Systems and methods for contextual alerts during ground operations

A method for contextual alerts during ground operations, comprising:

• at a control module comprising a processor and a memory,
• receiving, from a navigation system, a current location and heading for an aircraft;
• receiving, from an external source, an assigned runway;
• referencing airport feature data to construct a route for the aircraft to travel from the current location to the assigned runway, the route including a travel direction;
• generating display commands for rendering an image showing the aircraft at the current location and heading on the airport field;
• analyzing the route to identify relevant signage features, defined as signage features associated with the route;
• and
• generating display commands for concurrently rendering, on the image, the relevant signage features with a visual emphasis that provides visual distinguishability with respect to the remaining signage features;
• identifying hot-spots on the route, defined as processing the route with (i) received traffic data to determine whether there is a traffic hot-spot, and (ii) a problematic scenarios list to determine whether there is a design hot-spot;
• and
• generating a traffic hot-spot alert when the hot-spot is a traffic hot-spot;
• generating a design hot-spot alert when the hot-spot is a design hot-spot;
• and
• generating display commands for rendering the respective hot-spot alerts on the image;
• and
• at a display system,
• receiving the display commands and rendering images responsive to the received display commands.

A control module for an aircraft during ground operations, the aircraft comprising a source of navigation data including a current location and heading of an aircraft, and a source of airport feature data associated with an airport field, and the control module comprising:

• a memory;
• a database including a problematic scenarios listing;
• and
• a processor operationally coupled to the memory and the database, the processor configured to:
• receive an assigned runway;
• construct, using airport feature data, a route for the aircraft to travel from its current location to the assigned runway, the route including a travel direction;
• generate display commands for rendering an image showing the aircraft at the current location and heading on the airport field;
• analyze the route to identify relevant signage features, defined as signage features associated with the route;
• generate display commands for concurrently rendering, on the image, the relevant signage features with a visual emphasis that provides visual distinguishability with respect to the remaining signage features;
• identify hot-spots on the route, defined as processing the route with (i) the traffic data to determine whether there is a traffic hot-spot, and (ii) problematic scenarios to determine whether there is a design hot-spot;
• and
• generate a traffic hot-spot alert when the hot-spot is a traffic hot-spot;
• generate a design hot-spot alert when the hot-spot is a design hot-spot;
• and
• generate display commands for rendering the respective hot-spot alerts on the image.