Systems and methods for providing a barometric altitude monitor
AssigneeAviation Communication & Surveillance Systems, LLL
InventorsRichard Darrell Ridenour, Charles Castel Manberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There are provided systems and methods for providing a barometric altitude monitor that assist pilots by providing alerts when a barometric altitude of the ownship aircraft is may be incorrect. Various embodiments of the present invention determine whether significant errors in barometric altitude occur though comparisons to alternate altitude information sources. Through aspects of the present invention, errors arising from manual entry of barometric pressure information by a pilot may be identified before safety issues arise, thus helping to prevent events such as controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
Claims9
A method comprising:
- determining that a barometric altimeter in an ownship aircraft is configured in a mode other than standard (STD) mode;
- comparing a corrected altitude measurement from the barometric altimeter to a second source of altitude information, the second source of altitude information comprising one of an average and a weighted average of:
- a GPS-determined altitude of the ownship aircraft;
- and
- a sum of a radio altitude of the ownship aircraft and a terrain elevation proximate to the ownship aircraft;
- and
- generating an alert in response to determining that the corrected altitude measurement deviates from the second source of altitude information by more than the variable altitude error threshold.
A method comprising:
- determining that a radio altitude measurement of an ownship aircraft is less than a predetermined minimum radio altitude threshold;
- comparing a corrected altitude measurement from a barometric altimeter to a second source of altitude information, the second source of altitude information comprising one of an average and a weighted average of:
- a GPS-determined altitude of the ownship aircraft;
- and
- a sum of a radio altitude of the ownship aircraft and a terrain elevation proximate to the ownship aircraft;
- and
- generating an alert in response to determining that the corrected altitude measurement deviates from the second source of altitude information by more than the variable altitude error threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.