US 2014/0278182 A1 · Reduction of Altitude Error Using Forecasted Atmospheric Pressure Data

Abstract

A technique for reducing altitude error involves determining a corrected altitude for an aircraft using forecast atmospheric pressure data available, for example, from a weather forecasting service. The forecast atmospheric pressure data includes, for a number of points in time and for a number of geographic locations, a set of pressure levels and corresponding altitude values. Altitude correction data is periodically calculated from the forecast atmospheric pressure data for each of a number of geographic grid points. Upon receiving aircraft position information and an aircraft altitude measurement for an aircraft, one or more of the geographic grid points corresponding to the aircraft position are identified, and a corrected altitude of the aircraft is determined based on the altitude correction data of the one or more geographic grid points.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for reducing altitude error, the method comprising:

receiving at a processor forecast atmospheric pressure data for a plurality of geographic locations, the forecast atmospheric pressure data including, for each of a plurality of points in time and for each geographic location, a plurality of pressure levels corresponding to a respective plurality of altitudes;
periodically calculating via the processor, from the forecast atmospheric pressure data, altitude correction data for each of a plurality of geographic grid points in a geographic grid;
receiving an aircraft altitude measurement for an aircraft, and aircraft position information indicating an aircraft position of the aircraft;
identifying one or more of the geographic grid points corresponding to the aircraft position information;
and
determining a corrected altitude of the aircraft based on the altitude correction data of the one or more geographic grid points.

3 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

at least one interface configured to receive:
forecast atmospheric pressure data for a plurality of geographic locations, the forecast atmospheric pressure data including, for each of a plurality of points in time and for each geographic location, a plurality of pressure levels corresponding to a respective plurality of altitudes;
and
an aircraft altitude measurement for an aircraft, and aircraft position information indicating an aircraft position of the aircraft;
and
at least one processor configured to:
periodically calculate from the forecast atmospheric pressure data, altitude correction data for each of a plurality of geographic grid points in a geographic grid;
identify one or more of the geographic grid points corresponding to the aircraft position information;
and
determine a corrected altitude of the aircraft based on the altitude correction data of the one or more geographic grid points.

7 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with software comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform functions of:

receive forecast atmospheric pressure data for a plurality of geographic locations, the forecast atmospheric pressure data including, for each of a plurality of points in time and for each geographic location, a plurality of pressure levels corresponding to a respective plurality of altitudes;
periodically calculate, from the forecast atmospheric pressure data, altitude correction data for each of a plurality of geographic grid points in a geographic grid;
receive an aircraft altitude measurement for an aircraft, and aircraft position information indicating an aircraft position of the aircraft;
identify one or more of the geographic grid points corresponding to the aircraft position information;
and
determine a corrected altitude of the aircraft based on the altitude correction data of the one or more geographic grid points.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reduction of Altitude Error Using Forecasted Atmospheric Pressure Data

Life of this patent

Reduction of Altitude Error Using Forecasted Atmospheric Pressure Data

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20