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US 6,308,116 B1Granted
System and method for integrating LNAV and VNAV with autopilots for existing aircraft
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsRalph D. Ricks, Geoffrey L. Barrance, Wayne A. Smith, Leo G. LaForge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An avionics system for retrofitting a GPS system to work with an existing autopilot by using signal switching and conditioning in an electronic flight display to accomplish the switching without the need for logic controlled relays in the GPS to autopilot interconnect wiring.
Claims19
An avionics system comprising:
- a desired heading selector for providing desired heading information;
- an LNAV/VNAV mode selector for providing mode select instructions;
- a global navigation system for providing global digital navigation data;
- an electronic indicator, coupled to said global navigation system via a digital data bus, and to the LNAV/VNAV mode selector to receive mode select instructions and to the desired heading selector to receive desired heading information;
- said electronic indicator for extracting navigation guidance signals from said global digital navigation data and further for selectively outputting heading error/datum signals and navigation steering signals in response to said mode select instructions;
- simplified interconnect lines coupled to said electronic indicator for routing said heading error/datum signals and navigation steering signals;
- and
- an autopilot having standard autopilot roll/pitch axes connected to the simplified interconnect lines, for receiving said heading error/datum signals and navigation steering signals and generating aircraft control signals in response thereto.
5 more elements
An avionics system for providing autopilot functions in response to a global navigation system comprising:
- an existing autopilot on an existing aircraft, where said autopilot has issued aircraft control signals that have controlled said existing aircraft in flight;
- means for providing global navigation data;
- means for displaying attitude characteristics of an aircraft in response to said global navigation data;
- means for selectively providing heading error/datum signals and navigation steering signals to said existing autopilot in a format that existing hardware characteristics of said existing autopilot remains unchanged;
- and
- a wiring system that is free from logic controlled relays and that couples said existing autopilot and said means for selectively providing.
3 more elements
A method of controlling an aircraft autopilot comprising the steps of:
- providing global navigation data over a wiring system;
- providing a heading error signal over said wiring system;
- providing a display device;
- providing an autopilot, coupled to said display device by said wiring system;
- selectively switching data input into said autopilot by switching between said navigation data and said heading error signal without having a logic controlled relay in said wiring system.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.