a segment of interest within the flight plan;
determining a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest;
determining, by the processing system, a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment;
requesting, from the relevant ATC, an amount of deviation from the flight plan for the segment of interest;
obtaining, from the relevant ATC, permission for the amount of deviation from the flight plan for the segment of interest;
using at least the amount of deviation to calculate a shortest path for the segment of interest upon obtaining the permission for the amount of deviation from the flight plan for the segment of interest from the relevant ATC, wherein the shortest path is an air distance; and
modifying the flight plan for the segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the shortest path for the segment of interest.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest and requesting the amount of deviation is based on human input received responsive to a prompt.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest is based on referencing a predefined map.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest is based on input received from a flight assistance tool.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the segment of interest is defined by a starting location and an ending location that is a distance from the starting location.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising, prior to reaching the ending location,
identifying, by the processing system, a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest;
determining, by the processing system, a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment;
requesting, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
obtaining, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
using at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and
modifying the flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the segment of interest is defined by a starting waypoint and an ending waypoint.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising, prior to reaching the ending waypoint,
identifying, by the processing system, a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest;
determining, by the processing system, a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment;
requesting, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
obtaining, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
using at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and
modifying the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the segment of interest is defined by a current position and an amount of time.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising, prior to an expiration of the amount of time,
identifying, by the processing system, a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest;
determining, by the processing system, a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment;
requesting, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
obtaining, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
using at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and
modifying the flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.

### Claim 11

A system for flight plan modification on-board an aircraft, comprising:
a navigation system; and
a processing system coupled to the navigation system and programmed to:
determine that the aircraft is operating on an initial flight plan;
identify a segment of interest within the initial flight plan;
determine a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest;
determine a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment;
request, from the relevant ATC, an amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest;
obtain, from the relevant ATC, permission for the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest;
use at least the amount of deviation to calculate a shortest path for the segment of interest in response to obtaining the permission for the amount of deviation from the flight plan for the segment of interest from the relevant ATC, wherein the shortest path is an air distance; and
modify the initial flight plan for the segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the shortest path for the segment of interest.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further programmed to determine the geographical environment associated with the segment of interest and request the amount of deviation based on human input received responsive to a prompt.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further programmed to determine the geographical environment associated with the segment of interest is based on referencing a predefined map.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further programmed to determine the geographical environment associated with the segment of interest is based on input received from a flight assistance tool.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further programmed to determine the segment of interest using a starting location and an ending location that is a distance from the starting location.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the processing system is further programmed to, prior to reaching the ending location:
identify a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest;
determine a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment;
request, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest;
obtain, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest;
use at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and
modify the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further programmed to determine the segment of interest using a starting waypoint and an ending waypoint.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further programmed to determine the segment of interest using a current position and an amount of time.

### Claim 19

An aircraft system on-board an aircraft, comprising:
a navigation system;
a flight management system (FMS); and
a processing system coupled to the navigation system and FMS, the processing system configured to:
determine that the aircraft is operating on an initial flight plan;
identify a segment of interest within the initial flight plan;
determine a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest;
determine a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment;
request, from the relevant ATC, an amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest;
obtain, from the relevant ATC, permission for the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest;
use at least the amount of deviation to calculate a shortest path for the segment of interest in response to obtaining the permission for the amount of deviation from the flight plan for the segment of interest from the relevant ATC; and
modify the initial flight plan for the segment of interest; and
command the FMS to fly the shortest path for the segment of interest.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The aircraft system of claim 19, wherein the processing system is further configured to:
identify a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest;
determine a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment;
request, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest;
obtain, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest;
use at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and
modify the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.